Time to Go

Earlier today Farrah Fawcett died after a horrific (in my opinion) battle with cancer. And then I got home and my daughter told us that Michael Jackson had died. Michael's death was sudden, apparently a sudden heart attack. Farrah's death process was beleaguered and prolonged through a "courageous" battle against cancer. Farrah's death was more or less expected. Michael's was not. There is no talk right now other than Michael. His demise has pre-empted Farrah's, in a sense.

The shock of a sudden unexpected death elicits a greater response from the public.

Actually, I am relieved for both of them. Farrah's body was tortured with treatments over nearly the past three years. No *real* knowledge of Michael's health exists, supposedly he had physical exams more recently and was training for a new tour. The pilot who was on Continental last week had passed physical exams. None of us know for sure when we might depart. We could all be preparing, couldn't we? Shouldn't we?

What is the best way to prepare?
How can we relate to others?
How can we value every one?

Do we value only those who are "dying"? Do we consider also those who are living?

Should our sympathies be only for those who are diagnosed? Should we maintain a spirit of hopefulness for our transfer as well as others' transfer to the beyond?

Should we be heralding one's transfer as a glorious thing or resisting one's departure because of our selfishness? Who loses and who gains when one graduates?


Psalm 90:12 So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom.

Seven Deadly Sins?

What might keep us from Heaven? One of the Seven Deadly Sins? What are they? Here's what I found in the Bible:

These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him:
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
A false witness [that] speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

~Proverbs 6:16-19

Note that the verse doesn't say that you will be punished in hell. It just says that the Lord hates these sins.

And then there's this one:
The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. ~Proverbs 8: 13

Doesn't say punishable by death or separation from God. I find it interesting that it is pride and sowing discord among brethren that seem to be the worst of all.

Churches and religion were much established in order to control the people and/or supervise them. As such, religion and churches interpreted the Bible and influenced the translation(s). Unless you go back to the original Greek/Hebrew, how do you know for certain that the "known" interpretation is contextually correct? Why not read the Bible yourself rather than trusting someone else to read for you?

I believe any sin and all sins are forgivable. I don't believe that hell is actually a place of punishment or fire and brimstone as much as it is simple separation from God. If someone doesn't want to be near Him, why would God force Himself upon that person?

God says, "If you seek me, you will find me." Why would God not honor that search even if the person's search might be, according to our own narrow beliefs, unusual or not "prescribed" by our religion?

So many sorrows and griefs have produced growth, understanding and tolerance. At the hand of those we have considered evil.

Do you think Judas Iscariot is in hell? Might he be in Heaven? Is one sin worse than others? I don't know that God really looks at them in the hierarchy many churches or pastors proclaim. God hates pride most. He detests grumbling. Unforgiveness is another one that seems to make the bad list.

God didn't even want to give the Israelites rules to follow. They begged for them. He gave them rules (The Ten Commandmants) so they'd see they couldn't keep any one of them, in spirit, in truth, for any length of time. In some way each and every one would sin. The "way" is to seek Him. Period. Not seeking Him is as grievous as any other sin, perhaps the worst.

Why do we people need to feel that some would burn in hell, or be punished? Why do we need that from God? Maybe a lot of us will be surprised when we get there at how we blew some things way out of proportion and missed the truly important things.

Heaven Hunger

A special thanks to my husband's friend Gordon Dasher whose blog I'll try to link in later, and a blogger on Gordon's site: Joneal, who suggested the term "Heaven Hunger."

A lot of people misconstrue readiness for Heaven as a deathwish. Our bodies do wear out. And it is not always sin that decays our bodies. God calls some of us Home a little earlier than others. Why we think we need to fight to live is beyond me. We need to LIVE while He gives us breath AND be ready to go into His arms at a moment’s notice.

I am opposed to prolonging *life* when the body has declared that it is ready to return to dust.

Waiting for the rain

I've so many thoughts swirling about lately. It's difficult to focus in on just one. This will be an online journal of sorts. No doubt my first few posts will be just that: a mish-mash of various streaming thoughts and ideas.

It's been raining a lot here in the upstate. One afternoon I was at my mother's assisted living facility and it was raining too hard to go to my car. My mother was concerned I'd need an umbrella. [I don't like umbrellas.] I told my mother we could sit in the rocking chairs and rest and see if it would let up. It was beautiful to hear the rain pounding. I always feel like rain cleanses the earth and can cleanse me, too, if I am still enough to let it.

Two young people (in their 20's) bounded out of their car and ran, in a jumping sort of way, to the door. I told my mom, "They enjoyed the rain!" The young man said, "It was in-VIG-o-rating!" His enthusiasm was catching.

Waiting for the rain to abate gave me a few minutes to remember what a resident had told me, she'd said it helped all of them to see me when I came to visit my mother. She said she had three children, but they lived far away. I gave her a hug for each child.

It hurt immensely to have to ask/tell my mother to move from her home last year. I grieved as I found a place for my mother to live, not in my home. "The Place" is just three miles from my house. I couldn't subject my husband, a teenager or myself, to the upheaval an active, inquisitive, repetitive but darling (to me) older woman would produce in our household.

I've realized over the past few months that my mother has been a blessing to the workers at her residence. She's been a blessing to many of the residents. And somehow God has used me to bless other residents and their children.

I did walk out into a soft rain to go to my car. I love light raindrops falling about and on me. Cleansed.