tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806733895774383957.post7688712567343746692..comments2011-03-08T12:28:48.549-05:00Comments on The Daily Grind: the reality of deathShannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06534996886529483619noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806733895774383957.post-75640239950864154492009-09-08T08:16:37.401-04:002009-09-08T08:16:37.401-04:00I grew up in the neighborhood I now live in and ju...I grew up in the neighborhood I now live in and just last week I found out my neighbor, Elaine, has cancer. Elaine has been a wonderful mother-type to me since I moved back shortly after my own mother's death in '05. I was with my Mother as she passed from life to death, but she had one foot here and one foot in eternity as she had Alzheimer's for 20 years. I've also worked with Hospice patients. Hard but amazingly rewarding. Two months ago, I moved my Dad to an independent senior living community nearby our homes. He'll be 88 this Sunday. As Cory spoke on Sunday, the order of our service, what the contents are, really don't matter, people do and God's Word that brings life, eternal life. When you strip away ALL the stuff and sit with someone who is dying or aged, life changes you forever. You see a glimpse of God in that person as you know they are walking from this life to the next soon and it's real. All you want to do is be with them in the here and now, to share with them, tell them of Jesus, or if they know Him, hear their words about Him. I can make my plans, but in the past 8 months caring for my Dad I've had to learn to live day by day relying on the Holy Spirit to move me next where I needed to go. It was only by that power that I could do what I did. I have a million things to do today and God knows them all, but first I'm going to go visit Elaine next door and love her a bit. Mornings are her best time. God will take care of the rest of my day.Cindy Mandravelishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10428737023461536953noreply@blogger.com