Facing Eternity

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." ~Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

My Father-in-Law has been told he has anywhere from 2 months to 2 years to live. Stage 4 cancer in the lungs and liver, has struck yet another blow. The family is heart-broken, not looking forward to what he may have to face. He is such a trooper though, never complaining much about anything.

I'll never forget "the walk" we took many years ago, when the Lord asked me share His love with Denzil. I've always loved my Father-in-Law...never feeling an outcast by him; and that same love wanted the reassuring words to come from his mouth that he knew the same Lord & Saviour I did. Those were wonderful moments we shared. We returned to the house, my spirit happy within me, because he told me he would consider my words. "Where would you go, should you die today?" was my question. I shared Jesus with him...(he already knew and believed in Him). Difficult issues had caused a separation from the church. So, here we were, walking around his property, with Jesus loving on him, confirming His love for him. A few months later, as we walked through my in-laws front door, an announcement came from my Mother-in-law. With tears in her eyes she said, "I have a new husband." Denzil had rededicated his life and service to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Early this morning I was awakened with "facing eternity." Many thoughts came pouring into my mind. Hopefully I can get some of them out here, because I do think it will give a truer perspective on what we've always known as death.

Death is not an end of things...it is the beginning of things! We've "fought the good fight, have finished the course, have kept the faith; and now there is a crown of righteousness laid up for us in heaven, (to those who have loved His appearing)" ~2 Timothy 4:7-8. God never intended for us to set down stakes here. Our home is with Him. An old hymn declares this. "This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through..."

Gravity is said to hold us here, and yet it was by God's design this should be. But when it's time to go home, gravity won't be strong enough to maintain our spirit.  My Father-in-Law made a comment yesterday...after getting home from the doctor and hearing the outcome of the biopsy, he said, "Well, I don't guess I'll get to see the Cardinals play this year." A big Cardinals fan, this one!  How I wish I had been there to hear that comment. I would have most likely teared up, put my arms around his shoulders, and said, "Oh, Denzil...you will have a front row seat! You may even choose to stand beside the pitcher and encourage him as he throws the ball. Or beside the batter, as he bats the home run of the season." Why would I say such a thing??? Because he won't be bound by anything!  "But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory" ~2 Corinthians 15:54.

Some months ago, a close friend of mine, shared a dream with me. She had dreamed about my sister, Becky, that had gone on home to be with the Lord. Kasey was at a gathering of some sort, when she spotted me across the room. As she walked toward me, she saw Becky standing beside me, surprised, knowing Becky was "no longer with us." When she approached us, she asked Becky what she was doing there. I'll never forget the response. "I can be anywhere I choose to be, Kasey Lynn." Wow! And why not? The Spirit of God that gives us life, doesn't ever leave us. Is He bound by anything? So why would we be then...once we are loosed from this phenomenon that holds us here. Once we "break the surely bounds of earth & touch the face of God" (President Ronald Reagan), nothing can hold us down.

If you haven't read the book, Return from Tomorrow, you should read it today. Amazing accuracy that lines up with God's Holy Scriptures. At the age of twenty, George Ritchie apparently died in an army hospital and was pronounced dead twice by the doctor on duty. Nine minutes later he returned to life. Dr. Ritchie wrote of his near-death experience (NDE) in Return from Tomorrow, co-written with Elizabeth Sherrill (1978). In this book he tells of his out-of-body experience, his meeting with Jesus Christ, and his travel with Christ through different dimensions of time and space. Return from Tomorrow has been translated into nine languages!

Ritchie's story was the first contact Dr. Raymond Moody, PhD had with NDEs, during his undergraduate studies in philosophy at the University of Virginia. This led Moody to investigate over 150 cases of NDEs in his book Life After Life and two other books that followed.

My purpose in this morning's blog is to get our eyes on the truth about death. There is sorrow and mourning, but we that belong to God, need not fear death. As we near that mark, we can actually face it with excitement as we peer into the face of God. I have watched a few of my loved ones come near the boundaries of heaven and earth. Those that were able to speak, spoke with excitement at seeing those that had gone on before. "Death is nothing more than a doorway, something you walk through." ~Dr. George Ritchey

 Until I reach that final destination, here you will find me...in Mary's World.

New, New Years Resolutions

Okay...so I've really been inspired...again! I have sat down, put my thinking cap on, and have come up with a true beginning for this new year God has given us. A necessity for me because we have committed to our LifeGate group to not only lead this endeavor, but to encourage along the way, as we travel this new year together.

I do realize, to stay focused I must place the goals where I'll see them each day. My plans are to keep my Facebook family aware of my successes, and my failures, by placing a hash tag in front of FinishYear when I post anything concerning these goals to my Facebook wall. Most likely there will also be blogs concerning my adventure. =} Aren't you happy about that? Double whammy, with the exception of more detail. Hmmmm....could be worth looking at. =}

Jon Acuff is a part of the Dave Ramsey team, and has truly inspired me. You can also be inspired by visiting Jon's web page, www.jonacuff.com. Look for the Archived items or the FinishYear tab to get the jolt you need to make 2012 an exceptional, productive year.

As you create the palate for your delicious year, remember to visit me here...in Mary's World.

Finish Well

It all started this past Dec 7th. (Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, it's seed was planted way back in the days of Fellowship of Christians, when my brother-in-law, pastor of the church we attended, preached one Sunday about it.) But it became very clear to us December of 2011. We were attending an ATI meeting in Tulsa, OK. and a close friend of ours was praying over us, as we look ahead to new beginnings. Not the new beginnings a new year brings...but the new things we'll face when making the move from Oklahoma to North Carolina.

For the past 37 years, our lives (my husband's & mine) have been rooted in Oklahoma soil. We met, fell in love, married, struggled at times accepting each other, had our children, dedicated our lives to God & His Church, Home Educated our daughters, started a support group for home educators, organized Curriculum Fairs (yearly for 5 years), led a church drama team, taught a children's group, opened a business, and pastored a church. Oh yes...and managed a home. Not necessarily in that order.

Our friend, while praying for us, said these words over and over, "finish strong!" No matter where we found ourselves to be, we were to finish strong. I do realize this is something that should be common sense for everyone. But for some reason, God really wanted us to get it. And we did!

Fast forward to today. While visiting in N.C. over the Christmas holiday, our son-in-law gave us both a challenge. Not knowing what has already happened in our hearts, he connected us to Jon Acuff and his challenge to finish well. Finish what you start...well. Very interesting. Especially to me. That's how God yanks my chain. He seems to enjoy using numbers with me. Three times I must hear something for it to attach itself to me...to really get my attention. The first time, it's something I know would be good in my life. The second time, I start to sit up a little straighter. And the third time, I say, "OKAY! I've got it!" Maybe it's because He knows I'm a number person and that I believe in the significance of numbers. The number three? It means "resurrection" and speaks to me the resurrection from a dead area in my life. I love how He loves me.

For the first time in a while, I actually enjoyed cleaning the business we own. Planning, rearranging, dusting, removing, adding, creating. I am determined to "finish well...finish strong" no matter where I find myself to be. Many things the Lord has spoken to me in 2011, but the most prominent is to finish well/strong. The Word He has given me to ponder in my heart...and alongside it, He has promised me His Grace. I can't begin to tell you (just because I couldn't count) the number of times He has spoken grace to me. "Grace multiplied" is what He shows me. Yes, in numbers. When others aren't speaking into my life, God uses His numbers alongside His Word.

Today, I opened an email from ChurchLeaders.com. Want to guess what it's thrust was? "New Year's Resolution: Finish Well"...now you gotta agree with me. Our God is the awesome God.

And now, I'm ready for anything...I think...here in Mary's World.