It is always the hardest to reach into the life of someone
you are already close to.
Our hospice had already served this family but I knew them
long before our hospice had to serve them. This sweet lady was one of my
precious church members years ago and she always was one who would speak her
mind. When I was a much younger preacher she accused me of preaching too loud. I
will never forget the day that she met me at the back door of the church and
said to me, "preacher you need to tone it down just a bit you preach to
loud." She was one who always sat to my left from a pulpit view and on the
third row. I replied to her comment, "you just sit to close maybe you need
to move to the back of the church." That statement was my first mistake
with her because she said, "let me tell you something young preacher I
have sat on that same pew of many years and will sitting on it when you are
long gone from here." Now I don't want to make you think that she said
that mean spirited because she was laughing the entire time she was saying it
to me. Needless to say, I got really close to her and her husband.
He was the first to be admitted to our hospice and I must
say he was a great man of faith who served as a deacon in the church. Cancer
really took its toll on him but he always had a positive faith and assured me
he was ready to go to heaven when the Lord called him home. That day came and I
had to preach his funeral even though it happened just like his wife said, she
was still sitting on the third pew and I had been long gone as their pastor.
The Lord blessed her with several more years but then the
call was received, she was to be admitted to our hospice. This sweet lady had
gotten to be like a mother to me and it was a really hard and sad day for me.
I will never forget her words when I arrived to talk with her. She said,
"I reckon you will have another funeral to preach soon." There are
times you just don't say anything but continue to listen and that is what I
did, I just listened. The next statement out of her mouth came in the form of a
question, "do you still preach as loud as you use to preach?" I
answered, "I have not changed a bit I am as loud as ever." She begins
to laugh and said, "My Lord they will have to leave my casket at the back
of the church." Even in her declining condition, she continued to have her
keen sense of humor.
The day arrived that she departed this life but the thing
she said to me that I will never forget, "I know where I am going, I don't
think I know, I know that I am going to heaven and I expect to see you there
when the time comes Danny Ray." There is nothing like having a knowing
faith and her knowing faith helped her move from a life of sorrow and suffering
to a life of joy and happiness, a life in the fair city of God where there is
no suffering and praise God no cancer. I expect to see her soon and she will
probably say to Jesus as I enter the city of God, Lord be careful with him and
don't get to close because he really preaches loud.
Chaplain Danny V. Ray
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