On Sunday, October 20, 2002, just a few minutes past noon, I sat perched on a kitchen stool on my father's left side as he laid in the raised hospital bed which hospice had set up by the family room bay window. I spoke words of promise from God's Word... whispered words of comfort & assurance in Dad's ear... kissed him gently on the forehead... and heard his last breath slowly leave his earthly body. I don't know if it was just my mind but, I remember the sun streaming through the window at that very moment, warming my back. I was alone with him there in that moment but, never felt less alone.
I've written about this day before and will write of it again. It's a day that was planted in my heart at the age of 4 or 5 - put there with a very detailed & confusing, yet peaceful & reassuring, dream. An elaborate story has been in my heart & mind for more years than I care to say. Few of my friends have heard the story. I'm not ready to share all those wonderful details with the world. It was a loving hug from my Lord before I even grew to the age to truly understand & know Him and accept Him as my own.
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| About the age I had my dream... My dad & I after making our way down the Indiana Sleeping Bear Dunes. Oh, it was very fashionable to do SEPIA pics back then :) |
During the entire dream (or was it a vision?), a song played in the background. It was a song I'd probably heard numerous times at church as a tiny child. Throughout my life, every time I've heard that song, I've been taken back to that dream. When I can't seem to find sleep at night, I will often sing the song in my mind. A peace comes over me and, I always fall asleep as though held in the arms of God Himself (or Herself - there's another blog post!) The song was written in 1895 by Clara H. Scott. The scripture given as the basis of the song is:
Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions. Psalm 119:18The lyrics of Open My Eyes, That I May See are as follows:
Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Open my mouth, and let me bear,
Gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with Thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
I believe that God sees ahead each & every one of us AND will give each & every one of us glimpses of just what we need daily... or will need in the years to come. Open your eyes to what God is showing you. He is preparing a future of hope & promise for YOU!
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| The last "church directory pic" of my parents before Dad went home with God on 10-20-01. |
PS Guess what song just happened to be sung today at my church today? Yep, you got it. In my mind, that is no coincidence. It's just one more hug from a Loving Father! I love you Earthly Daddy in Heaven! I love you Heavenly Father!!
Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today...
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