All Saints Celebrations November 4th

Many times, I stated that this life is a journey to prepare us for our journey home to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When we become followers of Christ Jesus we become a priesthood of believers whose residence is not this world.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people
belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of
darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are
the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received
mercy.

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2:9-12 NIV

My friends, as we continue on this journey as strangers and aliens awaiting our call home, we will have a blessed opportunity to celebrate those who went home in this past year. On Sunday, November 4th at all the worship services we will celebrate those who finished the race, kept the faith and received their reward before Christ. We will celebrate the saints, the priesthood of believers who celebrate at the great banquet feast.

I know my mother is a stranger no more to this world and she finished her race. Marlane and I look forward to honoring her. May we take the opportunity to do the same for those loved who went home since November 1, 2006 (see an associated article concerning the celebration in this issue of The Witness).

Grace and peace,

Jack

the comfortable journey

My Friends on the journey:

I was encouraged to blog on a daily basis over the next several days about my thoughts and words of encouragement as I traveled this part of my journey after the loss of my mother.

So, I would like to share two experiences I recall from my previous week while I was with my mother on my "last" short visit.

As Mother sat in her wheel chair on Friday, September 28th, she had just been given the word from me and her new hospice nurse that she would not be going home to her house again. Mother stated that she understood and that she was unable to care for herself anymore. Besides, she was receiving wonderful care in Pine Run Nursing Home. The hospice nurse told her that she would be given a comfortable journey from this point and whatever she wanted to help her in this to just ask. Mother and I both had tears, again.

My mother then proceeded to talk about taking journeys with her husband, Bill, all over the continental U.S. and Puerto Rico. She then leaned back in her wheelchair and said, "I have one more journey to make!" She looked up to the sky and declared, "Do You [God] hear me?!"

She then told us that she would love to be able to paint again. She was an accomplished artist but due to macular degeneration she was unable to exercise her artistry. She described a scene of a beautiful snow-covered mountain peak with a stream and evergreen trees in the foreground that surrounded a meadow (she described with hand movements). She then quoted Psalm 121:1-2

I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

She showed that in spite of what was going on it life, in spite of her circumstances or physical health, she knew her Lord and Maker would help her. And her Lord and Maker did. She reached the apex of the mountain, her eternal home.

The amazing thing is mother lived this all her life and not just in the comfortable journey she experienced at age ninety-two. Oh, if only I could do the same now.

On the journey,

Jack