My Daddy’s Last Day
May 8, 2002
The day began with him in the deep fitful sleep, which he would drift in and out of through the duration of his life. They had removed from him anything uncomfortable that had been attached to assist in prolonging his suffering. Only God knew how much longer he had to go.
I watched him through those early morning hours as he talked in his own way, using his hands for sign language (he had been deaf since infancy). Perhaps he was signing to God who spoke in his head. We had made it through the night.
About 7:00 a.m. I opened the blinds to the window and light began to pour into the room, filtered by a large tree located just outside the window. Light poured in through the door as well, as my brother Ronald walked into the room. A moment later, Pastor Sarah Davis entered. Truly anointed and full of the Spirit, she also brought light into that dismal room.
She prayed. "This will be a great day, according to God's will!" she said. We prayed together.
About 2:00 p.m., Daddy's eyes, which had been firmly closed since the night before, opened up. They stayed open until I closed them at 7:30 p.m., when we knew our father had gone for his appointment with God. He had gazed out that window the whole time.
Thirty minutes or so later, after many tears and prayers, my sister, Charlie, who sat facing the window with friend Sylvia and her daughter Valerie sitting by her side, looked out that window and saw something. All day long birds of many colors had perched on the tree outside the window, but none were white. However, when Charlie looked out that window just then, peering past my Daddy, whose body lay waiting for us to let him go and my mother who sat next to him holding his lifeless hand, Charlie noticed a white bird sitting on the window seal.
"Is that white bird a dove?" Charlie asked.
Sylvia, sitting next to her replied, "That is a white bird!"
Valerie, sitting next to her, exclaimed "Mother, that is a dove!"
As I turned to the window, the dove flew away, but I rushed to the window to see its ascent as it flew toward the sky. My Daddy was keeping his appointment and that dove was his escort. Although Charlie, Sylvia and Valerie actually saw the dove sitting on the window seal, and I only saw it fly upward and away, that's all I needed to realize that God was once again having His way, because I believe.
God has made many promises in His Word and has never broken one. He sustains me daily and I believe I'll see my Daddy again some day, just as God says I will. Yes, I believe.
Novell
Persevere in Prayer
If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Matthew 21:21,22 KJV
"Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him And let him see My salvation.''
Psalm 91:14-16 NASB
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.
Psalm 34:17-19 NIV
Grace and Salvation
So I greet you with the great words, grace and peace! We know the meaning of those words because Jesus Christ rescued us from this evil world we're in by offering himself as a sacrifice for our sins. God's plan is that we all experience that rescue. Glory to God forever! Oh, yes!
Galatians 1:3-5 MSG
Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.
Galatians 2:20,21 MSG