One of my most time-consuming hobbies (in my past life) was watching movies. Now, it seems like I don’t have the time or desire, even though I am awake most of my 24 hours (go figure).
This past summer, I overheard some men talking about how great the movie ‘No Country for Old Men’ was, so on my next visit to the library, I picked up this movie and watched it.
‘No Country for Old Men’ was morbid, frightful, bloody, depressing, all about death, …not a movie I would recommend, but as I lie in bed this early morning pondering this next inspiration, this movie immediately came to mind.
The movie ‘No Country for Old Men’ goes something like this. A ‘western’ American man stumbles upon a murder scene, out in the middle of ‘no where’, full of blood and men gunned down from a drug deal gone bad. This local man finds a large amount of drug money, and decides he wants to keep it.
The owner of this drug money hires a hit man to get his money back, and for the rest of the movie, this hit man ‘takes care’ of business.
This hit man is comparable to the Grim Reaper, wearing a large black trench coat, walking slowly through the entire movie, but always seems to be just one-step behind the man with the money (who is frantically trying to get away).
This ‘Grim Reaper’ slaughters anyone who gets in his way, because it is his ‘job’ to get the drug money back. At the end of the movie, he ultimately ‘gets’ his man after killing many (through the ENTIRE movie).
A couple of thoughts come to mind when you watch the movie. First, you don’t want to live in this type of on-the-edge lifestyle. Second, no matter where you hide, or how fast your little legs (or car) can carry you, you just can’t get away from the ‘wrongs’ in your life.
Numbers 32:23 “…you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure your sins will find you out.
At the beginning of this year (and for the past five years) I watched my mother pass away from COPD, Emphysema, Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Congested Heart Failure, clogged veins… health ‘conditions’ from smoking. I was a lot like her, in fact, I was on the same path of self-destruction, and chose smoking as my vice (28+ years).
When I watched my mother die from smoking, that is when I knew that I couldn’t stop smoking on my own. Watching my own mother die like this, and the suffering she went through would have been enough to encourage anyone to quit smoking, but after I visited my mom for the last time (watching her suffocate to death), I immediately went home and lit up.
Special Note: If you smoke and you cannot stop, please reach out, anyway that you can, to receive the help to stop. What helped me stop was spending time with God and His Word, then God spent the time to help me quit smoking. I spent time with God by listening to Christian music only, then God spent time with helping me. When we choose to spend time with God, God will take the time to help us end our addictions. Again, I know because I am LIVING proof. Today I live with mild Asma, but I now have the hope of living a much longer life with my family. And my days are joyful, because I'm no longer a slave to smoking! God is worth a try.
I am old enough to have witnessed two types of funerals. 1. Funerals of Christian dead people. 2. Funerals of non Christian dead people.
The funerals that have no hope of eternal salvation was kind of like the movie ‘No Country for Old Men’. A strong sense of the Grim Reaper was in the room. The funeral was morbid, frightful, depressing, all about death …not a funeral I would recommend.
The funeral of those with the hope of Jesus and eternal salvation was almost like being at a celebration. Yes, there were tears of sadness, but not wailing and screams of lost hope! We were only sad for ourselves, not for the dead Christian who was in Heaven.
As with my mother’s funeral, the songs weren’t sad at all: ‘I’ll praise You in this storm’, ‘
Often times, when one lives a life of drugs or crime, we immediately want justice; however, if we ponder our own lives, we should be thankful that none of us receive what we deserve. Psalms 103.
Romans
What type of funeral do you desire? What type of life-after-life do you want to have?
Jesus paid it all for you to have it all.
No Jesus
No Heaven
Know Jesus
Know Heaven
If you would like the hope of a better life, and the promise of eternal salvation in Heaven, please repeat the following prayer with me. As we say this prayer, tell these words to God – from the bottom of your heart.
WARNING!!! DO NOT WAIT!!! Death is just one-step in front of you, no matter how fast we run, no matter how hard we try to avoid it.
Dear God, I admit that I am a sinner and lost. God, I am very sorry for the many wrong choices I make. Dear Lord, please forgive me by the blood of Your Only Son Jesus. I believe that You sent your Only Son Jesus to this Earth to pay the price for my sins, so I can go to Heaven when I die. I believe that Jesus had to die and be buried to pay for my sins. I believe that Jesus is Lord, and that You are powerful enough to bring Jesus back to life. God, I believe that Jesus did came back to life 3 days after His death. Jesus, I may not know it all when it comes to You, but please just save me
John
I John 1:9 “If you confess your sins (to God), He is faithful enough to forgive you of your sins, and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (your sins).
If you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord,” and BELIEVE in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
If you would like to read about the poetic life and death of my mother, just keep reading. If not, just skip the following words and click on the video.
God Bless!
In His Hands,
Love, Glen
I call my mom’s last days on Earth poetic, because it was something you would see in movies. The love of my mother was poured out on everyone she knew, each and every year that went by, even this year when her body just didn’t have enough strength, she loved us beyond messure.
My mom loved to spoil us often (especially her grandkids) with dinners out, pizzas ordered in, gifts, cards, home cooked meals... she made sure when we visited her home, that she had something special for us. For me, it was tomato soup, ice cream sandwiches, fudge bars... and a listening ear (topped with unconditional love)!!! For her grandson Michael, it was whipped cream, pizza rolls, hot sauce... For my kids: puzzles, crayons, coloring books, Barbie cards, Play Doh, bouncy couches, toys with sounds and lights, and any food, candy, or ice cream that their little taste buds desired... She made sure she had, in her home, what all of our little hearts desired... but the best thing she had to offer was her LOVE. To all of us, this meant more than any earthly material object(s) she could find!!!
When my mom entered the hospital, most of us soon realized this would probably be for the last time. However, my mom being on her death bed, didn't stop her loving heart. For my wife's birthday, she put in the card $100, and told Jessica that she did this in order for us to have enough gas money to drive from Springfield to Dayton, to see her in the hospital. (my mom also made sure Jessica and I had a Christmas tree (with an Angel on top - and lights) our first year of marriage, because she knew we couldn't afford one.
At the hospital, this last time, she demanded that my dad bring tons of candy from the house, to fill up the dresser drawer, next to her hospital bed, for us kids/grandkids. Then she demanded my father visit the hospital cafeteria daily to buy the BIG cookies, that were to be placed in the drawer (with the candy). She wanted all of us to know that despite her illness, despite her location, despite her dying... that she wasn't ever going to stop loving us - to the point of spoiling us (with her love).
When she couldn’t talk or eat any longer, it was truly devastating to our family. The very life was being drawn from her right before our eyes. We knew she was on her death bed, and had been so sick for many years, but we just couldn’t prepare ourselves for the pain we felt those last days in the hospital, and the pain is felt still today.
My mom was truly amazing, and I am desperate to see her again in Heaven. She was God’s demonstration of perfect love here on Earth. She & God loved me no matter what, and gave me the words and strength I needed to keep going (for me to not end my life). When all others around me judged me for the bad choices I made, she was there to mend my broken heart. She was an excellent mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, aunt, friend, Christian, listener, counselor, down-to-earth, never complaining, all-around-best-mother-in this entire world!!!
Her last days on this earth were truly poetic. When her body had no strength left, her sweet heart and soul did. When she couldn’t find strength to say any words to her children, whom she cherished with all of her heart, she found the strength within her to reach her arms out to my kids, and to her other grandkids, to let them know that she loved them soooo much, and that everything was still o.k.
Even during her last night, when machines couldn’t keep her breathing, and she hadn’t eaten for days, her love for her grandkids just never stopped. When she told them goodbye, she stretched her arms out one last time (which caused her so much pain and joy), and she softly whispered to them “love you more” and she hugged them with
Mom, I miss you so much that I ache inside and the tears come often, but I know deep down you don’t want this sadness for me. You want me to have so much JOY on this Earth that my cup runs over like
My prayer is that my mansion is near yours, or better yet, we share the same one. Thank you God for my mom!!! Thank you God for allowing my mom to hold my children, to spoil them, to play with them. Now, she is playing with the children I have in Heaven, with the same sweet loving arms and heart she stretched out for all of us while she was here.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, and praise your Holy Name!!!
In Your Hands,
Barbara Joan Davidson
In Jesus’ Precious Name, Amen!
With All of My Love, Glen
