Plan 9 said:
countrymousenc said:
to you all.
Aria said:
Aria said:Dear Dianne, Brian, Photini, Jennifer, and Eusebios:
My mom gave me two sweaters that my dad wore in his last days. These are my teddy bears, which I hug whenever I miss him. Besides, I do believe that he is a saint. When I went to the funeral home, I kissed my dad (on his beard) - he had a very thick beard - looked so very monastic. They gave me some hair clippings from his head, which I am saving.
When I touched my dad, his skin was still supple like he had just died -- and it was not discolored. I was able to lift the shroud and see his shoulder, which had a normal color and texture and feel about it - only it was cold. There was no odor whatsoever. I do believe that he was one of the incorrupt saints of God. I've been to many funerals and he was unique, as the others looked dead, but my dad just looked like he was asleep.
A month before his death he was constantly saying (making his own poetry)
Jesus Jesus come to me.
Meet me by the Azure Sea.
All my longing is for Thee.
Jesus Jesus come to me.
A man came to me and said that my dad died a Catholic, but my mom and sister denied this because they are anti-Catholic. They refused to let him see a priest. I tried and know that my dad wanted to receive the last sacraments, but I was not notified in time to be there for him. Nevertheless, I know that God sees the intention in a person's soul. My dad was repentant, loving, and forgiving. He died a saint. In photos taken a few months before his death, he had the look of a saintly ascetic, with a loving non-judgmental expression that saints have.
Interestingly, when I first told my mom that my dad was incorrupt, she was in disbelief and acted like I was crazy. She had taken a lock of hair from the back of my father's head just three hours before he died and said that she would give it to me. When she realized what I was saying - that dad was an incorrupt saint - then she decided to keep that lock of hair for herself, as I had some taken from the funeral home.
Lovingly in Christ our God,
Elizabeth
Plan 9 said:I know you. Elizabeth; what you say is always what you mean. That's one of the things that's so special about you.
It was only fair that I defend your sincerity, and your desire to do the right thing, knowing full well that the consequences would be pretty much what they were. You did the hard part, after all, when you started the thread.
I feel very lucky to be a Christian and I am proud to be a United Methodist. The local church I belong to is one that I think anyone would enjoy visiting, and be likely to come away blessed for having been there. I may not be able to attend it, but the congregation there exemplifies the best of United Methodism.
As far as my faith icon goes, my own Christian walk stood or fell on my posts before we had them, and it still does.
When I was just a young Jesus Freak, the other ex-hippies always said,
"If you can't walk the walk; don't talk the talk."
Sometimes I walk it, and sometimes I fail, but having friends like you, who always seem to walk the walk, encourages me more than you can know.
Forgive me, Elizabeth, since this part isn't addressed to me, but I'm close to a cousin who is Southern Baptist, and OSAS, but reading this would make him shake his head.
Even the Anabaptist movement (Amish, Mennonite, and Hutterite) can't be traced back that far, and they make no claim to be that old.
What my cousin feels is that there were probably always a few folks around who believed much what he does, but that's about it, and, if so, they're lost to history.
Your brother sounds like he's perhaps rebelling against his family, in choosing such an antagonistic set of Baptist beliefs? Am I wrong here? I don't want to be unfair to your brother.
Again, I missed you very much, Elizabeth! This United Methodist is very happy to have you back at TAW!
Aria said:
