That is beautiful, Julie!
April's Dave in Ohio
 2 Timothy 4:2 - Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "JULIE MELTON" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 2:52 PM
Subject: FW: Daddy's empty chair


JulieMelton
visit me at
www.heart-and-music.com
Keep smiling!





>From: "Julie M." <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Daddy's empty chair
>Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2006 19:48:04 -0600
>
>Nature
>      ~ DADDY'S EMPTY CHAIR ~
>  A man's daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her
>father.
>  When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head
>propped up on two pillows.
>  An empty chair sat beside his bed.
>  The minister assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit.
>    "I guess you were expecting me, he said.
>  'No, who are you?" said the father.
>  The minister told him his name
>  and then remarked,
>  "I saw the empty chair
>  and I figured
>  you knew I was going to show up,"
>  "Oh yeah, the chair,"
>  said the bedridden man.
>  "Would you mind closing the door?"
>  Puzzled,
>  the minister shut the door.
>  "I have never told anyone this,
>  not even my daughter,"
>  said the man.
>  "But all of my life I have never known how to pray.
>  At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer,
>  but it went right over my head."
>  I abandoned any attempt at prayer,"
>  the old man continued,
>  "until one day four years ago,   my best friend said to me,
>  "Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter
>  of having a conversation with Jesus.
>  Here is what I suggest."
>  "Sit down in a chair;
>  place an empty chair in front of you,
>  and in faith see Jesus on the chair.
>  It's not spooky because he promised,
>  'I will be with you always'.
>  "Then just speak to him in the same way
>  you're doing with me right now."
>  "So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it
>  a couple of hours every day.
>  I'm careful though
>  If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair,
>  she'd either have a nervous breakdown
>  or send me off to the funny farm."
>  The minister was deeply moved by the story
>  and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey.
>  Then he prayed with him,
>  anointed him with oil,
>  and returned to the church.
>  Two nights later the daughter called
>  to tell the minister that her daddy had died that
>  afternoon.
>  Did he die in peace?" he asked.
>  Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock,
>  he called me over to his bedside,
>  told me he loved me
>  and kissed me on the cheek.
>  When I got back from the store an hour later,
>  I found him dead.
>  But there was something strange about his death.
>  Apparently, just before Daddy died,
>  he leaned over and rested his head
>  on the chair beside the bed.
>  What do you make of that?"
>  The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said,
>  "I wish we could all go like that."
>  Just send this to four people or more,
>  and do not break this, please.
>  Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive.
>  I asked God for water,
>  *
>  He gave me an ocean.
>  *
>  I asked God for a flower,
>  *
>  He gave me a garden.
>  *
>  I asked God for a friend,
>  He gave me YOU...
>  If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
>  Happy moments, praise God.
>  Difficult moments, seek God.
>  Quiet moments, worship God.
>  Painful moments, trust God.
>  Every moment, thank God.
>
>Julie Melton
>Visit me at
>http://www.heart-and-music.com
>Keep Smiling!
>