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!
>
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