Sharon.  That's a wonderful testimony.  That's like going from glory to
glory.  Gave me the chills--good kind, just reading it.  Wow!

Glad we can all share here together on this list.  I just hang my hat or
scarf here too.  Smile.

Vicki




----- Original Message -----
From: "Sharon Hooley" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2006 6:22 PM
Subject: Re: [ECHURCH-USA] a living sermon illustration


> Kathy and all,
>
> that reminds me of when my great uncle Willard died in church.  We teens
> were in Sunday school when someone came and told our teacher something was
> wrong.  I don't know if he/she said exactly what it was; I was sleeping, a
> naughty naughty thing I've done for years.  We stayed in our class longer
> than usual.  Then I remembered the teacher saying, "we might as well go
in."
> Walking to my family's pew (my parents were gone at the time so I was
> staying with my brother's family.), I heard short snoring sounds, and
> someone, a nurse, said, "Willard, can you hear us?"  Another one of my
> brothers "happened" to be there.  he rarely came to church.  he was a
member
> of a volunteer emergency team.  I think maybe some of them came to work on
> Willard.  The ambulance came and took him away.
>
> Later, I was told what happened.  Uncle Willard stood, holding his bible
and
> testifying about Jesus.  Suddenly, he fell back onto the bench.  My
brother
> asked him if he was all right.  he said he was and continued his
testimony.
> he collapsed again, this time for good.  I don't know whether he died
> immediately, at the hospital, or when.  Church service was ended.  this is
> as close as I've come to someone dying.  I've often wondered what it is
like
> to hold a dying person's hand as he/she slips into eternity.
>
> And speaking of dying, one of my friends from Daybreak plans to come live
in
> my house.  Her name is Tawney, and she's about my age.  She told me that
> only 18% of her liver is functioning.  She went through kidney failure
> twice.  she is a diabetic.  She also has osteoporosis.  Two or three years
> ago, I think, she had a stroke that has affected mobility and speech.  She
> says she has a brain injury.  I'm not sure if she is talking about the
> stroke, but whatever it was, it has also affected her mind.  I don't know
if
> this was the cause of her mental illness, bipolar.  She had to learn to
walk
> and talk again.  I've heard someone talking with her about reading the
> bible, and, although I didn't hear all she said, it sounded positive.  I
> talked with her about the praying that I do with Phil, and she din't judge
> me, but said that prayer is relaxing.  So I don't know if she's saved.
With
> her health the way it is, it sounds like she could die in the not so
distant
> future.  Please pray for us, and for her, that we will be good witnesses,
> and that she will hear God's voice of salvation and healing.
>
> I still apreciate this list, and for Vicki and Phil's work in bringing us
> together.
>
> God bless you all!
>
> Sharon
>