Category Archives: Heaven

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Living Like We’re Dying…

Hello World,

No one ever wants to think about dying…But over the last several months, I have been forced to consider the reality that we all must die someday…and many of us will leave this earth sooner than we prepared for and or expected…I truly began considering the ugly reality of death when my beloved Delta line sister Lola passed away in October…Since then, I have thought of her constantly…I wonder what actions she took to prepare herself for her transition, how her family is coping since that devastating day and how we will continue to live here on earth without her…

I was forced to think about the temporal life most of us lead on New Year’s Eve when the pastor preached on Romans 13:11-14….

11 Another reason for right living is this: you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of the Lord is nearer now than when we first believed.

12-13 The night is far gone, the day of his return[a] will soon be here. So quit the evil deeds of darkness and put on the armor of right living, as we who live in the daylight should! Be decent and true in everything you do so that all can approve your behavior. Don’t spend your time in wild parties and getting drunk or in adultery and lust or fighting or jealousy.

14 But ask the Lord Jesus Christ to help you live as you should, and don’t make plans to enjoy evil.

Although I am a Christian, Lord help me, I can get so caught up in what I need to do today, this week, this month, this year and on and on…as if I have a eternal to-do list never factoring in that one day Jesus Christ will return and it may sooner than I expect…I’ve even thought I hope Jesus Christ returns to earth after I die because I’ve got things I want to do, see and be…how disgustingly worldly is that?

And since the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared on March 8, I, among many across the world have been theorizing just what could have happened…I posted on my Facebook a few days later that my best theory was the plane had been raptured…I was sort of kidding…And I got several responses to that post…However, considering the verses above, we have to able to discern what is going on around us and be sensitive to God what is doing…

So this morning, I am wondering are if we living are like we’re dying…because the truth is, we are dying a little bit each day…Below are a few questions to determine if we are living like we’re dying…

  • What are we doing regularly for the Lord? I have dedicated my writing talent to the Lord because He gave it to me anyway…But outside of that, the Lord has been prompting me to not just write about Him but to speak about Him as well…I must confess talking about Jesus is so scary to me because I don’t want to others to think I’m a religious nut or just plain weird…but I have committed myself this year to being all about Jesus in “word and deed.”
  • Are we paying attention? It is easy to get caught up in what is going with our individual lives or the lives of our friends and loved ones that we don’t pay attention to what is going in the world…This is a huge problem for me…I’m not a hard news person…I have to force myself to pay attention to politics and world affairs (when I would rather be watching the Real Housewives of Atlanta or other ratchetness) because I know that the more I pay attention to politics and world affairs, the better chance I have of discerning what God is doing…I’m not talking about hocus pocus…I’m talking or rather writing about the signs of the times…
  • Do we have a personal relationship with the Lord? Many people are churchgoers but knowing the Lord in a personal way is a different matter altogether…My personal relationship with the Lord is the supreme guiding principal and principle in my life..One way that I know I am personally acquainted with the Lord is that I hear His voice regularly… And God speaks to me in various ways, sometimes I get an overwhelming feeling of peace when I’ve heard bad news that lets me know that despite what I’ve heard, everything will be fine…Other times, I know He is speaking to me when I hear someone say the exact words I needed to hear…Sometimes, I come across a book that entirely shifts my thinking…it’s been amazing to hear God in so many ways throughout my Christian journey…

What are some other questions we may need to ask ourselves to determine that we are living like we’re dying?

Any thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

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New Film Highlights African-American Homegoings…

Hello World,   poster

No one likes to think about death, but as we all should know by now, death is actually an integral part of life…Although I have never wanted to say good-bye to my friends and family over the years, I must say that I look forward to their homegoing services which is how most black people refer to funerals. Why? It is an opportunity for people to retreat from the busyness that permeates our modern lives and honor an appointment we must all keep someday. It is an occasion for funeralhomefrontfriends and family to participate in collective and open grief rather than hide their grief behind stoicism and decorum which our society encourages often to our detriment. It is a privilege to honor the deceased one’s humanity and life on earth while ushering that one back home to heaven in God’s presence..at least if that person has died in the Lord…

Tomorrow, PBS, through its POV documentary series, will explore African-American funeraldirectorhomegoing services through the point of view of funeral director Isaiah Owens, owner of Owens Funeral Home in New York City’s historic Harlem neighborhood. Below is more information from a press release that I received…

Homegoings takes an up-close look at the rarely seen world of undertaking in the black community, where funeral rites draw on a rich palette of tradition, history and celebration. Combining cinéma vérité with intimate interviews and archival photographs, the film paints a portrait of the dearly departed, their grieving families and a man who sends loved ones “home.”

“When it comes to death and funerals, African-American people, we have our own way,” Owens says. “It has worked for us throughout the ages; it has kept us balanced, sane. And everybody know[s] that it’s going to be a sad, good time.” Owens, who grew up in Branchville, S.C., moved to New York City in 1968 at age 17 to learn his craft. A few years later, he opened what would become one of Harlem’s most popular funeral homes, with a largely Baptist clientele. When he is dressing and beautifying the dead, he shows a dedication to craft and attention to detail that exemplifies Owens Funeral Home’s motto: “Where Beauty Softens Your Grief.”

Homegoings introduces some of Owens’ customers. Linda “Redd” Williams-Miller jovially plans her own funeral down to the last detail, including the exact shade of her namesake color to be used for her nails and hair. The children of Queen Petra are unsure how to honor their mother’s multicultural legacy until Owens suggests there’s no reason they can’t have a parade, led by a white horse and carriage, down the very block where their mother was a street vendor. Owens commiserates with Walter Simons, whose grandmother’s passing turns into a double funeral when his grandfather dies just two days later. They share the sorrow and joy in knowing that two people could be so connected by love.

Christine Turner’s debut feature documentary, Homegoings has its national broadcast premiere on Monday, June 24, 2013, at 10 p.m. (check local listings), kicking off the 26th season of the award-winning PBS series POV (Point of View). American television’s longest-running independent documentary series.

Check out the trailer below…

Watch Homegoings – Trailer on PBS. See more from POV.

 Any thoughts?

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He’s a Healer: Man With Stage 4 Cancer is Healed While Restoring a Church…

Hello World,

From the Lonsdale Area News- Review

As we start the week of Thanksgiving, I know one man who definitely has to be thankful for God’s blessings…Greg Thomas of Montgomery, Minnesota…

In today’s times, sadly, it seems that a cancer diagnosis – from breast cancer to prostate cancer – has become more and more commonplace…But I still do believe that God is willing to heal sickness although some may not be healed this side of Heaven…

Obviously, God still has a plan for Thomas this side of Heaven…When Thomas was diagnosed with Stage 4 head and neck cancer in 2009, his family was told to start planning his funeral, according to KSEE 24 News. As he was left go from his job shortly afterward, Thomas had plenty of time to reflect on his life and began taking long walks out in his rural community. He finally came upon an abandoned, dilapidated church built in 1868 by Czech settlers.  As the doors to the church were locked, Thomas began praying on the front steps of the church. Over time, he realized that he would like to restore the old church that had not been used in over a 100 years.

After securing permission, Thomas painstakingly worked to restore the church in spite of the cancer treatments ravaging his body. Three years later, the church is now beautiful again and has even been used for a wedding and featured in the movie “Memorial Day,” according to an article in the Lonsdale Area News-Review. Thomas has been restored too…His cancer is now  in remission….You can read the whole story at southernminn.com and ksee24.com.

What do you need healing from today? Maybe Thomas’ story will give you the insight you need to get your healing…

Below is a video of his story…What a testimony!

Any thoughts?