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Dad and Marine

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  • Dad and Marine

    A loving father of two great kids, a really good husband, a decorated marine, and a saint of the Lord passed this morning. You don't know him - but he was a great member of our Church. He has been battling cancer for the past 3 years, and was thought to be "in the clear" until about two months ago, when the cancer came back in his esophagus, and he quickly became too weak even for chemo.

    My daughter was his hospice nurse, and he has been "family" in so many ways. Meeting shortly with his wife, Becky, for final funeral arrangements, but I sat with Billy a couple weeks ago, and he spelled out exactly how he wanted his funeral to go. And he was very quick and resolute in letting me know he knew "where he was going" and was fully prepared to meet his reward.

    Semper Fi.
    The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

  • #2
    Healed and Home.


    Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

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    • #3
      You know I have often thought of using the question do you know where you are going as a way to talk about Christ. Ever since my great grandfather was so sure about where he was going. It really is a securing thought for the saved and a most important question to ask in life. Your friend is home.
      sigpic

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      • #4
        Originally posted by TheWall View Post
        You know I have often thought of using the question do you know where you are going as a way to talk about Christ. Ever since my great grandfather was so sure about where he was going. It really is a securing thought for the saved and a most important question to ask in life. Your friend is home.
        A more 'formal' version of that has been "If you were to die right now, do you know where you would spend eternity"?
        The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
          A more 'formal' version of that has been "If you were to die right now, do you know where you would spend eternity"?
          theologyweb?

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          • #6
            So, Becky had been getting frustrated that Billy seemed to be "just hanging on".

            She would often sit on the bed near him, and he was just lying there, breathing irregularly at times, and would have been in pain had it not been for the drugs that Hospice provides.

            I was with the family for a couple hours yesterday, and they pretty much camp out in the bedroom where he lay.

            When it seemed appropriate, I suggested (quietly) to Becky that another of our people - Joel - had been staying quite close to his mother, who was in a similar state as Billy. Early one morning, Joel left his Mom just for a few minutes to get some breakfast at the cafeteria in the hospital, and when he came back, Mom had passed. I told her that Joel is convinced that his Mom would not leave while he was there, because she didn't want him to see her pass.

            Becky took that in the spirit it was offered, and said, "I'd been wondering about that, too, and maybe he just needs some alone time".

            About 3 AM, Becky left the bedroom to go lay on the couch for a bit. About 2 hours later, she went back to the bedroom and discovered he has passed. She said it was obvious he had passed peacefully, as even his facial expression was 'relaxed' as opposed to appearing to be straining somewhat to breathe.

            For what it's worth.
            The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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            • #7
              Becky had expressed the fact that her husband, Billy, rarely ever talked about his service in Vietnam. It was only in the last decade or so when he began to talk about it, because it seemed the 'stigma' was finally lifting. Remember, these guys came home to all kinds of protests, people would spit on them, call them babykillers, and treat them like dirt.

              At the funeral, I mentioned this, and asked any Vietnam Vets to please stand, as Billy would have wanted them recognized. Three or four stood, and everybody applauded them. After the funeral, one of them came up to me, hugged me, a tear in his eye, and he said that's the first time anybody has ever thanked him for serving his country.

              Later that afternoon (Monday), we had the graveside service with full military honors.
              The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                Becky had expressed the fact that her husband, Billy, rarely ever talked about his service in Vietnam. It was only in the last decade or so when he began to talk about it, because it seemed the 'stigma' was finally lifting. Remember, these guys came home to all kinds of protests, people would spit on them, call them babykillers, and treat them like dirt.

                At the funeral, I mentioned this, and asked any Vietnam Vets to please stand, as Billy would have wanted them recognized. Three or four stood, and everybody applauded them. After the funeral, one of them came up to me, hugged me, a tear in his eye, and he said that's the first time anybody has ever thanked him for serving his country.

                Later that afternoon (Monday), we had the graveside service with full military honors.
                My dad was in Vietnam and Thailand and hardly ever talked about his time there. And what he did tell was not pleasant.

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