Monday, October 15, 2018

Your Dying Spouse 528 - Hospice

The late Kara Tippetts' Mundane Faithfulness blog (so graciously kept up and running by her friends) dealt with the subject of hospice today. It's a beautiful post on accepting the grace of that stage in dying, and I'd encourage y'all to drop by.

Here's the comment I left:

"I've been told I should enter hospice care, actually should have been there awhile already, but there's no insurance, no money, and no way to get there.

"But it's OK; last night I was staggered with pain in the chest that seemed like every description of an infarct, only it was in the wrong place...above the pancreas. That may be worse!

"But the thing was, I had to deal with it all on my own (no point in waking Barbara, and she had to work today). And in dealing with this, I met another aspect of God's compassion, that this pain has a limit and WILL have an end; it's not the abyss I had dreaded.

"It's just the portal through which I have to pass."

Music from the late, great Jim Croce, with I Got A Name.


Please pardon my slow response to comments. I do my best, and your comments are really precious to me. Barb is answering many of them now. I'm running on fumes, if you don't mind a macho metaphor.

I'm grateful for the energy to have written this. I'm so glad Barbara's stepped in for many of my posts. I'm really not doing well at all.

Thanks to Carol Ashby, Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart is back on Kindle, and will be available in paperback soon.

Friends are everything. I couldn't have done it.

Marley, the canine waif from Afghanistan, whom WE helped save, has a Facebook page! Please drop by to see how happy he is today.



If you can, please do leave a comment. I am trying to answer all, and I am failing, but please know this - I read and treasure each one.

Below are my recent releases on Kindle -please excuse their presence in the body of the blog. I haven't the energy to get them up as 'buttons' in the sidebar. You can click on the covers to go to the Amazon links.









19 comments:

  1. I am continuing to pray for you, especially as our dear friend just passed through his cancer battle into the arms of Jesus 2 weeks ago. I am just so thankful that Jesus is with you so closely. Blessings and prayers!

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    1. Bettie, I'm so very grateful for your prayers...and so sorry for your loss. It always touched me, that Jesus wept on hearing of lazarus' death, even though He knew hat He was about to do.

      Blessings back, from both of us.

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  2. Stephanie, thank you so very much...and reading your thoughts and faith on your blog, I know you'll be an awesome hospice chaplain. People like you are truly needed.

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  3. The Lord led me to visit Kara's site tonight for the first time in many months. I saw your comment on today's post and got a strong impression to pray for you.
    Lifting you up in Jesus' Holy Name.
    Elizabeth

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    1. Elizabeth, I thank you for this, and thank the Lord for His Guidance.

      This is the hardest morning yet, and your prayers are so appreciated.

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  4. "It's just the portal through which I have to pass." Portal. Wormhole. Gateway. Entrance. Star gate. THE Gate. The Way in, The Way out, The Way through. Praying perfect peace in the passage. Praying Comfort to last a lifetime, Barbara.

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    1. Jane, I love this! 'The Way in, The Way out, The Way through...' - perfect!

      And your prayers are so very appreciated. Thank you.

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  5. Thinking of you and praying for you and Barbara today, Andrew. You have been so faithful. I’m so grateful for your witness to God’s faithfulness in the midst of the awfulness. You are loved.

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    1. Bronwyn, your comment means so much to us! Thank you for these loving words, and for your prayers.

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  6. Onward, dear Andrew!
    Go in peace.

    Annie in Texas

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  7. Awww, Andrew, I've been praying for you and Barbara, and I thank you for sharing your insights. I recently found out a friend's husband passes away from cancer. We aren't close anymore, but the blow still hit. And she's a widow. And a single mom. This has been one of my biggest fears. But I've watched a few women in my life walk this out over the past few years. And the thing is? They've survived it. God brings us through the worst of pains. He never leaves us in the pain.

    And, as you navigate through your pain, and into the place beyond, may He continue to strengthen you with His presence and His hope.

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    1. Jeanne, thank you for this...God does indeed bring us through the worst of it. He never leaves.

      Your prayers are so very appreciated.

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  8. Way to go! Great comment Andrew.

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  9. As you know, I pray for you every day. If God took my advice you'll be healthy now, but I'm not the one running the universe. And that's probably a good thing. ;-)

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    1. Jan, you gave me a laugh with this! I do appreciate your prayers so very much! And it's probably best I'm not running the universe, either.

      'Cause I'd bring back bell-bottoms.

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  10. Hope things get better for you, Andrew. I, too, have been praying regularly for you to have healing. God bless.

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    1. Larry, thank you so much. I do appreciate the prayers, they keep my heart lifted in hope.

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