"Have I Died?"

I had hoped to be back on track earlier than this -but didn't get through reading post after post (via my reader) until late tonight. Today was a difficult day to try to finish my reading too because when I awoke this morning, my left eye was very bloodshot and sore too. Not the eyelid, but the eye, itself -so I don't think it is pink-eye or something like that but anyway, it didn't help my appearance one iota added to the fact that my vision wasn't quite up to par either so I ended up skipping church. So did Mandy and of course, Maya. I don't know why Mandy didn't go as she never mentioned her reason to me but Maya questioned her about it.

"We go church, Mommy?" - Response -"No, Maya, not today."
"We should go church, Mommy. I want go church!" -Response -"No, baby, not today.
I thought it was interesting that Maya is taking more and more interest in going to church with us -even to the point of insisting that we open the hymnal to each page as we proceed through the liturgy and to the readings and the hymns as well. I know she can't read, in the regular sense, but she wants to try to learn to follow along to the best of her four-year-old ability which I find quite commendable. (My Grandmother would be extremely proud of this little girl!)

I have a little story for you tonight though - one that I figured I'd best share now or I might forget to post about this and I just thought it was way too good to let it pass.

My daughter Mandy's father-in-law is in the hospital -has been there for about 2-3 weeks now I believe. He had surgery a few months back in which they did something or other with the veins in his legs pertaining to cleaning them out, improving his circulation, etc. And, when he was admitted back into the hospital this time, it was because of a blood clot in his leg, added to the heart problems he has been dealing with now too for the past 3-4 years or so.

This week, Mandy had contacted "Pastor John" the minister at a nearby church who has the position of vice-pastor at our church until we get a new full-time minister. Along with handling or overseeing the Church Council and other affairs of our parish, in addition to his own church's needs, he also visits sick, elderly, shut-ins from our parish or relatives of members as well. Although Mandy's father-in-law has no church affiliation whatsoever, probably hasn't had one for a very, very long time -if ever -she had asked Pastor John if he would add "Pap" to his list as she thought maybe, since it is really difficult for Bill or his sister to get over to visit him very often (he's in a hospital in Altoona which is a 55 mile drive, one-way) that it might make him feel good just to have someone stop in and check in on him.

Last night, Pap called Mandy and thanked her for sending Jesus to see him.

Mandy realized he meant Pastor John but she asked him about the visit and here's what happened.

Pap said he was napping and was awakened by someone standing by his bed, speaking softly to him - saying "Walter, Walter?"

He said when he opened his eyes, there stood this very tall, bearded man with a tee shirt on that said across the chest "Jesus."

And Pap's first words to him were "Have I died and gone to heaven?"

Needless to say, Mandy and I both howled laughing as we could just envision the look in Pap's eyes, on his face, as he focused in on the sight in front of him!