Comments on: Day 21 of 40 Following the Prayer Steps of Jesus http://chrisaltrock.com/2010/03/day-21-of-40-following-the-prayer-steps-of-jesus/ Chris Altrock Sat, 14 Apr 2012 23:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kevin G http://chrisaltrock.com/2010/03/day-21-of-40-following-the-prayer-steps-of-jesus/comment-page-1/#comment-4489 Kevin G Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:05:44 +0000 http://chrisaltrock.com/?p=1729#comment-4489 I have not experienced the death of my own immediate family yet. But I have experinced the loss of my mother-in-law in 2003. We had just moved to Memphis in 2001 so I could attend Harding Grad and shortly after the move we found out Michele's was diagnosed with terminal cancer. God somehow saw us through this dark time. I still miss Ann. I had the best Mother-in-law a man could ever have. She was totally dedicated to her grandchilrden and had a way about her that made us all feel special. Her death forced me to grow up in a way as well, for any time I would get really upset with Michele I'd call her mother and bend her ear and Ann would "straighten her out." I have since learned this was not good. And we have learned to communicate better as a result of the loss. God is amazing how he works. Sometimes it takes reflection YEARS later to realize that. I have not experienced the death of my own immediate family yet. But I have experinced the loss of my mother-in-law in 2003. We had just moved to Memphis in 2001 so I could attend Harding Grad and shortly after the move we found out Michele’s was diagnosed with terminal cancer. God somehow saw us through this dark time. I still miss Ann. I had the best Mother-in-law a man could ever have. She was totally dedicated to her grandchilrden and had a way about her that made us all feel special. Her death forced me to grow up in a way as well, for any time I would get really upset with Michele I’d call her mother and bend her ear and Ann would “straighten her out.” I have since learned this was not good. And we have learned to communicate better as a result of the loss. God is amazing how he works. Sometimes it takes reflection YEARS later to realize that.

]]> By: Jason K http://chrisaltrock.com/2010/03/day-21-of-40-following-the-prayer-steps-of-jesus/comment-page-1/#comment-4487 Jason K Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:56:58 +0000 http://chrisaltrock.com/?p=1729#comment-4487 God was definitely glorified, Cathlyn. He is glorified in the retelling too. Thank you for sharing. God was definitely glorified, Cathlyn. He is glorified in the retelling too. Thank you for sharing.

]]> By: Cathlyn http://chrisaltrock.com/2010/03/day-21-of-40-following-the-prayer-steps-of-jesus/comment-page-1/#comment-4486 Cathlyn Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:36:32 +0000 http://chrisaltrock.com/?p=1729#comment-4486 I guess we all have been busy this week, as there haven't been many comments. I want to write about when my mom died, 16 years ago in 1994. She had chronic health problems, which culminated in a double-lung transplant in 1993. She had a few good months after her recovery, but her body ultimately rejected the new organs. She was in Rochester, New York, and I was in Searcy, AR. At the time I was 22 and my brother was 20; as her next-of-kin, we were in charge of all the important decisions. This was definitely one of the darkest times of my life. My mom and I had just started getting along in a "grown up" kind of way, after years of butting heads. She never really accepted my getting married at 18. The last time I spoke to her was on Mother's Day. We had a disagreement, but closed the conversation on a positive note. I had no idea how sick she was, but later that night she went into the hospital for the last time. By Tuesday morning I was on a plane, and she died May 21, about a week later. Did I mention it was during semester exams? I could give you all the details, but I know you don't have all day. What you really want to know is, So what? People died every day, and tragic though it is, how was God glorified in her death? First of all, my faith has increased in leaps and bounds because of this loss. For a while I could do nothing on my own strength, but relied totally on the Lord to get me through all the funeral arrangements, terrible scenes with my mom's boyfriend, who resented us for every decision we made, having to take all my exams when I returned to Harding, and coping with the yawning emptiness where my mom used to be. I had so many comforting dreams about her in those first few months, and I would often "see" her, or, more accurately, feel her presence, nearby especially when I saw a beautiful sunset or was in worship. Over the years I have often keenly felt her absence, when my brother got married in 1996, when our children were born, sometimes when other people talk about their mothers... but I am at peace because I have no doubt that when I am made complete at the end of my life, I will see her again in some form. I also know that my brother and I would probably not have the relationship we have today without this shared loss. We are polar opposites in ideology, temperament, you name it. But going through this experience linked us together emotionally and we have both made a commitment to stay connected, as we are really all the close family each other has. My brother and his wife are not "church goers", but I know that through me God is slowly working on my brother's heart as well. So thank you for reading to the bottom of my lengthy post. I guess my one long one makes up for everyone else. :) I guess we all have been busy this week, as there haven’t been many comments. I want to write about when my mom died, 16 years ago in 1994. She had chronic health problems, which culminated in a double-lung transplant in 1993. She had a few good months after her recovery, but her body ultimately rejected the new organs. She was in Rochester, New York, and I was in Searcy, AR. At the time I was 22 and my brother was 20; as her next-of-kin, we were in charge of all the important decisions.

This was definitely one of the darkest times of my life. My mom and I had just started getting along in a “grown up” kind of way, after years of butting heads. She never really accepted my getting married at 18. The last time I spoke to her was on Mother’s Day. We had a disagreement, but closed the conversation on a positive note. I had no idea how sick she was, but later that night she went into the hospital for the last time. By Tuesday morning I was on a plane, and she died May 21, about a week later. Did I mention it was during semester exams?

I could give you all the details, but I know you don’t have all day. What you really want to know is, So what? People died every day, and tragic though it is, how was God glorified in her death? First of all, my faith has increased in leaps and bounds because of this loss. For a while I could do nothing on my own strength, but relied totally on the Lord to get me through all the funeral arrangements, terrible scenes with my mom’s boyfriend, who resented us for every decision we made, having to take all my exams when I returned to Harding, and coping with the yawning emptiness where my mom used to be. I had so many comforting dreams about her in those first few months, and I would often “see” her, or, more accurately, feel her presence, nearby especially when I saw a beautiful sunset or was in worship. Over the years I have often keenly felt her absence, when my brother got married in 1996, when our children were born, sometimes when other people talk about their mothers… but I am at peace because I have no doubt that when I am made complete at the end of my life, I will see her again in some form.

I also know that my brother and I would probably not have the relationship we have today without this shared loss. We are polar opposites in ideology, temperament, you name it. But going through this experience linked us together emotionally and we have both made a commitment to stay connected, as we are really all the close family each other has. My brother and his wife are not “church goers”, but I know that through me God is slowly working on my brother’s heart as well.

So thank you for reading to the bottom of my lengthy post. I guess my one long one makes up for everyone else. :)

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