Ecclesiastes 3 says,
"There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot..."
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Psalm 150:66 says,
"Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD! "
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Our March memory verse includes these phrases:
- "...for it is GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU
- ... according to HIS GOOD PURPOSE...
- as you hold out the word of LIFE..."
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LIFE!
It's about God's purpose!
Acts 17:24-27 says,
"The God who made the world and all things in it,
since He is Lord of heaven and earth,
does not dwell in temples made with hands;
neither is He served by human hands,
as though He needed anything,
since He Himself gives to all
LIFE
and
BREATH
and
ALL THINGS;
and He made from one,
every nation of mankind
to live on all the face of the earth,
having determined their appointed times,
and the boundaries of their habitation,
that they should seek God..."
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Each Saturday morning, at 8 a.m., a group of men "seekers" gather at the Pitman church of Christ to pray. My husband, Steve, is part of that group. So is Jay! Steve says that on Saturday, as he prayed, he specifically talked to God about appreciating the brevity of life and the blessing of the time / gifts we've been given.
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As the men went about their Saturday, both attended various activities with their wives and our church family. The call came in the middle of the night... Jay's wife, Sue had had a massive heart attack. She had stopped breathing! 911 was called! The emergency techs helped her to begin breathing again. It had been too long! She passed away at the hospital yesterday. As they left the hospital, Jay said to Steve that he remembered Saturday morning's prayer about the brevity of life.
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I did not know the reason why I changed our theme song on Saturday night. I had planned for another song about HOLINESS or the song LIFESONG. Yet, a small still voice kept saying to me that there was another song on my playlist that would be better for this week's theme. It was obvious to me that I needed to investigate. So, I did. It was soon even more obvious that EVERY TIME I BREATHE was that song. Yet, it wouldn't be until what happened with Sue that I would begin to see the spiritual depths of the choice. Once again, I am in awe of how THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD leads, guides, works, and teaches.
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As I was thinking about what to write for this post, people began to post tributes on Facebook to our friend Sue. Here are a few that I will leave with you as you spend time today meditating on your own life:
- K: "...is so sad for Jay and Bethany - praying for peace for them with the loss of Sue. Another example of needing to be thankful for every SECOND God gives us BREATH."
- C: "This is our temporary home It's not where we belong Windows and rooms that we're passin' through This is just a stop, on the way to where we're going I'm not afraid because I know this is our Temporary Home."
- T: "Our family is so saddened for the sudden loss of a church family sister, so heartbroken for Bethany & Jay...we feel their loss - may God give them the comfort and peace that only He can. Again a reminder to live life to the fullest & remind those around you how much you love them & seek God daily!!"
- M: "Started off the day praying for a sister from Church who was always so nice to me, went to a party with Evan, came home to the shocking news that this devoted wife, mother, Christian, teacher has passed from a major heart attack.... So sad...
- D: "Sue had short spiky hair, she was funny, she was eccentric, she was a teacher who loved her kids and prayed for them, she was passionate about her husband Jay and her daughter Bethany, in fact, the three of them were best friends, she dearly loved God, she wasn't afraid to be herself, she had a massive heart attack, she was my friend...Pray..."
NOTE: I also invite you to reset the playlist to the first song. You can follow along with the words on yesterday's post.
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