Is There Life After Death?

April is a big month in my family...

My sister, Audrey, was born on April 3rd.

My dad was born on April 4th.

My daughter, Alyssa, was born on April 15th.

It's the month of births. On the day that we enter into the world, it is an exciting and scary adventure. We have a body and the freedom to make choices. Inevitably, we all make mistakes...some of us learn from them and others do not, but we all are given the opportunity to choose how we live.

Audrey and Alyssa can still enjoy the sun in the morning, but Dad lived all his days already.

Where is Dad?

Dad is no longer living on this earth because he died of a horrible disease called cancer. His physical body is in the cemetery. I can visit and put flowers on his grave, but his body no longer houses his spirit.

Most people agree on that part of living and dying, but there are vast differences in the beliefs of what happens after we die.

Is there life after death?

Do we float up to the sky, sit on clouds and play harps all day?

Do we cease to exist?

There is a really sweet lady at work and when her grandfather died, I went to her office to offer my condolences. During the conversation I said, "Some day you will see him again."

She looked at me quizzically and said, "No, I won't ever see him again."

I was a little taken aback and asked her about what she think happened after we died. She said, "After you die, you name is written in a book, but you cease to exist because all living is over."

"Wow!" I said. "With that kind of belief, what is the motivation to do good?"

"We choose to do good because that is what's right," she said in a matter of fact tone.

I proceeded to tell her that I believed after our body died, our spirit went on to live. Those people who have gone before us will be there to greet me and we will see them when we pass away. I would be held accountable for the choices that I had made while living on Earth. That was part of the motivation for "being good."

Knowing that I will see those people I love again brings me comfort.

It gives me hope of a great reunion some day.

I also feel like my existence and all the good I try to do on this planet isn't for nothing.

Within the next week, my Mom's sister will pass away at the young age of 63. This is the same sister that Mom spoke of in Two Big Eyes In The Window. Aunt Ann's body is shutting down and when everything stops, I believe she will step out of her body and see her parents and all those that have lived before her.

Aunt Ann will be happy. All those who love her that are still living will grieve from the loss. That's how it all happens...birth, life, death.

Do you believe that there is life after death?



"The fear of death follows
from the fear of life.
A man who lives fully
is prepared to die at any time."
~Mark Twain~









This is the weekly post where I spotlight my Rockin' Friends who are the Top Nine active participants and loyal followers in my community! If you want to be mentioned here next week, then all it takes is to come in and start chatting with everyone in my community.

With a big thank you for their participation and friendship, here are the Rockin' Friends this week in order of most participation:

• Katlupe at Homesteading on the Internet


• Bev at eBlebco.com


• Carol at ArtMuseDog


• Marlene at Marlene's Many Hats


• Angela at Just A City Girl With Tractor Envy


• Kristi at The Child Sensitive Communication Grid


• Lori at Lori's LOLz


• Sonia at LogAllot.com


• Suzanne at One Thousand Gifts

I'm so glad that I've been able to become friends with these lovely ladies who are so active in my community. I encourage you to add their blogs to your blogroll, but also come over and chat with us in my community.

For everyone mentioned in the top nine this week, feel free to grab the Rockin' Friend badge below (Yeah, we do crazy poses like that too because we are stylish LOL) and thank you for your participation!!





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Until the spotlight next week...Happy Chatting Rockin' Friends!

Don't forget to add your blog URL to the Linky at Woo Us To Your Blog and learn blogging tips that will help you have a polished blog and to increase your traffic! This week it is all about my new boots! Have you read it yet?

Until next week...Kiss your family, hug your friends and don't forget to be the friend you would like to have around.

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On The Borderline

When the sun sets and all visible light on the horizon has disappeared, blackness as thick as the ocean is deep, engulfs everything into a silent abyss. It is the end of day and the beginning of night. This is usually a joyous time although something good is ending, but all experiences and happenings that cease are not always welcomed.

Something dramatic is occurring inside of my aching heart and foggy brain caused by all the awful things that have been heaped upon my shoulders over the past few years with the emphasis on this year. I don't know who I am any more, where I want to go and I do not like my life.

That just sounds terrible.

It even borders on ungrateful which isn't true at all.

I have lounged this weekend while washing a little laundry, cooking a few meals, watching movies, kissing the puppy, and contemplating my life - the life I don't like very much.

I know how happiness feels.

When the sun rises in the morning, it's color filled rays illuminate every crack and crevice in the landscape. Everything that was engulfed in darkness hours before has a different appearance. I've been so happy that it exudes through my fingertips, my step is light as though I am floating on a cloud and my smile energizes my face.

Since my life is now vastly different than that happiness, the doom and gloom feels even heavier.

It isn't impossible to be happy again and I can not settle for just a mediocre life. I haven't lived to this point just to stop trying and accept whatever is handed down to me.

I've changed inside and the things in my life that need changing are going to either change or I'm going to eliminate them from my realm of existence.

There is a beautiful song by Sally Seltmann that I'm going to have to sing a lot to help me move on with life and hopefully I will do it with grace. One of the saddest things is a bitter, old woman and I do not want to turn into one.

I can have happiness....it is just going to take some work.

Sally Seltmann - On The Borderline

On The Borderline

Remember when you told me in the morning
You said I was tough
Tougher than the average woman
But I guess that is not tough enough

'Cause when you left me on the weekend
I was crumbling
At the roots and the stem
Like a flower dying in the garden

Now you're gone
I have to strengthen up my little heart
Find my own way
Light my torch
And sparkle my own spark

When I wake up in the morning I feel very numb
But I'm gonna get through
I'm gonna tell myself every day

Get yourself up, get yourself up
Get yourself out of bed
This is a new day
This is a new day
This is a new day today

Snapping your fingers
Tapping your toes
You are humming a tune
You know, you know
This is a new day
This is a new day
This is a new day today

On the borderline from what is right to what is wrong
There I am and there I try, I try to carry on
And when I'm standing on a mountain I feel brave and strong
Yeah I'm gonna get through with or without you

Get yourself up, get yourself up
Get yourself out of bed
This is a new day
This is a new day
This is a new day today

Snapping your fingers
Tapping your toes
You are humming a tune
You know, you know
This is a new day
This is a new day
This is a new day today

I'm gonna change, I'm gonna change, I'm gonna change
Just the way I see myself today
I'm gonna change, I'm gonna change
But there's gotta be an easier way
An easier way to start the day

Get yourself up, get yourself up
Get yourself out of bed
This is a new day
This is a new day
This is a new day today

Snapping your fingers
Tapping your toes
You are humming a tune
You know, you know
This is a new day
This is a new day
This is a new day today

I appreciate all your thoughtful words which have come from people all over the world who feel or have felt just like I do now. Isn't it mind boggling to reflect upon the vast differences between us and yet emotions such as sorrow, depression and hopelessness are universal.

My stepfather sent this to me and I thought it was worth sharing and ruminating.

Image: source

Mom's Empty Chair

A woman's daughter had asked the local minister
to come and pray with her mother.
When the minister arrived,
he found the woman lying in bed with her head
propped up on two pillows.

An empty chair sat beside her bed.
The minister assumed that the woman
had been informed of his visit..
'I guess you were expecting me, he said.

'No, who are you?' said the mother.
The minister told her his name and then remarked,
'I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew
I was going to show up..'

'Oh yeah, the chair,' said the bedridden woman
'Would you mind closing the door?'
Puzzled, the minister shut the door.
'I have never told anyone this,
not even my daughter,' said the woman.

'But all of my life I have never
known how to pray.
At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer,
but it went right over my head...'

I abandoned any attempt at prayer,'
the old woman continued, '
until one day four years ago, my best friend said to me,
' Prayer is just a simple matter
of having a conversation with Jesus.
Here is what I suggest..
'Sit down in a chair;
place an empty chair in front of you,
and in faith see Jesus on the chair.

It's not spooky because he promised,
'I will be with you always'..
'Then just speak to him in the same way
you're doing with me right now...'

'So, I tried it and I've liked it so much
that I do it a couple of hours every day.
I'm careful though . If my daughter saw me talking
to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown
or send me off to the funny farm.'

The minister was deeply moved by the story and
encouraged the old woman to continue on the journey.
Then he prayed with her, anointed her with oil,
and returned to the church.

Two nights later the daughter called
to tell the minister that her mama
had died that afternoon.
Did she die in peace?' he asked.

Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock,
she called me over to her bedside,
told me she loved me and kissed me on the cheek.
When I got back from the store an hour later,
I found her .

But there was something strange about her death.
Apparently, just before Mom died,
she leaned over and rested her head on the chair
beside the bed. What do you make of that?'

The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said,
'I wish we could all go like that.'

Thankfully, I know how to pray and I appreciate all of your prayers as well. Do you find it hard to pray when life is filled with sorrow or is it where you find peace?

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Frayed On The Edges

Sometimes life comes at you too fast...

• a loved one dies
• an unexpected pregnancy
• job loss
• house burns down
• involved in a car crash
• health crisis and surgery
• depression
• diagnosed with a disease

When life experiences are overwhelming, it is necessary to gravitate to your base. Everything else is unnecessary, frivolous and only tends to add to the stress.

I have an armoire that encases my computer, office supplies, the camera, books, pictures of my family and attached to the back behind the monitor, a giant Mother's Day card can be found. It is a mammoth piece of furniture held together by wooden and metal pegs and a few metal screws. Unless I get down on my hands and knees, stick my head under it and look up, it is impossible to see any screws. Even then, I can only see a couple that are placed in strategic locations.

The metal screws play a vital role in sustaining the solidity of my armoire. The wooden edges around the hole are a bit rough, but that doesn't deter the screw from staying put and doing its job. The frayed edges are just the by product of a sure and sturdy beginning.

During trials, tribulations, and catastrophes, it is necessary to remember our foundation...our beginning...the screws that hold us together. We have learned and gathered information that will help us through anything life presents, and we also have people in our lives that keep us grounded to the truth. These same people have the ability to show us the light at the end of the tunnel. They help us to hold on to the hope that all things pass no matter how awful it currently feels.

However, as a Christian, the gospel of Christ is the ultimate foundation in my life and for you, it may be a different belief of a Higher Being. When my soul aches because life is fraying at the edges, I know that I can cry in prayer for His comfort. Sometimes all the information and loving people can not provide the needed relief. Granted, I do not actually see Christ standing in front of me nor do I hear His voice speaking my name, but I can feel peace within my soul.

There are times that I have not felt His comfort or knew the right choices, but I know it is necessary to persevere and remain steadfast in the foundation of knowledge and faith accumulated throughout my life. Just because I can't find peace, doesn't mean that He isn't there guiding my life. I need to hold it together because just like a sunny day, the night will come and so will another sunny day. It is up to me not to let these experiences unscrew my faith or all my hope.


"Permanence, perseverance and persistence
in spite of all obstacles,
discouragement, and impossibilities:
It is this, that in all things
distinguishes the strong soul
from the weak."~Thomas Carlyle~

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Faith Enough to Hope

Sometimes life gets complicated and the future looks gloomy.
Nothing makes sense because our mind is filled
with whirling thoughts of unhappiness and an abundance of problems.


As each day arrives, we feel precariously perched on the mountain's edge
unsure how to solve the dilemma that looms before us.


There isn't any assurance that the path we travel is right
because it is crowded with the darkness of insecurity.
We can not see ahead.


Often the path becomes completely black
except for the small light that still burns within us.
We feel so
alone,
depressed
and we don't believe we can make it another day.


When the fear sets in threatening to drag us
into the murky dark abyss,
we lose hope.
However, that is when we need to reach up
to find strength.



and reach within
to find the faith to believe.


"If you’re going through hell,
keep going.~Winston Churchill~

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Faith First

As a Christian woman, I am supposed to practice faith in all things which is simply a belief that God will do the best for me, my family, friends, country, world...you get the point. I'm ashamed to say, having faith is very hard for me when it pertains to my life and very easy when it is someone else's life.

Maybe that is just human

Or maybe that is being weak.

I think it is just my own weakness.

My faith has been drowned by fear and doubt.

I find it hard to just believe that God wants to bless me.

My husband, Tom, has been out of work for quite some time. He has remained steadfast and positive that in God's time he would find work again. I have felt that God was punishing me for my sins. That I apparently deserved unhappiness, stress and fear. That the financial hardships were what I merited. I haven't spoken this aloud except for once, but it has been in my heart.

God blesses us even when we are weak,

Sinful and

Faithless.

In complete humility and deep in my heart, I always knew that God loved me even with all my weaknesses,

Sins,

And with my lack of faith.

I tried doing many things to adjust my attitude. A few of the most different included blogging more motivations to uplift my spirit and increase my faith. I turned off the television and didn't listen to the radio to and from work so that I could carry on a conversation with God

Pleading for a job for my husband

And to obtain the whisperings of peace in my heart.

My mother and husband's faith was strong. Their prayers of faith were pleasing to God, I'm sure. I was weak and prayed with a heavy heart, fear and doubt. Because He loves me in spite of my weaknesses and as a blessing to the faith of my mother and husband, God granted His blessing.

My husband has a job.

An excellent job that he starts on Monday.

My heart is full with

Gratitude,

Knowledge

In the power of God

And embarrassed humility that I didn't have more faith and believe in Him for the blessing we needed.

I know that many of you have been praying this same prayer with us, so I want to publicly thank you for your friendship,

Prayers,

And most of all examples of practicing faith.

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