IT IS TIME

 This is not going to be easy to write, but …..

 Grandma lived with us in the winter. We had indoor plumbing. I loved my grandma, but it was time. The call came in the middle of the night. Mother quickly dressed and was waiting on my dad to get dressed. It seemed like he was moving in slow motion. As a teenager, I wanted to shout, “She is ready to go to her mother. Stop stalling.” They finally left for the hospital. As an adult, I realize dad was not stalling. He knew grandma was already dead and he was giving the hospital time to prepare the body. She lived for the day she would go home and now her faith had been rewarded.

 The death of my father was sudden. With no warning, a brain aneurysm burst and he was in a coma for three days. My prayer was that us kids would make it home before he died. We did, we saw him, and then took mom home to rest. Once again, our family gathered, in the early hours of the morning. It was time. Dad was not a church goer and I was not sure if he was a believer. We didn’t talk about this at home. Oh, us kids were sent to church, but no parent went with us. Dad was a trucker and the “talk to them where they are” chaplain knew my dad. He said he was a man of family and faith. Those words gave me the assurance that I would see my dad again.

My mother was a very young 87. She was a very old 89. Her body was wearing out and she broke a hip. Instead of living in her apartment, we moved her into a nursing home. We honestly thought she would live a few more years. Instead it was a few months. During those months, I made a lot of four hour .. four hours each way … trips to see her. And then I got a call. It was early evening. The nurse tried to get her to hang on until my sister got there. She only lived ten minutes away. My mother shook her head and it was time. Mother told her tired earthly body goodbye and walked, standing straight and with new strength, into heaven. I think God put some weeds in a corner of the garden just for her to pull.

God had a plan to save us from our sins. On that Friday, it was time. And a Son, obeyed the Father, and gave his life for me! And a Son, obeyed the Father, and gave his life for you.

Easter is early this year - March 31. Are you ready?