Jack’s Winning Words 11/15/07
“Death is only a larger kind of going abroad.” (Samuel Butler) I hadn’t thought of it in this way before, but it led me to look up some more thoughts on death. Henry Ward Beecher said, as he was dying: “Now comes the mystery.” When Lady Astor awoke briefly on her deathbed and saw her family gather there, she said: “Am I dying, or is this my birthday?” Edison’s last words were: “It’s very beautiful over there.” ;-) Jack

FROM MOLINER, G.S.: The after-life is just as real as death. But sometimes I wonder........

MORE FROM G.S.: An excellent book discusses this: 90 Minutes in Heaven, by Don Piper.
He was clinically dead for 1 1/2 hours. I'm reading his next one, Heaven Is Real.

FROM S.H. IN MICHIGAN: Jerry's Dad spoke some interesting words right before his death. Kevin, the male nurse was with him, and he imparted to Jerry's Mom and all the family that Doc said something to the effect, "They're telling me to come but I don't know if I should." It sounded like someone "on the other side" was beckoning him to join them.

FROM REV. J.S. IN MICHIGAN: I love St. Francis' words in his great hymn "All Creatures of our God and King"....."O thou most kind and gentle death, ..." It sees death asa friend that leads us to our Lord. I can't think of heaven as a place. To me it is wherever the Lord is. That's why the kingdom of heaven transcends death....it reigns on both sides of life.

FROM G.G. IN INDIANA: This is so funny to me because we always refer to our mom as being on an "extended cruise" !

FROM GOOD DEBT JON IN OHIO: I think it depends on your travel agent. In Christ all destinations are possible, with Satan Travel layovers for eternity at Newark/Hades International are the norm.

FROM J.F. IN MICHIGAN: A few years ago, one of the founders of the Farmington Players died of cancer. A couple weeks later, I was taking some soup to her husband and he told me about the day she passed away. Don had traveled the world when he worked for GM in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Don's wife, Perle, traveled with him occasionally -- especially to Europe, but usually Don had to leave her home when he traveled to places like India, China, and South America. Don told me that as Perle took her last breath, he kissed her good-bye and told himself that this time it was Perle who was taking the trip and he would be joining her sometime in the future. Don passed away a few years later and I immediately thought of his "travel" image. Your quote made me think of it again. The other story is a quick one (reminiscent of the Thomas Edison quote):
My uncle Bernard's last words before his heart stopped were, "Oh, Beulah!" (Beulah was Bernard's wife who had passed away about 2 1/2 years before him.) I know we're not supposed to know too much about the life after this one, but sometimes it's nice to have a little hint of what's to come.