Hi John,

It has been awhile since I have written but you touched a spot tonight as I read about the forty days.  I believe exactly as you do that our loved ones will be with us during that time.  I have also had dreams supporting that point of view.

 My Mother has been with the Lord for 26 years, however, I dreamt that she simply appeared at our home.  It was very natural.  She simply was outside with us and I recall being mildly surprised that she was there.  But (as we do with loved ones), we simply picked up the conversation where we left off.

When she was living, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a disease without a cure.  However, her attitude was amazing.  She said perhaps here at the medical school they can learn enough from my case so that others can live longer.  At seven years, she had been their longest living patient.  Instead of being sad, she took her prize-winning roses to her doctor appointments to give the doctor and nurses.  She would always say, that others there were so much worse than she was.  It was true.  She was supposed to break bones simply moving in bed but God chose to honor her and she died without having experienced any pain or broken bones.

We had moved a hospital bed into our home when Mom died here.  A few days before she left us for heaven, she was staring at a blank wall, captivated by it.  I said, “What do you see, Mom?”  She replied that she could see beautiful fields that must be in heaven.  I asked her if she saw Jesus, she said, “Not yet.  But I will.”  Her last words were: “I see Jesus.  I see Jesus.  I see Jesus.”  I felt one last very strong heartbeat and she was gone.  She was a remarkable woman, president of every organization she joined and Teacher of the Year in Lake Oswego (a prominent suburb of Portland, OR).

I have always felt strongly that the Lord told me that I would not die.  This week, the 92-year-old mother of a friend told her daughter that the Lord also assured her that she would not die, but that he was coming very quickly.  What a gracious God we serve!  Blessings to you, your family and all the doves!

Judy Morford
__
Thanks for the encouragement, Judy!
John