Last night a dear pastor of ours past away. He was a month younger than me, but had
pastored his church for nearly as long as I’ve been here in the
Philippines. About 5 years ago Jimmy’s
doctor prescribed antibiotics for a kidney infection. Since all their money was going to get their
2 sons through college, Jimmy didn’t buy the full dosage. The infection returned and his kidneys were
unable to recover. He began kidney
dialysis about 3 years ago.
I visited him the night before and his breathing was rapid
and shallow. He sensed his time was
short but he was ready. His faithful
wife and their 2 sons were by his side.
It’s sad when a godly man dies, but it’s also a time of rejoicing,
knowing he is now enjoying all his faith-earned rewards in his new heaven-made
body.
April was a busy time for me with people to visit, sermons
to prepare, projects to manage, reports to file, meetings to attend, house to
clean, grass to cut, clothes to wash, food to cook, car to clean, and teeth to
brush. (I guess I didn’t need to list
that last one, but I was on a roll!) May looks to be even busier with more of the
same plus a youth retreat thrown in.
This May marks the 14th year since I had my
initial cancer surgery and the 10th year since my surgery for cancer
recurrence. Not that I think about it
much; I hardly ever do. I’m excited for
my new eternal home in heaven and I’m ready for it whenever the Lord is. But hospitals remind me that before I can
move in to my majestic mansion, I’ll probably have to suffer some uncomfortable
physical deterioration. I tell people
that I’m not at all afraid of death, but I’m deathly afraid of hospitals. Well, if that’s the price I must pay to get
on the train to glory then I’ll gladly pay it, whenever it’s time for the train
to leave.
1 comment:
Mark, was the pastor who went to heaven's family name Catanus. If so, he had such godly parents who loved and served the Lord faithfully. We knew the family when we lived in Cotabato City (1965-71) and one of his sisters was a helper in our home. Another sister worked in the treasurer's office in Manila. Both married Americans and live in Texas. Just wondering if this is the ladies' brother.
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