Ms. Carmel Is Waiting for Us

Ms. Carmel Gore passed away Friday, February 27, 2009. She was 95 years old and a dear friend of mine. Ms. Carmel was clear minded and lucid up to her last moments. When the ambulance came to her home to take her to the hospital she told Pastor Billy Roy, "I don't know if I'll be coming back here." (to her house) When he asked her if she was ready for heaven, she said, "I'm ready for Him if He's ready for me!!" What a great testimony and so typical of Ms. Carmel's succinct way of putting things!!! She clearly knew her surroundings and was aware of what was going on.

I want to relate an experience Ms. Carmel had just before she died because it speaks to me of the closeness of heaven and those who have gone before us. Let me first explain that Ann was Ms. Carmel's older sister and Ms. Carmel was very close to her. Ann passed away five years ago. Doris Ann Wilder, Ms. Carmel's daughter, related that the last time she took Ms. Carmel to visit Ann, Ann said to Ms. Carmel as they were leaving, "I'm going to be waiting for you at the Pearly Gates and I'll hold your hand!"

Now, five years later, Ms. Carmel, lying in the hospital bed, has not said anything for some time when she tries to speak. Her daughter, Doris Ann, is with her when she finally gets the words out. With a clear tone Ms. Carmel says, "I'm in Gloryland! And Ann is holding my hand! She said she would!"

Doris Ann says, "Mom, do you see your mom and dad?" Ms. Carmel says, "I do!" There is a pause and then Ms. Carmel says, "Tell all my family that I'm going to see them in Gloryland and tell everybody else that I want to see them in Gloryland!!!"

This took place Wednesday morning and those were the last words Ms. Carmel spoke. Friday around 2 a.m. Ms. Carmel was restless and seemed to be struggling for breath. Doris Ann put her arm around her and spoke into her ear, "Mom, you know I love you and my family loves you, but if you want to go on to Gloryland, you go ahead!" In three minutes Ms. Carmel was gone!!!! But we know where she is!! Heaven is much closer than we think!!!

The Traveller

I just rediscovered this poem by Amy Carmichael. Years ago, while going through a terribly difficult time, I came across it. As I read the words for the first time, tears came to my eyes and I felt that Jesus had entered the room. His comforting presence brought healing to my spirit.

The Traveller
Love, travelling in the greatness of His strength,
Found me alone,
Footsore and tired by the journey's length,
Though I had known,
All the long way, many a kindly air,
And flowers had blossomed for me everywhere.

And yet Love found me needing Him. He stayed;
Love stayed by me.
"Let not thy heart be troubled or dismayed,
My child," said He.
Slipped from me then all troubles, all alarms;
For Love had gathered me into His arms.

Come to God then....

I love this selection from George MacDonald's book,
Discovering the Character of God:

"Come to God, then, my brother, my sister, with all your desires and instincts,
all your lofty ideals,
all your longing for purity and unselfishness,
all your yearning to love and be true,
all your aspirations after self-forgetfulness and child-life in the breath of the Father.
Come to Him with all your weaknesses,
all your shames,
all your futilities;
with all your helplessness over your own thoughts;
with all your failures, yes,
the sick sense of having missed the tide of true affairs.
Come to Him with all your doubts, fears,
dishonesties, meanness,
paltriness, misjudgments,
weariness, disappointments, and staleness.
Be sure He will take you with all your miserable brood into the care of His limitless heart!
For He is light, and in Him is no darkness at all."