[Taking a break for a few weeks. Enjoy this re-post from January 26, 2020. Paula’s home page photo is recent. See link at bottom.]
Once a month in my church days, I would lead a song and prayer service with several others from my congregation at Canterbury nursing home. We’d sing a few songs, read a few Bible verses, say a prayer, and then greet the dozen or so souls one by one as we left.
We knew that any given greeting might be the last. Death was no stranger in that place.
At one service while singing “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” we got to the line I looked over Jordan and what did I see, and I heard a new voice proclaim: A BAND OF COWBOYS COMIN’ AFTER ME.
At every service from then on, we would stop singing at that point and let her have the floor. A BAND OF COWBOYS COMIN’ AFTER ME.
She beamed. We beamed. The whole world beamed.
Well, why not? Whatever gets you through the night—or over Jordan—it’s all right, it’s all right, it’s all right.
A few services later, she was gone—her spot empty (except for a pair of spurs).
Over the next couple of years, I told that story to several parishioners facing imminent death. It got a laugh out of them. So I’d say to them: Tell me what you see when you get close enough to look over Jordan.
Michelle told me she saw buffalo. Then she smiled. She died three days later.
Bill told me he saw breasts, large breasts. I held his smile and kept myself from looking at his wife. When I did look, she was smiling. He died that night.
Cowboys. Buffalo. Breasts. The sky is not the limit. Who knows what you might see.
Last month Paula and I took our granddaughters to see the Cirque du Soleil’s Love in Las Vegas. Ninety enrapturing minutes of Beatles songs. I thought: If I get to choose when and where to die, it would be right here, immersed in this soundscape with my family and friends sitting close by.
And that thought led to another. Maybe, just maybe, on the day I look over Jordan, I might see a flowery bus rolling up, rolling up to take me away on a Magical Mystery Tour.
I’m not looking for that bus at the moment. I have a dear friend who is.
No ticket required.
_______________________
See Paula’s “Fall Will Blow Your Mind” on the home page. Posted October 9, 2022
It’s 8:00am. As I am reading this it’s my 77th birthday. I have a smile on my face. How perfect your words are for me today. No, I am not dying, but I have recently moved to a terrific retirement center. One of my new friends calls our center “God’s Waiting Room”.
I don’t know what I will see when I look over Jordan, right now I think it might be my own twin grand children dancing under the 250 year old Red Maple in the back yard of my Michigan cottage,
Thanks!
Happy with any of the images/visions you provide here.
Thank you! A No-Fear celebration that includes humor and creative vision. I wish that for all of us. Your story gave me a gift: A dear friend passed in late September. I just had a vision: She arrived at the Jordan on the back of the largest, brightest red Cardinal ever created, after a slow fly over Africa, her soul’s home. I cherish this image! 🙏🏼
Happy Birthday, Catherine! Here’s to ancient red maples and Grands!!
O wow!! What amazing & uplifting stories! I turn 70 soon, & decided I want to spend it with my little family – sharing a meal, stories & games… loving my life!! Also to go visit some dear friends the weekend before, who moved to PA 6 months ago. I get to decide how I want to spend my birthday… & hopefully on my death day there will be a band of angels, and I’ll be singing with them… and family & friends. Thanks for the reflections & lovely images! What a gift!🙏🏼💓