As we have been sitting with Dad in the hospital, his mind is always working. I am going to write a few posts about some of the things that he has said and done.
Yesterday, he said he wanted to go to chapel. We told him it was Saturday, and that he was in the hospital, not at the home where the chapel service would be. I thought that would be the end of it. A while later, perhaps an hour, he said that since we couldn't go to chapel, we should have our own little chapel service now by sharing a favorite Bible verse. And, wanted to start. His verse was John 5:24 which he quoted in the King James Version. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."
A couple of things struck me about that. First, his memory is good. In fact, better than the rest of us. I couldn't remember the book of the Bible for the verse I quoted (Micah 6:8--I told everyone that it was from Amos). Caroline (John 3:16) and Marion (John 11:25-26) had other memory issues. The second, and far more important thing was his assurance that there is life after death for him and for the rest of us who believe. What a strong statement for us as we listened to him.
I closed our mini-chapel service in prayer. All in all, it was a powerful experience.