Prayer request

It's late. I'm up. That is not unusual, I'm a night person. I can't sleep. Again, not unusual. However, tonight my heart is heavy. I am asking you to pray for my friend, WC Phillips, his wife Sybil, my friend Audrey and the rest of their family. I know this blog doesn't reach a lot of people, but the ones who read are Prayer Warriors and so I'm asking you to pray. I'll explain in a minute. This feeds onto my Facebook page. If I've tagged you, it's because you are a friend of Aud.

I've been accused of being "too heavenly minded to be any earthly good." There is a reason, a good one. I can't wait to get to heaven. If you hear tomorrow that I was run over by a bus. Don't cry for me. By the time you hear about it, I truly believe I will be with The Father, possibly nagging Him with all of the questions I've stored up...but probably not. I'll probably just be worshipping.

My girlfriends will have come over immediately to clean my house and make it look like we never lived here. My friend Laura will be stationed at the bottom of my stairs to throw her body in front of anyone who even looks like they are headed upstairs into the "kid's zone." Several people will bring over the mandatory "funeral casserole." Several of them have a few frozen in case it is needed for such an occasion.(Feel free to feed my people. They like their food. They aren't trying to starve, no matter if I'm in heaven or not.) Someone will be at the funeral home overseeing my hair and make-up. (Just because I'm not breathing doesn't mean I can't be cute.) Some one will call the preacher and tell him that my funeral is already written and notes for it are on the very front page of my Bible. (True. That's how much of a control freak I am.) Someone will have the responsibility of telling everyone not to dare show up in black to my funeral or you will be turned away at the door...unless you are wearing black for health reasons like it is the only thing that fits or you need to wear black for its slimming properties. We know how to support each other, we have unwritten rules in place. We are Southern Bells who are properly trained. We are like the military. We get the call and we are on "active duty." We know how to care for a family in times of mourning. We know how to comfort anyone who shows up at the funeral home, and we know how to do it without messing up our "do" or make-up. We do it with a cute little accent and a "bless your heart." We have walked this road together many times with each other and we are a well oiled machine. They will mourn later.

Mr. Phillips is one of those wonderful godly people who invested in me, loved me, and influenced me. His wife, Sybil is one of the godliest women I have know and that's saying something. She did all of the above thing plus a few more. She fed me more times than I can remember, she's loved my kids like they were her own grand kids...even babysitting Ashley when she was little. They introduced her to Carmen (CCM singer.) I lived my Jr. High and High school years as much in their house as mine. I am still welcome in their home any time. I don't have to call, I get to be on "drop by" status. In fairness, everyone is on "drop by" status. They love visitors. He was a bi-vocational minister. He was a shepherd as well as a preacher. They consider me family and I consider them surrogate parents.

They are the parents of one of my oldest and dearest friends Audrey. She is beyond description. She is all the things I want to be wrapped up in a beautiful package. She isn't perfect and that is my favorite thing about her. She is the polar opposite of me, but she loves Jesus with all her heart. We share that passion. When I need a "sanity break," I head to her house in Austin. She is a great listener, which is a gift for a talker like me. She was, I believe, a "whoops" baby. She has brothers and a sister close to my parents age. She is also a good daughter. He heart is in missions, but she's in Texas to help care for her ailing parents. Most of you know her, so I don't need to say much more about her. She is my sister who is not related.

Mr. Phillips' health has been on the decline lately. Recently it has accelerated and he has had to be in the nursing home. This has been difficult, but especially heartbreaking for his wife. She has been his caretaker for years and was fully prepared to do it forever. Last night, they received news that his doctors wanted to gather the families to talk about hospice care. This is a tough pill to swallow. So, Audrey has headed to Livingston to be with her family, comfort her Mom and help make difficult decisions. Mr. Phillips has been taken off of his medicine except meds to control pain. He won't be here with us on Earth much longer.

So I ask you to pray for him and his family. He is a man who will see Jesus soon, maybe by the time you read this. Please pray for wisdom for his family. They have hard days ahead. Please pray for Mrs. Phillips as she contemplates life without her love. Pray for their children, including Audrey as they mourn and also support their mother. They don't mourn as one without hope. They know where he will be.

There will soon be a "welcome home" party in heaven and it will be a grand one befitting the status of the saint who will be joining them. He will hear, "well done, my good and faithful servant. Enter your rest." He has loved his Jesus for a very long time. His Jesus has always taken care of him. I have to admit I am not sad for him. I'm excited for him, but I will miss him. In the meantime, please pray for his loved ones.

I end with my favorite quote. It is from Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening."
"The Lord’s people shall also enjoy light in the hour of death. Unbelief laments; the shadows fall, the night is coming, existence is ending. Ah no, crieth faith, the night is far spent, the true day is at hand. Light is come, the light of immortality, the light of a Father’s countenance. Gather up thy feet in the bed, see the waiting bands of spirits! Angels waft thee away. Farewell, beloved one, thou art gone, thou wavest thine hand. Ah, now it is light. The pearly gates are open, the golden streets shine in the jasper light. We cover our eyes, but thou beholdest the unseen; adieu, brother, thou hast light at even-tide, such as we have not yet."