Guest guest Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 > > > DADDY'S EMPTY CHAIR ~ > > > > > > > > A man's daughter had asked the local minister to come > > > > > > > > and pray with her father. > > > > > > > > When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed > > > > > > > > with his head propped up on two pillows. > > > > > > > > An empty chair sat beside his bed. > > > > > > > > The minister assumed that the old fellow had been > > > > > > > > informed of his visit. > > > > > > > > " I guess you were expecting me, he said. > > > > > > > > 'No, who are you? " said the father. > > > > > > > > The minister told him his name and then remarked, > > > > > > > > " I saw the empty chair and I figured > > > > > > > > you knew I was going to show up, " > > > > > > > > " Oh yeah, the chair, " said the bedridden man. > > > > > > > > " Would you mind closing the door? " > > > > > > > > Puzzled, the minister shut the door. > > > > > > > > " I have never told anyone this, > > > > > > > > not even my daughter, " said the man. > > > > > > > > " But all of my life I have never known how to pray. > > > > > > > > At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, > > > > > > > > but it went right over my head. " > > > > > > > > I abandoned any attempt at prayer, " > > > > > > > > the old man continued, " until one day four years ago, > > > > > > > > my best friend said to me, " ny, prayer is just a simple > > matter > > > > > > > > of having a conversation with Jesus. > > > > > > > > Here is what I suggest. " " Sit down in a chair; > > > > > > > > place an empty chair in front of you, > > > > > > > > and in faith see Jesus on the chair. > > > > > > > > It's not spooky because he promised, > > > > > > > > 'I will be with you always'. > > > > > > > > " Then just speak to him in the same way > > > > > > > > you're doing with me right now. " > > > > > > > > " So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it > > > > > > > > a couple of hours every day. I'm careful though > > > > > > > > If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, > > > > > > > > she'd either have a nervous breakdown > > > > > > > > or send me off to the funny farm. " > > > > > > > > The minister was deeply moved by the story > > > > > > > > and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey. > > > > > > > > Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, > > > > > > > > and returned to the church. > > > > > > > > Two nights later the daughter called > > > > > > > > to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon. > > > > > > > > Did he die in peace? " he asked. > > > > > > > > Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock, > > > > > > > > he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me > > > > > > > > and kissed me on the cheek. > > > > > > > > When I got back from the store an hour later, > > > > > > > > I found him dead. > > > > > > > > But there was something strange about his death. > > > > > > > > Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over > > > > > > > > and rested his head on the chair beside the bed. > > > > > > > > What do you make of that? " > > > > > > > > The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, > > > > > > > > " I wish we could all go like that. " > > > > > > > > > > > > Just send this to four people or more, and do not break this, > > > >please. > > > > > > > > Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. > > > > > > > > I asked God for water, He gave me an ocean. > > > > > > > > I asked God for a flower, He gave me a garden. > > > > > > > > I asked God for a friend, He gave me all of YOU... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. > > > > > > > > Happy moments, praise God. > > > > > > > > Difficult moments, seek God. > > > > > > > > Quiet moments, worship God. > > > > > > > > Painful moments, trust God. > > > > > > > > Every moment, thank God. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 Renate, Thanks for sharing, what a touching story, Tawny --- In , " renate dorsey " <renate220@b...> wrote: > > > > > DADDY'S EMPTY CHAIR ~ > > > > > > > > > > A man's daughter had asked the local minister to come > > > > > > > > > > and pray with her father. > > > > > > > > > > When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed > > > > > > > > > > with his head propped up on two pillows. > > > > > > > > > > An empty chair sat beside his bed. > > > > > > > > > > The minister assumed that the old fellow had been > > > > > > > > > > informed of his visit. > > > > > > > > > > " I guess you were expecting me, he said. > > > > > > > > > > 'No, who are you? " said the father. > > > > > > > > > > The minister told him his name and then remarked, > > > > > > > > > > " I saw the empty chair and I figured > > > > > > > > > > you knew I was going to show up, " > > > > > > > > > > " Oh yeah, the chair, " said the bedridden man. > > > > > > > > > > " Would you mind closing the door? " > > > > > > > > > > Puzzled, the minister shut the door. > > > > > > > > > > " I have never told anyone this, > > > > > > > > > > not even my daughter, " said the man. > > > > > > > > > > " But all of my life I have never known how to pray. > > > > > > > > > > At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, > > > > > > > > > > but it went right over my head. " > > > > > > > > > > I abandoned any attempt at prayer, " > > > > > > > > > > the old man continued, " until one day four years ago, > > > > > > > > > > my best friend said to me, " ny, prayer is just a simple > > > matter > > > > > > > > > > of having a conversation with Jesus. > > > > > > > > > > Here is what I suggest. " " Sit down in a chair; > > > > > > > > > > place an empty chair in front of you, > > > > > > > > > > and in faith see Jesus on the chair. > > > > > > > > > > It's not spooky because he promised, > > > > > > > > > > 'I will be with you always'. > > > > > > > > > > " Then just speak to him in the same way > > > > > > > > > > you're doing with me right now. " > > > > > > > > > > " So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it > > > > > > > > > > a couple of hours every day. I'm careful though > > > > > > > > > > If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, > > > > > > > > > > she'd either have a nervous breakdown > > > > > > > > > > or send me off to the funny farm. " > > > > > > > > > > The minister was deeply moved by the story > > > > > > > > > > and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey. > > > > > > > > > > Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, > > > > > > > > > > and returned to the church. > > > > > > > > > > Two nights later the daughter called > > > > > > > > > > to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon. > > > > > > > > > > Did he die in peace? " he asked. > > > > > > > > > > Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock, > > > > > > > > > > he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me > > > > > > > > > > and kissed me on the cheek. > > > > > > > > > > When I got back from the store an hour later, > > > > > > > > > > I found him dead. > > > > > > > > > > But there was something strange about his death. > > > > > > > > > > Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over > > > > > > > > > > and rested his head on the chair beside the bed. > > > > > > > > > > What do you make of that? " > > > > > > > > > > The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, > > > > > > > > > > " I wish we could all go like that. " > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Just send this to four people or more, and do not break this, > > > > >please. > > > > > > > > > > Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. > > > > > > > > > > I asked God for water, He gave me an ocean. > > > > > > > > > > I asked God for a flower, He gave me a garden. > > > > > > > > > > I asked God for a friend, He gave me all of YOU... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. > > > > > > > > > > Happy moments, praise God. > > > > > > > > > > Difficult moments, seek God. > > > > > > > > > > Quiet moments, worship God. > > > > > > > > > > Painful moments, trust God. > > > > > > > > > > Every moment, thank God. > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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