Mom's Empty Chair

This dandy was sent to me from a friend in Sacramento via the email.

I have seen it before and it truly is one worth reading again.

I also think it is so very profound.

For those of us who sometimes think they need that face to face visual;

 This is one that will touch you and move you.

Enjoy!



Original page:
http://www.clipartheaven.com/show/clipart/kids_stuff/toys/chair-gif.html





MOM'S EMPTY CHAIR

A woman's daughter had asked the local minister

 To come and pray with her mother.

When the minister arrived,

he found the woman lying in bed with her head

propped up on two pillows.

An empty chair sat beside her bed.

The minister assumed that the woman

had been informed of his visit.

"I guess you were expecting me", he said.

"No, who are you?' said the mother.

The minister told her 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 woman.

'Would you mind closing the door?'

Puzzled, the minister shut the door.

'I have never told anyone this,

not even my daughter,' said the woman.

'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 woman continued,'

until one day four years ago, my best friend said to me,

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 woman to continue on the journey.

Then he prayed with her, anointed her with oil,

  And returned to the church.

Two nights later the daughter called

to tell the minister that her mama

had died that afternoon.

Did she die in peace?' he asked.

Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock,

she called me over to her bedside,

told me she loved me and kissed me on the cheek.

When I got back from the store an hour later,

I found her.

But there was something strange about her death

Apparently, just before Mom died,

she leaned over and rested her 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.'

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.

I love that we can come to Jesus and talk to Him.

That if setting a chair near us works.

I say go for it.

I love the visual.

To think she laid her head in Jesus lap!
No better way to go home!

Blessings

Have you ever placed a chair, stuffed animal or anything to practice a speech or just pretend someone was there to talk too?