The Fax of Life

A weekly inspiration, courtesy of the Kiwanis Club of Scott's Valley

(distributed free by the Kiwanis Club of Rosemead, CA - rosemeadkiwanis.org )

January 4,  2010                                               Volume 15, Number 10

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 most all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hearthe pastor talk about prayer, but it  went right over my head. I abandoned any attempt at prayer.'

Then the old woman continued, 'One day about 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.'

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

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. All of its Clubs are independently-run community service groups.

• The Kiwanis Club of Scott's Valley normally meets at the Heavenly Café in Scott's Valley, CA, on Wednesdays at 7 am - see the Scott's Valley Kiwanis website @ http://svkiwanis.org for details; The Kiwanis Club of Rosemead normally meets on Thursdays at 12:10 in Rosemead, CA - see the Rosemead Kiwanis website @ http://rosemeadkiwanis.org for confirmation and directions. Visitors are welcome to join meetings of either club anytime.

• There is no charge to anyone for receiving the "Fax," which today is circulated by e-mail rather than literally by FAX. If you have been encouraged in any way by the message, pass it on by saying something encouraging to someone else during the week. To subscribe to the free weekly RKC Reporter, of which the "Fax" is an attachment, simply email kcrosemead@aol.com,

• Neither the Scott's Valley or Rosemead Kiwanis Clubs make any representations as to the accuracy of quotes or actions attributed to named individuals; material selected for the Fax of Life comes from a variety of sources and is chosen based solely on its presumed inspirational value to readers.