35 - God, seeing my Dad's grief, said: "Three more years!"
I was June 1997 that my Mom died. My Dad and Mom had been married 53 years and her passing deeply grieved my Dad. He was deeply depressed. A persistent refrain in his conversations with me after her passing was that he wanted to go to be with my Mom.
Not long after my Mom’s passing, he called me one night. After talking this and that for a few minutes, he said he called to talk to me about a strange dream that was bothering him. He said that in the dream, he saw himself tending a crop of three rows in a field and then the dream ended. He decided to call me about it.
I understood immediately the meaning of the dream. I also understood that the dream was from God and in response to Dad’s desire to go to be with my Mom.
I said: “Dad, I understand the meaning of the dream and here is what what it is. The three rows have two meanings: the first being that God has set three more years for you to be on this earth before you die and the second being that during that interval three of your children will need your support and help. After that, you will go to be with Mom.” My Dad was comforted. He not only had a reason to continue living and an understanding of the reasons for it; he also had the knowledge that there was a certain end in sight at which time he could go to be with my Mom.
Three years later, in July 2000 and in accordance with the word of God communicated to him in 1997, my Dad passed away. During that interval three of his children needed his support; one of those being myself. Well, time goes on and the case with Citizens Utilities Company was finally over. In 2003 Pat and I left Vermont and returned to Florida.
Notes
What is there to be learned from the experience of my Mom and Dad’s death?
God is aware of our thoughts, is aware of our emotions, is aware of our needs, and is a very real and present help in the time of need. He heard my Dad’s grief and responded.
This experience says something else that is important. It says that God has a specific time and place for us to leave this world.
Some scriptural references
Psalms 46:1 (KJV) “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Job 14:4 (KJV) “Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;”