Welcome to "Straight From the Heart!"

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http://www.storiesfrommyheart.com

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Want to read more stories by Kristi or Michael? Then check out the following links!

Author Michael T. Powers
http://www.themestream.com/authors/41460.html

Author Kristina D. Powers
http://www.themestream.com/authors/41943.html
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I KNOW WHERE MY MOTHER IS!

By: Phylis Cranfield


It was a Saturday morning in mid November when my Mother called and wanted me to take her Christmas Shopping. I had my 5 1/2 year old granddaughter Ashley. She was spending the weekend with me and her pappaw. I did not hesitate in answering my Mother. I asked her when she wanted me to pick her up and she said I am ready to go NOW.

You see, my Mother had liver cancer and only had a few weeks to live. She lived in front of me on a 71/2 acre lot in the country.

When we got to the mall my granddaughter pushed Mom around in the wheel chair and I pushed the buggies from store to store. I kept asking Mom if she was getting tired and she would always reply "No," I'm having the time of my life and I am not going home until I finish all of my Christmas shopping". We left home at 10:00 a.m and didn't return home until 5 p.m.. It was like she was on a journey to finish what she wanted to do; and she was.

One week later on December 1st she was getting so weak she moved into our home so I could take care of her. She knew her time was growing near. She had taken one double dose of chemotherapy and it made her extremely ill. The doctor's had told her the chemo would only prolong her life by 4-6 months. After the first dose she refused to take anymore. She stated "The sickness was not worth six months of life because she was going to die anyway so why prolong the agony by being bed ridden". She lost all of her beautiful hair with dignity. She was a beautiful 69 year old that looked 49.

On December 12th she came to the dinner table and sat with us but couldn't eat. (that was my husband and my 12th anniversary). She said her stomach was burning too bad and excused herself and went back to her room. I felt something was not right this particular night. I slept in the same room with her every night and we would hold hands and she would try to talk to me. This night she was very weak and all she wanted to do was to hold my hand.

That night she slipped into a Coma. She kept moaning and I was unaware of what was happening to her. I couldn't get her to take her medicine because her teeth were clenched. I called out for my husband to help me get the medicine in her mouth but to no avail. I immediately called Hospice (they are a wonderful organization). When they arrived they said she was going fast. Her eyes were fixed, one eye open and one eye closed and yellow. Her feet and hands were cold. They told me to call the family so I immediately called my one brother and her sisters and grandchildren.
By the time everyone got there it was morning and they all stayed with me. At 2:07 p.m. my Mother, still in a coma, raised her hands to the ceiling and said "Yes, Jack. I am ready". She put her hands back down on the bed; (Jack was her deceased husband).

When she held her hands up it was like Angels and Jesus were in the room. I felt their presence. Every one that was in her room gasped when she said those words.
Seven minutes later she turned her little head over on her pillow and passed away.

When the hearse came, my husband sent me and my cousin to her house to get her clothes (my brother and I had made prior funeral arrangements) and when I returned she was gone and so was the Funeral director and the hearse. I was terribly upset.

At the funeral home I learned that my husband had planned for me not to be there when they took my Mother out of our home. What I didn't know was he would not allow them to put her on the stretcher to take her out. My husband carried my Mother out of our home. When he was asked why he did this his answer was "My wife would have wanted it this way". If I could have loved him anymore than I already did, it was at that time. It touched my heart so.

If there was any person in that room when she died that was not a believer in Jesus Christ, they would have believed then. When my Mother reached to the ceiling it was like she saw the Angels coming to get her. One of her Angels was Jack. I feel in my heart they did. It was beautiful. The Angels and God were in that room that day.

I know where my Mother is and it is a great comfort knowing she is with Jesus. I have seen one of my Grandchildren come into this world and I have seen my Mother leave this world and they are both the most beautiful experiences because God was there both times.

The pain of losing her still lingers with me every day. I loved her so. But, I know she suffers no more and God needed her more.

Phylis Cranfield
pcran@mindspring.com

Send Phylis and email and let her know what you thought of her story!

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A little bit about Phylis:

My name is Phylis Cranfield. I live in Tennessee. I am a homemaker, have a wonderful husband Paul, three daughters and 9 grandchildren. I love to write poetry. I have recently been selected by the International Poet Society as a semifinalist in their Poetry Contest. My poem "Thank You Daddy" will be entered into the final competition held at the end of this month, and will also be published in their next book of poetry entitled "Nature's Choice" in the fall of 2000.
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Thought For The Day:

"Isolation is the worst possible counselor."
(Miguel de Unamuno)

Verse for the Day:

"Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety."
Proverbs 11:14

Kid's Thought For The Day:

"The school bus is never running late the same day you are."

Parent's Thought For The Day

"My kids would never share anything of their own free will - except germs."
(Bruce Lansky)

Coach's Thought For The Day

"As a coach I need to be able to laugh at myself. When you're able to do that you usually end up laughing with someone, not at someone, and you build camaraderie."
(Joe Broeker)

Deep Thought For The Day:

"Why do people put the window down when they smoke in the car alone? Are they afraid of breathing the smoke?"



Video Imagery (Michael's Video Production Business.)

"I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video we gave them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too. They said it was the best Christmas gift we could have given them!! You did such a beautiful job! They were so surprised and so touched---they really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for the video too! Thanks again!"

Kelli (RKaGe@aol.com) College Station, TX

Let me make you a video from your pictures or home movies!
Check out the web page for Michael's video production business!
Video Imagery
http://members.aol.com/Videoimg/index.html


Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you?
The Four Spiritual Laws
http://www.ccci.org/laws/index.html


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Writer's Guidelines
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