Choices

Last updated on: March 16, 2024 at 7:07 am by Mark Williams

0 Comments

Choices 2024-03-16T07:07:06-07:00 Mark Williams

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Williams/williams

We don’t get many choices….

We don’t get many choices in the theater of this life of how we get to die. This woman didn’t either. But she knew where she was going 16 days from the date of this photograph. Today, on the 6th anniversary of her arrival Home, there are a lot of people secretly jealous of this woman and this attitude, but they smile at this image.

So many of us fear death. I am not sure there is anyone on the planet who doesn’t. But I think there is a difference in identity. There is a difference between dying, and how we die. I think that is the tripping point-how we go.

No one wants to get hit by a bus.

No one wants to get hit by a bus. No one wants to trip in their living room and lay there for days until someone finds us. In this case, no one really wants to die of cancer. But the end will come, sometime or another. It will either surprise us or wait until we just lay down one last time.

This woman in this picture, is of my wife, Joni, sixteen days from death. She was moving from her hospital room where the final diagnosis was given to hospice. I didn’t know it would be sixteen days at Ryan’s House and some of the most rewarding, uplifting, affirming, joyful, sad moments in many people’s lives. Joni was a believer in Christ. She was a teacher, a mother, a grandmother and always had her Starbucks cup. There was nothing more the doctors could do. So, we made her comfortable and invited whoever wanted to come see her, to do so.

How do you face death….

But this face, this smile-she knew where she was going. How do you face death, with a face like this? It is Christ in her. She was nowhere near perfect. Her life from the start was really against her. But through that life, she chose one thing. To believe in the salvation of Christ on the cross. That was it. That was all she needed to do. It healed her and eventually, brought her Home.

His Plan is perfect. The leap is to trust. You don’t have to believe a lot. Just a smidgen of failing faith will win the day. Just ask the thief on the cross next to Jesus. God knows we fear the unknown. He knows what our choice will be before we make it. But he waits on us, like a patient father would.

Dare to believe.

About – Inside Our Gooey Minds (patheos.com)

Home (markjwilliams.com)

Family, Parenting and Religion

WE don't get many choices

About Mark Williams

Mark Williams spent the first twenty-one years of his career as a Special Agent for the Organized Crime Division of the State Attorney General’s Office. As part of his duties, he investigated organized crime, homicides, and fraud cases submitted by other agencies to that office. He has traveled across the United States as an instructor for law enforcement in various capacities. After he retired, he became a high school English teacher at an inner-city school in central Phoenix where he is the fourth generation in his family to live in the valley. Mark was married for almost thirty-eight years and is a retired widower. He has three children and ten grandchildren. You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post

February 18, 2024

Dealing With God's 'Hard No'

Next Post

April 21, 2024 Where is This Jesus Fella?

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category answering prayer death Does God Need us? engaging with God enjoyment Faith in Chaos fear Freedom from sin Gifting Give thanks God allows suffering God and Mothers God conquer fear God feeds us God lifts us God loves us God protects us God suffered for me God's acceptance God's design for us God's devotion God's freedom God's love God's perfect plan God's playfulness God's protection God's voice Gods mercy inspires us Jesus as Christ Jesus loves us Loneliness My gift old age Our Lord has a sense of humor pain prayer rest Send me Lord Stability in Christ Standing firm Uncategorized What if Jesus Widows work

Select a Month August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz