Mom had a stroke.

[appy]

On 5/13/2021 at 10:47 AM, Berean said:

I said my goodbye albeit briefly. Everyone seems to be holding up well, especially dad.

 

13 hours ago, Berean said:

She was declared brain dead today at 11:15 am while we were waiting. It pains me to say this but she wasn't a nice person. Few good memories. We were (are?) a dysfunctional family and it was mostly due to her. 

First I want to say, sorry to hear that this has happened. My sincerest sympathy to you and your loved ones. The good memories of your mom, might be few, but deep down you still love your mom and always will, because she is your mom. Your grief is real and painful to you even though you feel it is different from your family. Everyone handles sudden unexpected turn of events, grief and bereavement differently.

Some people can be strong when a loved one passes away and then weeks, or months later just sit down and cry their heart out for a while so to speak. While others shed tears for days at the beginning. There is no hard rule on how we should grieve the loss of a family member, a friend or a cherished pet. And I think your family understands and supports you, more than you realize.

You have our sympathy and support also. May God shower His love, peace and comfort on you and your loved ones at this difficult time.

 

[Berean]

On 5/14/2021 at 4:18 AM, ladypeartree said:

To answer your question YES it was fine to leave ...speaking as a mum I do not ever want my children to stand around feeling useless when they have things to do . IF you could have helped in any way by being there I am sure you would have been told what to do but as it was she was not alone ( and it sounds as if she was not even aware of who was or wasnt there ) so you were just taking up space and making others feel more agitated. If you did all you could for her when she was alive then there was nothing you could do at that point so remember her with all the good memories and dont taint them by your last memories being of your own distress 

Thank you for this.

[Berean]

9 hours ago, Marathoner said:

I was homeless on the other side of the country when I learned about his swift decline, but the Lord made it possible for us to connect one last time before he passed away. 
 

Homeless? Being homeless is probably my greatest fear. I hope you don't mind my asking but how long were you homeless and how did you make the turnaround and what do you do now? If you don't want to answer I'll understand. 

[Lolly]

19 hours ago, Berean said:

She was declared brain dead today at 11:15 am while we were waiting. It pains me to say this but she wasn't a nice person. Few good memories. We were (are?) a dysfunctional family and it was mostly due to her. 

It sounds like you have experienced lots of pain and may not have wished to have any more painful moments. God knows your heart, and if you go to Him He can help you answer any unanswered questions. No, I don't think you were wrong to leave. 

[Marathoner]

14 hours ago, Berean said:

Homeless? Being homeless is probably my greatest fear. I hope you don't mind my asking but how long were you homeless and how did you make the turnaround and what do you do now? If you don't want to answer I'll understand. 

That's a long story in the telling, @Berean, so you'll understand why I refrain from writing in detail. I'm pleased to share the testimony with you so I hope this won't prove too long a read.

Suffice to say that for 24 years of my life, I was intermittently homeless and wandered across the United States. It began on that day when, as a young man ignorant of the Lord, His Spirit drew near and called upon me, declaring that I was chosen of God. The time had come to seek Jesus Christ and if I would draw close and heed His words, then I would surely find Him. I would stand before God.

I resigned my job, gave away my possessions, and departed everything I knew to do just that. This angered my blood relatives (though my father was silent) and my mother, the woman who bore me into this world, repeated the same thing she was fond of telling me for as long as I could remember: I was useless, worthless, ungrateful, and a pathetic son who would never amount to a thing in this world. Only now I was a lunatic and so my disownment by her was complete. I never looked back. 

There were so many things I didn't know when I embarked on my way in obedience to the Spirit of the Lord, my friend. For example, I didn't know that I'm on the autism spectrum and didn't know what lie ahead. The Lord in His mercy didn't reveal these things to any man or woman, because the knowledge would have been my undoing. I didn't know that a fiery trial awaited after I was baptized in water. A trial that lasted over 20 years.

The words which His Spirit spoke on that day when He came to me out of the blue were prophetic.

The trial ended when I was alone and dying in a desolate wilderness. I was close to death and found myself in such a strange place. It was the world I knew but yet it wasn't; the sun was burning brightly but it was like twilight, that time of day when the sun sets before the stars emerge in the sky. This was the shadow of death and it was a miracle that I had survived for so long in such a state. 

This was where the Spirit of the Lord returned and the brightness of His glory chased the shadow of death away. The Lord lifted me up in His hand, healed my body and mind, and set me down on my feet. So I stood before God just as He promised before the trial began. That's when everything turned around, Berean.      

[Berean]

13 hours ago, Marathoner said:

That's a long story in the telling, @Berean, so you'll understand why I refrain from writing in detail. I'm pleased to share the testimony with you so I hope this won't prove too long a read.

Suffice to say that for 24 years of my life, I was intermittently homeless and wandered across the United States. It began on that day when, as a young man ignorant of the Lord, His Spirit drew near and called upon me, declaring that I was chosen of God. The time had come to seek Jesus Christ and if I would draw close and heed His words, then I would surely find Him. I would stand before God.

Last question. Hope you don't mind my asking but what do you do and how are you doing now?

[Marathoner]

59 minutes ago, Berean said:

Last question. Hope you don't mind my asking but what do you do and how are you doing now?

These days I work with case management in a transitional housing shelter for the homeless. Never been better, my friend. The Lord has blessed me with work which pleases Him and I couldn't be happier.