Sunday morning, July 14, 2013 at 09:15

Yesterday was a beautiful summer day and today is starting out the same way. I was grateful to see yesterday and I am grateful to have lived to see today. The God of Israel has been merciful.

I am sitting in the back on the deck, under the gazebo that David brought over and set up last Saturday. The air is already warm and I can feel that today will be hot. Last Sunday when I came home from Pierrefonds, I walked around the back to quickly see the gazebo – I was hoping to sit out here last Sunday and have a cold beer – but that never happened. Last Sunday evening I was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack and the angioplasty to remove the blockage. God truly spared me and restored my life to me – to allow me to stay longer.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)

Last Sunday I passed through the valley of the shadow of death and did not know it. When I went into cardiac arrest, I had no time to think or react – and then nothing – not even conscious awareness of the dark. Just nothing, as if time had stopped and me along with it. Not until the medical group were able to bring me back was I aware of the darkness that had enveloped me – and it was a bit of a struggle to come out from that darkness.

No pain, no fear, no awareness, just nothing. I wish I could say I saw angels, or saw light, or heard voices, but just nothingness.

“The Lord will keep me from all evil; he will keep my life.” (Psalm 121:7)

I testify here and now that the Lord keeps my life. He has restored it to me and preserves it. When I went into cardiac arrest, I had no time or chance at all to cry out for mercy and to be saved. I had no concept at all of being at the edge of death. God had compassion upon me anyway and saved me. He kept me from evil and he kept my life. I cannot express my gratitude to him.

“But Jesus also answered me, “...because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29)

God is God of the living. I truly don’t understand all the scriptures and I won’t even pretend to know the power of God. I can only know what I have seen and know from what Jesus has spoken, that I might know from his word.

These pages that follow shall tell of my second chance at life; a second chance given by God.

The Oddblock Station Agent