Don't die 1/2 Empty or even Malnourished!

Top Five Regrets Of The Dying
12-10-11

For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives.

People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learned never to underestimate someone's capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them.

When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn't work so hard.

This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.

When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.

Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.

_______________

Bronnie Ware is a writer and songwriter from Australia. Her blog has a loyal and ever-increasing following and has been quoted in several respectable international publications. Based on this article, Bronnie has now released a full-length book, also titled 'The Top Five Regrets of the Dying'. For more information about this or to read more of Bronnie's work, please visit her blog at http://inspirationandchai.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bronnie_Ware

'Creeps & Sneaks'

‘Creeps & Sneaks’       November  2013        Rick Godley

Have you ever snuck into anywhere?  Like a movie theater when you were young; perhaps a bar, nightclub concert or a sporting event?  Then you know what it’s like to be ‘sneaky’ and ‘creep’ in somewhere!  Reflect as to how you felt at the time and how you feel about it now!   Maybe it was exciting then, but now, hopefully, now we know better.   I’m sure it was all done in fun and no one meant any harm.

The book of Jude warns us about other ‘Creeps and Sneaks’ that we need to be aware of.  These ‘creeps and sneaks’ are not so innocent and they mean harm.  Before I quote the verse, may I encourage you to go and read the complete book for yourself, read it slowly and read it out loud.

Jud 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, wicked men, turning the grace of our Elohim into lasciviousness, and denying our only Sovereign, and Master Yahshua the Messiah.’    Who are these ‘certain men’ who creep in unaware, in other words, the sneak in with a mission and a purpose?    Notice their mission and purpose, ‘ to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness’ and to deny ‘Jesus’  as The Messiah.

What is ‘lasciviousness’ and when was the last time you heard a sermon to be on your guard about these ‘certain men who were before of old ordained to this condemnation’?   Do you have any in your ‘church’?  Do you have that in the ‘soil of your soul’?    ‘Well, Rick, don’t know!   No one ever asked me that before, what the heck is lasciviousness?’ 

Thayer Definition:  1) unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence!   Say what?   Don’t you love it what they define a word we don’t understand with more word we don’t understand? 

Wantonness?   

Let me look that one up for you, cause I really don’t know either! 

Thayer Definition:  1) unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence.  Hmmm seems the same as lasciviousness.   Words are not wasted in Scripture, so if it’s in there twice its not a mistake.  The mistake would be to slough it off and move on.   Bad idea. 

Didn't ‘Jesus’ and the writers of Scripture keep warning His people? 

May I quote some of those warnings?   

We need to ask ourselves if these ‘creeps and sneaks’ are currently in ‘our midst’, that is, inside of us and inside of the assembly.  We also need to ask ourselves if the rotten fruit of their message has filtered down to our current ‘beliefs and faith’ and toss it overboard!

 

Warning!   2 Peter 2  1-4  (actually the whole chapter!  Read it for yourself)  2Pe 2:1  But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.  And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.   And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.  For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;

Warning!  Gal. 2:4  But as for the false brothers, sneakingly brought in, who sneaked in to spy out our freedom which we have in Messiah יהושע in order to enslave us,

Warning!    1 Ti 1  3-11 1Ti 1:1   As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion,   desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.   Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,’

Warning!  2 Tim 3:6   2Ti 3:6  For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,   always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.’

Warning!  Jude 4 (above)   11-13 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion.  These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

The point of it all is this.   Goats are always trying and have tried from The Beginning to get in the midst of the sheep.  That’s why The Good Shepherd will be THE ONE who sill separate the two.  (Matt 25:32)  Grievous wolves are coming, have already been and are now inside the sheepfold!  (Matt 7:15,  Matt 10:16, Luke 10:3, Acts 20:29)

To bring this ‘inside the cup’ (Luke 11:29), because not only  has the ‘seed of the serpent’ successfully infiltrated His ground, His flock from The Beginning in the garden and they need to be noticed among The Flocks.   That seed has also been implanted in our corrupted flesh and has manifested itself in our behavior.   Which is why one needs to deny ‘that seed’ :  

(Col 3:5-9)  ‘Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.   In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.   But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices….’  

And be ‘born again’ of the incorruptible ‘seed’  (The Seed of the Woman) Col 3:10  and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.’

Like the old Almond Joy candy bar jingle, ‘Sometimes you feel like a nut….sometimes you don’t’, well this is what ‘sometimes one acts like a ‘creep’ and sometimes one don’t’.

Got questions?   Feel free to e mail me, Rick@GodleyWorks.com

‘You Might Be an Abomination….. If’

A while back a comedian by the name of Jeff Foxworthy made us laugh at ourselves while he made a lot of money pointing out the truth of life.  His comedy shtick, was called, ‘You might be a Redneck, If…’ and proceeded to list slice of life items that made us laugh cause they contained truth.  Here’s only 10 in no particular order.

You might be a redneck If:

1)       You think loading the dishwasher means getting your wife drunk.

2)      You own a home that is mobile an 5 cars that aren’t.

3)      You own a homemade fur coat.

4)      The Salvation Army declines your mattress.

5)      Your schools fight song was Dueling Banjo’s  

6)      The taillight covers on your car are made of red tape

7)      You’ve ever financed a tattoo

8)      Your dog and your wallet are both on a chain

9)      Redman Chewing tobacco sends you a Christmas Card

10)  Your house doesn’t have curtains, but your truck does

And on and on….quite amusing I think we all would agree. 

Why is it in religion, we want to all condemn those homosexuals and queers as abominations?  Ask anyone who says that and ask him or her, where does it say that in The Bible?  Chances are they won’t know the exact chapter and verse, yet, they will have to go back to that Old Testament to get it, you know that part of the book that modern religion teaches is old, and done away with.  That Law thing that we’re not ‘under’ anymore cause our homeboy ‘Jesus’ took care of dat and we’re now under grace.

Why is it that modern religion want to throw out that ‘Law’ cause it’s sooooooo burdensome and done away with, YET, will gladly take up the tithe of people’s money and say homosexuals are abominations.  Sounds like selective religious amnesia to me, choosing to remember what we want to remember and choosing to forget what we want to forget.

While the Word of The Creator does list a host of activates as abominations in Leviticus 18, I’ve come up with another list of 10 other Abominations that we might want to review before we go to that Big 'A' in Lev. 18.  So here goes, I’ll only do 10, there are more!

1)      You might be an abomination IF you have lying lips!  Proverbs  12:22

a.      Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are his delight.

2)      You might be an abomination IF you have wicked thoughts!  Proverbs 15:26

a.      The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD, but gracious words are pure.

3)      You might be an abomination IF you have Pride!  Proverbs 16:5

a.      Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished.

4)      Your Money might be an abomination!  Proverbs 20:10

a.      Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the LORD.

5)      Your Prayers might be an abomination!  Proverbs 28:9

a.      If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.  (You still want to say The Law is done away with?  (Matt 5 17-20)

6)      Your Food might be an abomination!    Deuteronomy 14:3

a.      "You shall not eat any abomination.

(‘Jesus never ate a pork chop nor a BLT, Thank God!)

7)       Your Worship might be an abomination!  Deuteronomy 17:3-4

a.      and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have forbidden,  and it is told you and you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently, and if it is true and certain that such an abomination has been done in Israel,

8)      Walt Disney cartoons might be an abomination!  Deuteronomy 18:10-12

a.      There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you.

9)      Dare I say your Fleur DeLis, Gold Crucifix, Rabbits foot could be an abomination!  Deuteronomy  27:15

a.      "'Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the LORD, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.' And all the people shall answer and say, 'Amen.'

10)    Your lips may be an abomination!  Proverbs 16:6

a.      a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

(Might want to think about what you say about someone before you say it!)

As you can see, these aren't as funny as Jeff Foxworthy’s yet they are just as True since they are the Words of The Creator who speaks only Truth.  There are more.  My point, if we who profess belief in the Creator from The Beginning of  The Book would check our own abominations, then possibly, quite possibly, those other abominations wouldn't have a foothold to grow in The Body.

Feedback always welcome, Rick@ GodleyWorks.com

PS:  I do a prison ministry here on the states called 'Prison Breaks:  Life in the Cells' and one thing I have noticed is that these men don’t have family members visit them as much as you might think.  So I am starting a Stamp and phone card ministry for them to write and call their families.  If you want to invest, so led, so do.  This is separate from CLM, so make sure you don’t take away from them, but set aside, if you are so led, and send it to GodleyWorks, mark it prison funds.  Thanks.