We just spent a week in Ohio visiting with family. We got a call a week ago that Rick’s dad was in the hospital and that he had been unresponsive for 2 days, I think. So, we immediately packed our suitcases and drove from Nashville, TN, where we live, to OH to be with his dad.

His dad has Alzheimer’s and hasn’t really known who we are for about a year now. We also have not had lucid conversations with him for about a year now. But, while he was in the hospital, we had several days with him where we could have conversations with him, and that was so nice.

The last day we saw him in the hospital, he called me by name 3 times. The third time he called me by my formal name, Susan. That may be the last time.

Frank has resisted putting his faith in the Lord all 91 years of his life. The other day, when he was drifting in and out of sleep, though, he looked straight up, he began to cry, his lips were quivering, and he acted as though he saw something or he heard something.

So, I approached his hospital bed. I asked him if Jesus was talking to him. He said, “White, white.” So, I asked him if he was talking to Jesus. He said, “Not as much as I should have.” Then he said, “Was dirty. Need clean.” So, I talked with him about his need to let Jesus cleanse his heart of sin and to make him clean. Then I sang to him, “Come Home.” And I could see he was visibly moved by that. But, he is still fighting it, too.

I believe the Lord sent us up there so that I could have that conversation with Frank, so I pray he will turn his heart to the Lord before he dies. God can get through to him even though his mind is nearly gone.

While we were there my uncle died. He was the last remaining of my mom’s siblings. All 8 of them are gone now. We had some good visits with our cousins and with Rick’s Aunt, the last remaining of his mom’s siblings. There were 12 of them.

The week had its ups and downs, but I believe God’s hand was in it all and that he will use it for his glory.

Now we are heading to SC to visit with our kids and grandkids. While we were traveling, the Lord put this song in my mind: