Posted on 11/17/2004 6:57:42 AM PST by jrhepfer
A long time lurker and 3 year Freeper is in his last days. Freeper "kixx" known as Chip to his friends will draw his last breath in the next few days after fighting spreading lung cancer. I'm going to pass along an e-mail he wrote to my family (addressed to my wife Kim) just a few days ago when he was still alert and able to read/send e-mail.
Please pray for Chip's comfort in these last days. FreeRepublic was his home on the internet and gave him so much hope!
The little girl he speaks of in the e-mail below is my daughter.
God Bless,
Jim ---------------------------------- Kim, If I had to, I would dedicate all the time I have left re-assuring my friends that all will be okay. The saddest part of this for me is the sadness that I will eventually bring to my friends and family. I can only hope that this sadness will be a short-lived one as everyone realizes that I have gone on to a better place. A place I expect to see all my friends again one day except that I'll have a hard time recognizing any of you since you'll all be old and hunched over by then. :-)
I am at peace with my situation. A peace developed by seemingly unrelated events of the past couple of years. A peace brought on by a journey back to God undertaken years before, almost without my realizing it. Some of the "unrelated" events that brought me to this place were: Country music, 9-11, the presidential election of 2000, the act of forgiving, removing "poisonous" relationships from my life, gravitating toward like-minded, family-values friends, and culminating in the profound affect a little girl with cancer has had on one man's life.
And that very last one was the most important. Everything before got me on the road back to God. Rhiannah put me on that road for good. I had already come full circle, from my Christian youth, through my rebellious and doubting 20's and 30's, and back to believer. But Rhiannah's cancer diagnosis pushed me to the point where I had to put ALL my faith in God and Jesus.
There was no way I could allow my heart to believe that this little girl was not going to make it. And I prayed accordingly. I let God know that I truly believed that Rhiannah's cancer was, indeed, a temporary thing. And to this day, when I tell you I truly believe Rhiannah is cured, now and forever, its only because I know its so.
Little did I know, as I lay in bed at night praying for Rhiannah, that this little girl was already paving the road that would eventually lead her "Uncle Chip" to heaven. Long before I ever thought I would have a need for it. So, thanks to my little hero, when the news came that my time on earth was quickly fading, I was ready. I had the faith that everything was safe in God's hands, I had a peace overcome me that could only come from a divine source, and I'm assured that my sins have been forgiven and paid for.
I also trust that there is a purpose for my cancer. Maybe not, I don't know. But if there is a purpose for me being here at this time then I guess I'll be around till that purpose is fulfilled. Until then I'll just do what I did a few years back, put it all in God's hands and not worry about it.
My biggest regret through all of this is the trouble I've been putting my friends through. I also regret that day when so many will grieve my death. I've never thought of myself as a very significant person and if were to able to watch it all from the next life I know my reaction would be "What's all the fuss about?"
I hope this sets your heart and mind at ease.
I'll talk to you later, Chip
Thanks for the ping.
What a tears of Joy yet greif Chips letter was.
And I ain't no softie when it comes to teary eyes. :)
Anyway Chip wrote a beautiful testimony to his faith in Christ.
May his passing be as painless as possible to all concerned.
My prayers to you and yours.
Chip... you will never know your purpose. It may be something that shows up 50 years from now, or at this very moment.
I respect Chip for knowing his future will be in a much better place. God is so Awesome...
God bless- until we meet again.
Prayers sent for Chip and his family.
A beautiful letter of faith and peace that comes only from knowing God. I cannot imagine life without that knowledge.
Please accept my thanks for posting that beautiful message.
And prayers to you and all of his loved ones. And, how wonderful for your daughter to have touched his life in such a magnificent way.
Agree my sons respite careprovider smokes and I make her go upwind from the house.
She feels bad as the smell is on her clothes and my son makes a horrible grimace so she smokes only every 3-4 hrs. and holds off untill shift ends and then she high tails it out of here to get that fix.
LOL Wait till the weather gets fafafafreeezing and they have to go out to get their fixes.
Oh well she doesn't drink or smoke pot so I am blessed. Never misses a day of work, works hard too.
She just started back to school for her Nursing degree, she is a bored CNA now and working two jobs and school we have told her how important a computer is going to be to get through school as she can do so much online for classes. I can't afford one she yells, and then I remind her just cutting back to half of what she smokes would make a monthly computer payment. Love to ear her grumble on that one.
I know about the tears!! I seem to be having trouble with the umm, uhh, pollen count in the air today...Yeah...that's it!!
Darn misty eyes! Can't see the monitor to see if the spelling is right!
Thats a very cool letter from a man who's ready to meet Jesus, face to face. Is the little girl ok?
For those who think smoking is just a nasty old habit, it isn't. It's a terrible addiction, and those who can quit are fortunate. I won't say they're stronger than others, because some of the strongest people I know, can't beat it.
But we must not blame ourselves or others for being human. I sort of suspect we're all addicted to "something".
Bye for now, Chip. We'll all meet in that FReeper chapter in heaven one day...I'm sure of it.
sw
What a beautiful letter. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
Sending our prayers for Chip and his family.
Amen!
Peace and love to this man. I look forward to meeting him when I too, step into the next dimension far far into the future.
Father Lord, may your peace and comfort be in the heart of this good man. May his family know the peace and comfort only you can provide. In the name of Jesus, amen.
Thank you also for sharing Rhiannah, what a wonderful little girl, The Lord bless you and your family!
Chip as well as you and your family are a testimony of The Lord's love and faith. It is wonderful to see the family of God in action!
I am reminded of Psalm 133:
1: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 3: As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Mt:5:7: Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Mt:5:8: Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Mt:5:4: Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Lord, continue to bless Chip, that his passing if indeed this is the time, will be in your perfect time, surrounded by your Presence and by his family and friends. Thank you for Your Peace in his life, let his family and friends experience Your Peace too at this time.
Thank You Lord for the opportunity to pray for Chip and for jrhepfer and his family, especially Rhiannah, bless her and give her your healing virtue, comfort all, In Jesus Name, Amen!
Prayers sent.
Well can't disgaree with that it is a smelly addiction.
And yes we all have are vices.
As that $600 bike on a trainer collects dust. : )
Sugar is a tough one, have beat it a few times and just when I feel great I slip back into the addiction.
I'm amazed at this remarkable man. To have been so ill for so long, yet still think of others, first ---- Wow!
God is with him now, and he soon will be with God. May his passing be with ease and may those who love him be fulfilled by having known him.
Bless him!
bump
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