I KNOW IT ISN'T EASTER YET BUT...

(These thoughts are added to each day. Scroll down and read previous One A Days.)

This story is longer than most of the stories I share but I believe you will find it well worth the extra time it takes you to read it.

I know it isn’t Easter yet but can a timeless message be held up by a calendar.

Her name was Edith Burns and she lived in San Antonio, Texas. Her doctor’s name was Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle loving doctor who saw people as people and not as a number on his HMO chart. One morning he walked into his office with a very heavy heart.

Later, he went to the waiting room to call Edith in for a talk. He wanted to do it this morning himself rather than have her called in by his nurse. She was sitting there with her big heavy Bible resting in her lap talking to a young mother. He knew exactly how the conversation had begun,. “Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?” Then after she had gotten many of the usual answers that it was egg hunts and going to church and dressing up, Edith would keep pressing about the real meaning of Easter and continued to lead dozens of people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

It was what Edith was. It was what she did all the time. Too everyone she met. Reticence was not a part of her vocabulary.

When Doctor Phillips and Edith sat down Edith looked at him and said, “Why are you so sad doctor?

“Well,” he replied, knowing it would be easier to get his unpleasant task behind him, “Your tests came back Edith and you have inoperable cancer and that you are not going to live long.”

“Will Phillips, shame on you for looking so morose. Do you think God makes mistakes. You have just told me I’m going to see my precious Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that I am going to celebrate Easter Forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my ticket!”

Dr. Phillips thought to himself, “What a magnificent woman this Edith Burns is.”

Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and went. Then late one afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving her story to the hospital. Then she asked favor, “Dr. Phillips, would you make sure they put women next to me in my room who need to know about Easter?”

Well, he did just that and as they came and went, not Edith, she just stayed there, she would meet each new patient with the words, “Hello, my name is Edith. Do you believe in Easter?”

After awhile all the staff members on the floor began to call her Edith Easter, that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse. Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was a “religious nut.”

Then, one morning, the two nurses who normally attended to Edith were sick. Edith had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot. When she walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said, “Phyllis, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for you.”

Phyllis angrily responded, “Well, you can stop carrying on with such nonsense. I don’t believe in prayer. It won’t work. I’m not interested.”

Edith just smiled and said, “Well, I have prayed for you and I will keep on praying for you and I have asked God not to let me go home until you come into the family.”

Phyllis answered, “Then you will never die because that will never happen.”

With the other nurses still sick, every day when Phyllis walked into the room Edith would smile and say, “God loves you and I’m praying for you.”

One day Phyllis will tell you she was literally drawn to Edith’s room like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said to her, “I’m so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special day.”

Phyllis answered, “Edith, you have asked everybody here the question, “Do you believe in Easter? But you have never asked me.”

“Phyllis,” replied Edith, “Many times I have wanted to, but God told me to wait until you asked and now that you have asked…” Edith took her Bible and shared with Phyllis the Easter story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And then softly, for the first time she asked this nurse who had been cold and hard and just did everything by the book, “Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?”

And Phyllis answered, “Oh, I want to believe. With all my heart I want to believe.” And they talked awhile longer and when Phyllis walked out of that hospital room it was as if she were being carried out on the wings of angels.

Some days later, Phyllis walked in for she came now many times, and Edith said to her, “Do you know what day it is?” And Phyllis replied, “Why Edith, its Good Friday.”

And Edith replied, with a smile so wide it tickled her soul, “Oh no Phyllis, it is Easter. Now, for you…every day is Easter. Happy Easter Phyllis.”

Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis came into work, did some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some Easter lilies because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a Happy Easter.

When she walked into Edith’s room, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith’s hand she realized that Edith was dead.

Her left hand was on John 14: “In my Father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepared pa place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

Her right hand was on revelation 21:4, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face toward heaven, and with tears streaming down her cheeks, said, “Happy Easter, Edith—Happy Easter!”

Phyllis Cross left Edith’s body, walked out of the room, and over to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She sat down and turning to them asked a question, “My name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?”

Have you visited my “Life Is Not What It Is But What You Make It” site. Go to Google and where it says “Google Search” type in “Wyrick’s Writings”

Have you considered sharing this site with family or friends? Just have them go to Google Search and type in “Neil Spiritual Vitamins”.

And, yes, maybe they will back track a few weeks to read other of my musings.