Debra Basham

Living and Loving

Tag: life and death

  • Option B

    Sacred Stories

    She was listening to an interview with Sheryl Sandberg and Robin Roberts on Good Morning America, when an email message popped in:

    What a poignant article about the aftermath of Sheryl Sandberg’s husband’s death…

    http://www.cbsnews.com/news/sheryl-sandberg-on-living-option-b/

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? Do you have as story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Visit from Lora

    Sacred Stories

    Her professional colleague and friend, Lora, had recently passed.

    Lora got my attention in a big way this morning! I had just walked into my office and was standing inside the doorway talking to the person across the hall from me, when I suddenly heard and felt something drop by my feet. I thought I dropped something I was carrying but it turns out that one of the angel figurines I have on a high shelf fell off the shelf and on to the floor in front of me –right by my feet. There was no way for it to fall – no one was close to the shelf.

    I knew immediately it was Lora. A message followed:

    “Please give this angel to my angel of a sister who was one of those that cared for me so unconditionally. Everyone needs to know that I am an angel that is present and helping all of you. I picked this angel to depict me because of the pink flowers on the apron and in the basket. I am absolutely wonderful in my spiritual state without a body – and I am so grateful for all of you that I shared life with when I was in body. My dad helped me when I died and he said that’s why he had to go first. We both love you all so much.

    Pay attention when you see things out of place in your homes – that is me letting you know I’m still around. Pay attention to butterflies when you are outside – that is another way I will let you know that I’m present. Also, tell Jim and Caroline they should get a hummingbird feeder because it will be a reminder of the joy and sweetness of life – something I am helping you find again at a level much deeper than you’ve ever felt before.

    Grieve but do it with gratitude and joy. Grieve but know that I am still with you – only my body is gone. Grieve but also be hopeful and excited about the future. Grieve and trust the process – you have all the help you need – including help from me. I am one of your angels and so is my dad.

    All is well. God is good. I love you all.”

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? Do you have as story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Soul Friends

    Sacred Stories

    She ordered a new book entitled, Soul Friends, and was told by Amazon that it would be shipped in two weeks.

    Three days later she received a package from her terminally ill friend who was giving some of her precious belongings away, and at the very same time also received the copy of Soul Friends from Amazon.

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? Do you have as story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Clover

    Sacred Stories

    Her grandma always had a knack for finding four leaf clovers. It would have been her grandma’s birthday. Out for a walk, her mom found one. She says, “I love those little hello messages.”

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? Do you have as story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Serbian Mass

    Sacred Stories

    Attending Mass in Serbia was a dream. The homily began, soon turning her dream into disappointment. The Mass was being given in Serbian, a language she did not know. Why had she not realized this would be the case? She grew more and more distressed.

    Then she prayed, “Lord, you worked a miracle with language in the first Pentecost, letting each understand what was spoken in his or her own language. You know my heart. I want to hear this holy message. Please work a miracle for me today.”

    It felt as though a switch had flipped. She grabbed her journal and began to take copious notes. She felt she knew what was being said, but was that just her imagination?

    At the end of the service she showed the notes to their tour guide and asked, “Is this what the priest was saying?”

    “Word for word. I did not know you spoke Serbian,” he responded.

    “I don’t…” she breathed.

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? Do you have as story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Appointment

    Sacred Stories

    February 8 she received an email message requesting a session. When would she be back in town? She was not due back until early April.

    March 22 she sent a response: “Hi. Wondering if you want to set up your appointment for soon after I get home.”

    The reply popped in right away: “You won’t believe this. Oh, yes, YOU will. I was thinking just ten minutes ago about texting you to see when you will be back home! LOL.”

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? If you have a story to share, send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • UPS

    Sacred Stories

    She was intending to drive to the UPS store after her doctor’s appointment, but she needed to return directly home to ice packs. Halfway home on her country road, she said out loud, “Sure would be convenient if a UPS truck was in the neighborhood to take my package.”

    A UPS truck rounded the corner heading directly toward her!

    She waved to him to stop next to her car and handed him her package.

    It’s the littlest things that can make the biggest difference. That week her life had gotten very dark, sometimes scary, lonely, and pretty heavy.

    She says, “I felt heard. Ask and you will receive.”

    It was just what the doctor ordered.

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? If you have a story to share, send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Candy Striper

    Sacred Stories

    Her son was two-and-a-half. Friends had come to swim. Just before dinner, she bathed her son and was bathing her daughters when her husband screamed her name. Her son had been pulled from the pool unconscious!

    Water poured from every orifice in his body. She rode in the ambulance, praying.

    At the hospital, she stood by helplessly as they were unable to revive him. She was led to a room to wait.

    The woman in a pink candy striper uniform came in and told her, “Your son is screaming bloody murder.” They prayed together, and the woman in pink stayed with her until someone came to get her. They needed her help to calm her son so they could run some tests. He was alive!

    After the situation calmed down, she wanted to thank the woman who had stayed with her. No one knew anything about a woman in a pink uniform. This hospital did not have candy striper volunteers.

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? Do you have as story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Rude Awakening

    Sacred Stories

    She was admitted into the hospital for surgery on Monday morning. Well supported by family and friends, she had someone staying with her, dutifully sleeping on the pull-out sofa just a few feet from her hospital bed.

    In the middle of the night she was awakened by a loud crash!

    The entire wall of window covering—including all of the hardward—had come crashing down onto the sofa.

    It was the first night (in fact, it was the only night) she stayed alone.

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? If you have a story to share, send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Casey

    Sacred Stories

    Casey was a bit of a handful. She was one of those dogs who refused to stay in her own yard. For weeks now, Casey would disappear every afternoon. Her owner had no idea where she was, but Casey would come back home by dinnertime.

    Quite the surprise, one day Casey stayed home all day.

    The following day, a man came to the house, asking if the Alaskan malamute lived there. He said he just wanted to thank Casey.

    The past few weeks Casey had been spending every afternoon with the man’s father. He said his father had Alzheimer’s and had been very agitated and fearful. Petting Casey kept him occupied and calm.

    Casey had not come to visit yesterday because somehow she knew!

    The man’s father had died peacefully in his sleep two nights previously.

    These are sacred stories. What does this all mean to you? Do you have as story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.