The Stranger

Saginaw Sister's grandfather passed away this month at the age of 102. She went to Saginaw this past weekend to attend his memorial service. More than 75 people were in attendance – not a bad number for a man with very few contemporaries. A number of people went to the front of the church to share their memories of this unique gentleman including Saginaw Sister, but her Uncle Jim had the most humorous story.

Uncle Jim and his wife had been taking care of grandpa for over a year in their own home, way up on the Upper Peninsula. A few weeks before his death grandpa called for Jim to come quickly. He claimed there was a strange man in his room near the foot of his bed. Jim entered the room to find grandpa in his bed but no one else was there. Jim asked for grandpa to describe the man and what grandpa described would send shivers down most of our backs. This person was standing in the room near grandpa's dresser with his arms outstretched in a silent, welcoming gesture.

Uncle Jim told grandpa that perhaps this was a vision of God and it could be a sign that He was coming to take grandpa to Heaven. Grandpa politely listened to his son then laid back down in his bed peacefully as Jim left the room.

A few moments later grandpa called out once again for Jim and there was anxiety in his voice. As Jim stepped into the room Grandpa said,

"Jim, please check my dresser drawer and make sure that my billfold is still there."

There is a valuable lesson in this story and we hope you can find it.



Submitted by Saginaw Sister and the YB of the SC