The strong sound, smell connection

A few months ago I remember reading of a father upset because his cell phone provider deleted saved voice mail messages of his deceased daughter.  I'm sure hearing her recorded voice was his way of keeping some sort of connection to her memory. I sure hope he has other recordings of his daughter. One's voice is unique and distinguishable, like fingerprints. He was holding on to a bit of his daughter he could dial up and revisit whenever he had a sense of longing for her presence once again. A father, missing his sweet little daughter.

The Father/Daughter bond is a special bond

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It's interesting how we hold on to something which connects us with a loved one. A know of a widow who has kept the recording her late husband's voice on her answering machine. People also hang onto photos, jewelry, clothing, any object which links and gives a sense of closeness to the previous owner will suffice because of a lingering scent or memory associated with it.

My brother's wall-to-wall red carpeted bedroom, with his Bruce Lee posters and collection of James Brown albums, was over the garage. I didn't go up there much, but when I did, the first thing I noticed was a distinct, pleasing aroma which I'd never smelled but in his room.  I've associated that pleasant aroma with my brother. To this day, when I want to heighten my memory of him,  I open a small, round, tin canister, displaying artwork of old, Oriental scenery wrapping it's sides and on the lid, and inside is the treasure which can't be deleted, a small bag containing an exotic blend of potpourri. A deep, slow inhalation and immediately I'm transported back to my brother's bedroom when all was well.
It's amazing how aromas can trigger such vivid memories.

the window and lighting reminds me of my brother's room

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The brain is amazing. In the brain, the 'glia' cells remembers everything. It helps in survival- the transmission of chemicals and nerves from the molecules we inhale through our nose sends a message to be interpreted by the glia or 'little brain'. There, the electrical pulse that's triggered recalls  the last time that same trigger message was received and what it was associated with, even it it was decades ago, and immediately our brain links that event or person to that aroma. Amazing. Also, based upon other info and experiences, our brain can tell us to stay away from certain aromas which don't smell 'quite right', for it might be spoiled, so do not eat it. Or, it may recall a certain aroma linked to a past enjoyable event. We depend upon our noses all the time, but not quite as to the extent as our canine pets do. Aromas even assist in choosing a mate.

The brain can be triggered to recall events 

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My brother and I were 'tight' despite a 6 year age difference. Even to this day I believe the world lost out on a great young man when God called him home. He bravely, and I mean bravely fought an invading battle, but after five years the foreign invading cells won and his body died before he turned 18. I was holding him when he took his last breath and even typing these words, tears fill my eyes because I feel joy for him...not that he had to physically suffer, but because suffering is the furthest thing from him since his last breath. He was freed from the unrelenting pain and from death. His body went limp, but he did not die. In the spirit I witnessed his heavenly escort charged to receive his soul, and take him home. I didn't 'see' them, but an awesome presence like no other I'd ever felt or sensed filled the room, no doubt about that. It's impossible to describe the beauty of the last moments of someone dear to you exhaling their last breath with great 'beings' about the room charged to take the saint, just freed from fleshly limitations, heavenward. It had to have been predestined for angelic being to know when to be in that hospital room and to have me there to experience and witness my brother's homecoming. It was beautiful and peaceful and quiet, and nothing to be afraid of at all. Beautiful is not wonderful enough a word to describe what happened in his hospital room late on St. Patrick's Day of 1983. His body was emaciated to skin covering his bones. It shocked to see such a drastic decline of his physical condition in a two week span. I cried all that day because reality sunk in me that my brother's condition didn't appear that he could pull through this time- his defenses and his body had become too severely weakened and damaged.  He'd fought long and hard and his body was give out. I never knew tears couldbe so big and flow so hard until that day.

That entire St. Patrick's Day, for the first time, I had a deep knowing that my brother's time here was short. I was down the hall from his hospital room and I was suddenly overcome by a powerful thought to immediately drop what I was doing and hurry back to his room.. I can't really adequately describe how strong that urgent feeling overcame me. It was as if someone got into my brain and spoke to me to do what I had heard, and right then. There was no way to ignore it. And I really don't remember walking, just floating along that hallway as if I were being carried. I have been changed since. I held my brother and told him I loved him as he started to have difficulty breathing. There was an ethereal feeling about the room. It was beautiful beyond words. His heavenly escorts carried his soul leaving his limp. lifeless shell. His journey here was finished and he was released from the physical world and .he was on his way home. I knew that I knew and I still know he was fine and knowing that has helped me greatly from that night knowing the pain he had to endure was for a while, but no more.  After all that happened, I am still here feeling so honored to have had a brother such as he. One day I would again see him and hear him call me, 'Trina' as only he did. I look forward to that day and in sharing, I hope you have your heart and spirit in agreement with our Heavenly Father so  you'll be charged an angelic detail to escort you HOME!

Right after those last moments with my brother, I had an epiphany. Death isn't anything to fear. Physical death is actually the 'door' to your heavenly homecoming.  If you're in Christ, the last breath you breathe opens the door to entering into a more glorious life on the other side- to being spiritually alive in the presence of our Lord, Jesus. How wonderful that's gonna be!  To be ALIVE with Jesus!

the spiritual opens once you breath your last

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Potpourri from my brother's room - still potent & magical

Inhaling deeply, my entire body smiles.



 Important note-----
If you don't ever come to the saving grace of accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you will be left without any hope of everlasting LIFE in heaven. If you need guidance on knowing how to go about this, please don't a single day, Make it a priority, Seek a person you know who's saved or a church to have someone walk you through the scriptures and then lead you in a prayer something of the sorts and humbly pray to God that you know you're a sinner, you know you need a savior, you accept Jesus to be the Son of God and as your savior who died in your place on the cross and you thank him for saving your soul and you invite him into your heart. You will begin a new spiritual awakened life, and will require need learning and growing in Christ, for living and growing in your newness of life because you are spiritually and forever a child of God, and heir to His out-of-this-world wonderful blessing!

 Your soul isn't anything to take lightly. Any day could be the day you physically breathe your last, and after that....you don't get a second chance do-over.. It's believing deep in your heart God has the best for you, Jesus, and it's for you to accept his love. It's a spiritual decision to make, and will determine your spiritual future forever. Don't allow the adversary to keep lying and delaying or hindering your decision. To say it bluntly, do you want forever life or death?
 There's only One Way approved by God, only one,  through Jesus and Jesus alone.  That's why he's called, The Way, The Truth, and The Life.

In John 15:13, you can read that Jesus calls you 'friend' and loves you so much that he laid down his life for YOU! 

And you can go here to view 2 videos of Billy Graham speaking.  He shares humor with stories in saying you don't have to shoot for perfection,  you don't need to be perfect and it's alright to fail......  but you need to know the One who can save your soul. Watch and listen, Your choice is to accept or reject the best God has to offer to you.

What sort of aroma are you to God?

This is FYI on what the Bible explains what happens when we die.  
And also Dr. David Jeremiah taught about heavenly escorts.
Here is some info about angels.
And here lists some of the tasks angels carry out and more info on these wonderful beings. 

depicting an angel

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Read of two incidences with angels I encountered with my brother here. 

Life and death-considering what really matters

Two deaths have hit close recently. I don't ever look forward to facing the death of someone I know, or the death of a pet.  I don't like grieving.  The past couple weeks I've noticed one of my pot belly pigs not behaving normally. He's usually up and waiting for me at the gate, especially when he knows it's feeding time. One morning he didn't stir. I was concerned and kept my eye on him as I fed the other pets. Finally he got up and went to his feed dish. He drank a lot of water but not much food. Within my heart I knew I needed to speak to my neighbor and give the heads up of my observations and that I might be calling him soon to take care of things for me. This is the same neighbor whom I call to feed the animals for me if I'm out of town.  We've had the conversation since my pets are getting up in years, and I have an understanding with my neighbor that all I have to do is call him and he will do the 'good neighbor' thing for me. Then yesterday, I called and called and searched for my little pot belly pig and finally located him in the woods. At first I thought he feeling good to be rooting in the woods on a nice warm day. But a few hours later, he hadn't come out of the woods and I saw that he was in the same location, he hadn't moved.  I knew then that he had found the place he wanted to wait out his last hours. I went to him, and told him again how much I loved him. I'd already lovingly spoke to him this earlier this week making sure he knew he was very loved and I was sorry he was not feeling well.  He was set, he wouldn't budge. He was staying.  There was nothing for me to do any more, but make the call my neighbor, and pray again asking God to make Elbin's  transition quick and easy. I went to sleep. Sad, but settled, and thinking that animals seem to know when it's their time. They prepare by not eating, finding a quiet place, and it doesn't seem or appear to bother them being alone. I will remember him from the little runt to being such a loving and gentle little piggy for thirteen years. I will miss Little Elbin.

The path to your final destination is one you take alone

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And, there were two sisters I greeted early mornings.  The sisters sometimes came to work in the same car, and sometimes in separate vehicles, but I could count of them both being so cheerful in the mornings.  One was buried last week. I got the news last week that Elaine Oliver had a brain aneurysm and died suddenly. I'm certain it was a complete surprise and shock to everyone when they heard the news, as Elaine wasn't at all overweight and probably in her early thirties. Elaine didn't live to see old age.
When a young person dies suddenly, it's a reality jolt that a breath separates us from death. There is no promise we'll see the next minute, or see the next sun set or sun rise.  Every minute of life is a blessing and gift from God and only God knows the number of days of physical life I yet have to go.

Conception and birth are our beginning and physical death is the end of this temporary life housed in flesh.  For those saved by the grace of God, which I am, my next life phase will be in a glorified body. 

I pray when it's my time, it will be an occasion to celebrate the completion of my work here, and, that my life's work will be found to be pleasing to the Lord. I yearn for that, and each day I purpose to make myself a better person where it counts the most than the day before.

Physical death completes this phase, but there is so much more after that to come because Jesus defeated death on the Cross at Calvary. Without Jesus, there's no ounce of hope for anything good after death. I'm so proud to know there's hope through Jesus for the future tomorrows. With Him, the end of this life is the beginning of an even better life.

Death is nothing to fear because of Jesus and that makes me happy.

Death can come at any minute, we never know exactly when

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This is written in memory of Elaine Oliver.  God bless her soul.

Changes in life are natural

You can expect life changes, there's no getting around that. On my website, on the about me page, which I wrote last year including my Mom, and my animals, each very important and dear to me. Well, some major changes occurred this year. It's come in three's, if that number has any significance, I don't know.  Changes have occurred with my Mom, one of my dogs, and my oldest pig.  Mom had a stroke in April, my oldest dog, Chi Chi,  died while Mom was in a nursing facility, and then two months later I had to make a very difficult decision and put down Skunk, my oldest potbelly pig.  Skunk was born on a very cold Winter morning of 1995, one of the two that survived in a litter of eight, I found alive. His surviving brother didn't live more than a couple weeks, so Skunk was spoiled all his life. I even took him to work with me that Winter and he slept on a heating pad under my treatment table in my office. He was so cute with a white diamond on his forehead. He was always well mannered and never gave a minute of trouble. Pot belly pigs are very smart and since they're the only pigs I've ever had, all I can say is they are one of the best pets.  Skunk was special, as all pets are with their unique, distinct personalities.  Skunk was aged and I didn't think it was fitting or fair for him to suffer any longer. His legs had gotten so arthritic that he could hardly walk. I did all I could by giving him what the vet told me and all I could think of to make his life as comfortable as possible. The Summer heat is very stressful on animals, and that heat was going to intensify his suffering. I couldn't think of him suffering more than he was already.  I never imagined having to make such a decision for another living being. I weighed my decision for weeks, and wondered if I could live with myself in the decision I was going to make. God knew I cared very much for Skunk and I knew in my heart that Skunk knew I loved him from first sight. He had brought me years of joy and I hoped he had as good a life as any pig could every have.  My oldest dog, a black lab, died peacefully a few months before Skunk.  She also had a long good life in dog years. I'm sure anyone that's cared for a pet fully understands how I felt and still feel. I buried her myself, then went to the nursing facility with Mom.  Mom has been slowly improving with medication she's had to learn to take for the first time in her life. It's been an adjustment for her because she has always been so anti-medication or anti-drug of any sort. I thank God for medical doctors and their training.

Once new,  time ages and brings changes to all things

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Life calls for changes - we get aged and old. Sometimes it's easy to adjust, sometimes it can be a monumental challenge to adjust to natural life changes.  But we must. It's a natural part of growing each day. I thank God we have loved ones about us to help us with this.  I'm up for the challenges of every tomorrow God grants me. I can do it with the strength He gives me. It's going to be interesting, that I know.

As for anti-aging, well, all we can do is age with grace with the blessing of God, and do all we can to remain as healthy as possible to be as productive as possible to the last breath we're granted.  Check out my website on health and be sure to click on the links on the home page, such as Everything Anti-aging.

Keep young at heart, and keep nurturing loving relationships.