It was the Friday after Thanksgiving and Jan received the call she feared. Her father who was receiving hospice care had taken a turn for the worse and she needed to travel back home. She drove six hours to join her mom, brother and sister who were all gathered in his room. They were reminiscing of the wonderful day they shared the day before on Thanksgiving. Jan’s dad was able to join the family at home and they had enjoyed a great Thanksgiving together. It was a real gift before he started to decline the very next day. He was struggling to breathe and they knew he was close to passing. As they were saying their goodbyes, Jan’s brother asked their dad to send a sign to let them know he was in Heaven. Later that day, Jan’s father passed away.
Jan spent that night at her sister’s house. It was a very windy and cold night. The following morning, Jan’s sister was outside picking up some garbage that had blown into her yard. A small note caught her attention. It read:
Dentist 1:00 Tues New Location
The note wouldn’t hold significance to others, but for Jan and her family, they immediately knew they had their sign. Jan’s father was a dentist and had a dental practice in town before he retired. The word, new, in "new location" was underlined and his funeral was held on a Tuesday. “I had a real sense of joy,” said Jan. That was her sign that her father was at peace in Heaven with God. To this day, 17 years later, a copy of that note is displayed on Jan's refrigerator. "Seeing that note gives me comfort and confirms my faith in God," said Jan.
Prior to this experience, Jan mentioned that she hadn’t recognized signs from God. She had heard about these things happening to others but admitted she had always been kind of a skeptic, wondering if it was really God. Once she had this experience with her dad, she became more aware of God’s presence and how He is working in her life. Often times, she hears God when reading Scripture or through a conversation with a friend.
When Jan returned home after her father passed away, she had a gift waiting for her from a dear friend. It was a basket containing four small baby dolls that represented her four grandchildren and a meaningful note that brought Jan comfort during her time of grief. “I felt God’s love through my friend and her kindness and gentle words.”