On Borrowed Time: The extraordinary stories of ordinary people

By Franklin See, chaplain CPE ThD

Don't wait until you are on borrowed time. Access the transformational power of God today and change your life forevermore!

The book, On Borrowed Time, is a hard-hitting, tough-love approach that cuts to the chase and goes to the very spiritual hearts of our patients who are desperately searching to find peace in their later days of life. On Borrowed Time takes us behind the hospital room's cubicle curtains for a seldom-seen look into the lives of those who are struggling to make sense of the lives that they have lived and the all too often brevity of time that life still holds.

Many have lived a lifetime on their own terms, holding allegiance to the things of the world and having little to no time for God. Heartbreakingly, the day is often far spent when our patients are awakened to the news that they are terminally ill, leaving them with feelings of spiritual hopelessness. Yet it is here when all seems lost that God does his best work.

With it all on the line, the reader of On Borrowed Time can know, without a doubt, that hospital chaplains strive to operate in parallel with the divine works of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit's work is complete, the patient can rejoice in knowing that God has not forgotten them and that he is still calling their name.

Although On Borrowed Time is based upon our patients' real-life stories, the book's overall message to us is to choose today whom we shall serve. While we are all prodigal sons and daughters and our heavenly Father rejoices in the day that we return to him, tomorrow is not promised to us, and it may never come.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 24, 2024
• ISBN: 9798890437358

Book preview

cover.jpg

On Borrowed Time

The extraordinary stories of ordinary people

Franklin See, chaplain, CPE, ThD

ISBN 979-8-89043-734-1 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-89043-735-8 (digital)

Copyright © 2024 by Franklin See, chaplain, CPE, ThD

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1

Kentucky Woman

Chapter 2

Amazing Grace

Chapter 3

Most Valuable Player

Chapter 4

Devoted Mother, Loving Father

Chapter 5

Lifetime Gambler

Chapter 6

The Reluctant Patient

Chapter 7

Child of Forgiveness

Chapter 8

The Patriarch's Family

Chapter 9

The Seafaring Patriot

Chapter 10

Mother's Way

Chapter 11

Final Choices

Chapter 12

Last Chance

Chapter 13

The Quiet Witness

Chapter 14

The Matriarch

Chapter 15

Navy Chief

Chapter 16

Sunshine and Rain

Chapter 17

Hail Mary

Conclusion

Spiritual Resources

About the Author

Acknowledgments

The divinely sanctioned duties and responsibilities of ministry today remains essentially the same as during the historical writings of the biblical New Testament and the calling forth of the church.

Although man's ever-growing fascination with media techniques and sophisticated methods of communication have rapidly become standard procedures for operations, love remains the foundation and primary qualification necessary to perform the unsung heroics of ministry in relationship to the family unit of which we all belong.

As chaplains working in the secular field and medical settings, our primary calling is to take God's word from inside the walls of the church to those who are sick and all too often terminally ill, assisting them and their family members in the quest to find inner peace.

Chaplaincy ministry, just as the physical ministry of the medical professions, can be at times mind-boggling, physically exhaustive, and emotionally draining. Yet at the same time, providing services to our fellow man, for most of us, is the greatest spiritually rewarding task ever to be undertaken.

In that light, I want to acknowledge and thank the gracious men and women who serve on the hospice and hospital staff teams across our nation who make it all happen. These are the doctors, nurses, medical social workers, chaplains, and those who work behind the scenes that go and have gone the extra mile on a daily basis without fanfare to ensure that our patients receive the best emotional, physical, and spiritual care available to them during the most challenging and trying times of life.

Not the least of all, I want to acknowledge and thank my wife, Jennifer, for her love and support even during those times when she, like many others, doesn't always understand the work that we on the front lines of ministry are called to fulfill. It is her spoken words, I believe in you, and I stand by you, that make all the difference. Without her love and support, my mission to help others would be incomplete at best.

Introduction

While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and kissed him.

—Luke 15:20 ESV

Our world has long recorded that during any moment of crisis or unexpected circumstances when life seems to hang in the balance of uncertainty, people tend to take a swift and very detailed evaluation of their lives. September 11, 2001, was such a time as this for many individual American citizens on a national level.

For those of us who remember the horrors of this event, we may recall that America's churches and other places of worship were almost instantly filled to capacity. For the first time in a decade and possibly even a generation, people from all walks of life were suddenly worried about their own personal spiritual health.

Many, for the first time in a very long time, truly believed that the return of Christ was at the very doorstep of their lives. People were scared and seemed to be deeply concerned about where they would spend eternity. To be sure, many felt as though they were indeed on borrowed time.

For a short period of time, it seemed as though our Lord's prodigal sons and daughters had indeed realigned their worldly priorities, sought forgiveness, and began anew.

Yet within just a few months, we saw the greatest church attendance in recent memory slowly evaporate and return to pre-9/11 conditions. While we have no way of knowing the number of our brothers and sisters who took a personal stand for Christ during this terrible period in our country's history, we do know that far too many people were not sincere in making a true commitment to Christ and Christian living at that time.

While it was refreshing to see the nation rally around the family, Christian values, and the nation's flag, it is important to note that we are not saved because we are Americans who claim to be Christians. We are Christians saved by grace because we have, through faith, a personal individual relationship with our heavenly Father through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The key to establishing a personal relationship with our Lord begins with an exchange of goods. We must be willing to exchange the excessively old, worn-out sinful baggage that we've insisted upon carrying around with us all of these years for a clean bill of spiritual health and a new outlook on life.

Jesus tells us plainly, Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28–29 NKJV).

Like the lost son in Jesus's parable in our opening scripture, many of our lifetime events, in review, seem to reflect a heart full of regrets rather than occasions that bring good tidings and reflections of praise for a job well done.

It is truly amazing that our loving heavenly Father would bring to our human earthly minds and often fragile spirits those memorable events that we would much rather forget or at least bury in the annals of time.

Yet God's purpose for doing so is for our benefit whether or not we recognize or choose to accept his reminders of the business that we still have to do with him. The Bible is clear: God wants us to bring our confessions before him that we may be forgiven and find rest for our souls.

Perhaps you grew up in the church setting and you have continued a lifelong journey in the study and application of God's Word, or perhaps you grew up attending church because of tradition, just to pacify your parents or to socialize with the guys or gals in attendance, but left as a young adult and never returned.

Today, at middle age or as an elder family statesman, those reasons for leaving the church may seem trivial and no longer apply. Perhaps you, like many others of our brothers and sisters, would love to return to the Lord, but don't know how to do so.

Trust me, there are many more men and women than you in your age group and similar circumstances that are hearing the Holy Spirit's call. What will you do with the remaining time that the Lord has given you in these, your latter days? Our Lord remains the same today as he was yesterday when you were young, and he still awaits your decision to return to him.

On the other hand, perhaps you are a lifelong skeptic with no attachments whatsoever to the Bible or to the church. Quite possibly, you have tried virtually everything that the world has to offer you and you have come away feeling empty inside and find yourself asking, Is this all there is to life?

The fact that you are reading these words today is indicative that you are searching for answers. Trust me, the Holy Spirit is calling your name. You have more than just a passing interest in your own spiritual well-being, and I personally thank God that you do.

The bottom line is that when we place our faith in the things of this world, we will, sooner or later, come up empty. As those with wisdom keep telling us, we cannot keep doing the same old things in life and expect new or different results. Only our heavenly Father through the peace of Christ can change us and give us real results and the peace that we seek.

During my years of serving as primary caregiver, hospital and hospice chaplain, my primary ministry has been to those of my age group, but also to others as well. I've had the privilege of literally leading hundreds of God's children home from virtually all professions and walks of life. They have ranged from the wealthy to the destitute and from the ultrareligious to the spiritually bankrupt.

In doing so, I've dialogued and prayed with patients, family members, other caregivers, medical staff, and many others along this all-too-often-hard, difficult road called life.

I've seen the tears of relief when there is news of hope, and unfortunately, I've seen the tears and heartbreak when our brothers and sisters have received word that there is nothing more that can be done for them.

Yet while sitting at the bedsides of literally thousands of our brothers and sisters, I've noted that many have lived their lifetime with an unshakable faith in God.

For the greater part, those of faith have often demonstrated a tremendous knowledge of God's Word that belies their modest formal educational backgrounds. Their beautiful spirits always seem to reflect the love of Christ to all who encounter them.

You have seen them! You know them! They are your friends. They are your family members. They have cheered you on and prayed for your salvation since you were a child—even during those times when you did not or could not take time to pray for yourself.

Almost always, their greater worry is not for themselves, but rather for the friends and loved ones that they will be leaving behind who are in an unsaved condition. Caregivers often remark that serving them is an honor and nothing short of pure joy.

Throughout the years, I've noted that all of my patients who profess an uncompromising faith also know personally the divine peace of God which surpasses all human understanding (Philippians 4:7 NKJV). Many have shared with me that for them personally, Dying is but going home.

Sadly however, while many have known true peace, an untold number of our brothers and sisters have found that the peace authored by our heavenly Father is foreign and out of reach to them. This is true because they have never confessed their need for a Savior.

All too often, these dear friends and loved ones have virtually no knowledge of God's Word and seem to be deeply troubled in both thought and spirit. Sadly, by choice, many have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ or even seriously considered their own physical death or the meaning of eternal life.

As one all-too-young sister shared with me at our initial visitation: Chaplain, I am scared to death of dying and facing the prospects of what eternal life will be for me.

During our next visitation, she claimed Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and bid farewell to her fears.

Many other patients have shared with me that their spiritual pain has by far exceeded any physical pain that they have ever known during their sickness or terminal illness. While the medical staff is often baffled by statements such as these, I, on the other hand, am not.

Unlike the medication taken for physical pain often administered around the clock, the prescription for spiritual pain needs to be taken only one time for all time, and it has no negative side effects. The prescription was written in blood long ago on our behalf by our Lord Jesus Christ himself on Calvary's cross.

The bottom line is that when we reject the only begotten Son, there is no one else left to hear our case. Scripture tells us plainly: And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12 ESV).

Matthew's gospel gives us an account of Jesus and the disciples being in a boat on the Sea of Galilee when a powerful storm arose, covering the boat with large waves. The Master was asleep in the bottom of the boat, and those with him were terrified. Then his disciples came to him and awoke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!' Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the Sea, and there was a great calm. The men marveled saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the Sea obey him' (Matthew 8:25, 26b, 27 NKJV).

Perhaps you or someone you know and love has just been given the devastating news of a life-threatening or terminal illness. It is when the terrifying winds and high seas from words such as these that rock our physical and spiritual boats that we need to call upon someone in whom even the winds and the seas obey, someone who knows us even better than we know ourselves.

In my book, On Borrowed Time, I have included the life stories of some very special people, some of whom were extremely colorful in life to be sure while others were just average folk like you and me. They represent a cross section of people that we meet every day in our walk of life. The names of most have been modified to protect the privacy of family.

While many obviously fulfilled the roles of prodigal sons and daughters, virtually, all shared in one common bond. They subscribed to the theology and promises of the one who holds the keys to birth, death, and eternal life. If you have never considered where you will spend eternity, please consider doing so while there is still time to make that decision. It is my prayer that God will speak to you through these real-life stories of my patients.

Chapter 1

Kentucky Woman

Provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

—Ephesians 6:4 NKJV

Having just returned to the chaplain's office from making multiple upper-floor patient consultations, I received a page and promptly returned the call. It was the emergency room with a new admittance. Glancing at the wall clock, I noted that it was 2204 hospital time. It had already been a very busy Saturday evening throughout the hospital, and it was still some ten hours left on this sixteen-hour back shift until Sunday morning.

Transiting to the emergency room, I spoke with the admitting nurse and learned that the new patient was a seventy-eight-year-old Caucasian female. The nurse stated that the patient's name was Margaret and that she was extremely anxious and visibly shaken by the circumstances leading up to tonight's hospital experience.

The nurse continued by saying that the patient had a host of physical problems, any of which could require that she be admitted after evaluation. However, the most immediate problem was that all doctors were currently busy with other patients, and a complete rendering of Margaret's problems could not be immediately known.

Since I didn't have a complete understanding of the patient's problems, my plan was to go into her cubicle and simply ask her in the kindest way possible to tell me what was troubling her from a physical standpoint as well as she understood her problems.

Afterward, I planned to lead the discussion into the spiritual realm of understanding and determine if there were any problems that we could discuss that would be beneficial to her. Additionally, I planned to consult with any family members that may be present and to also assist the staff as necessary once the patient's unique physical status was determined.

Normally in the hospital setting, the chaplain has, on average, some twenty minutes to break the ice, calm the patient and/or family members, and to assist in stemming the emotional tide that has taken over the patient's or family member's thought process. After establishing a period of calm, the chaplain can then assist the patient and/or family to move forward and help them in their return to their own unique sense of normalcy. However, it should be noted that there are extreme circumstances that are in a class by themselves and require a much longer period of time to assist the patient and family members.

With realistic goals in mind, I prayed for the patient as well as for myself that I might respond appropriately with a kind and gentle spirit, regardless of circumstances while meeting the patient face-to-face.

Upon entering into the patient's cubicle, four things immediately caught my attention. First, to my surprise, the elderly patient was sitting up in the middle of the bed under her own power with her legs crossed. Secondly, the patient was wearing glasses that she looked out over rather than through. Third, the patient had a medium-sized travel bag in bed with her along with a large purse stuffed full of medications, what appeared to be financial statements, and a host of checkbooks and other personal items.

These are of course the types of items that one would expect an individual to carry with them in case of emergencies such as fire, flooding, or other serious life-threatening matters. In all probability, very few people would normally carry so many items with them to the emergency room setting unless God forbid, they were her only remaining possessions. Fourth, and probably more importantly, there were no family members present.

I quietly and gently introduced myself to the patient as Chaplain Franklin, overnight chaplain at the hospital. Gently calling Margaret by her first name, I stated to Margaret that I had come to check on her and to see how she was doing and to see if there was anything that I could do to be of help to her.

Margaret nodded in recognition of my presence and then replied in a very matter-of-fact way, Just so you will know, I come yonder to this hospital only 'cause it's closest. I don't have money for somebody to be hauling me all over the place. Besides, I am likely dying, and one place is as good as another when it comes to dying, I reckon.

As I calmly pulled a chair up near the bed and sat down, I said, Now, Margaret, what in the world makes you think that you are dying anyway?

Margaret became very quiet and looked about the area as if she was afraid that eavesdroppers would hear what she was about to say. Contemplating my question, Margaret peered out over her glasses and exclaimed, I don't know much about religion and all, but I surely am no Catholic, so I reckon there is not a lot you can do for me. (For the sake of this writing, I cannot divulge what else she had to say about Catholics.)

At that time, someone walked by the cubicle and apparently accidentally moved the curtain, leaving it slightly ajar. I noted that the admitting nurse was back at her desk hearing parts of the conversation between me and my patient, for the patient's voice was carrying in spite of herself. The nurse gave me a mischievous smile, walked over, and closed the curtain.

Ignoring the patient's attempt to dismiss me and speaking very softly, I said, Margaret, this is indeed a Catholic-sponsored hospital, but not everyone who seeks medical treatment or attends patients here is Catholic. It may surprise you to know that I am not Catholic either per se. I do, however, have many friends who work here that are Catholic as well as those who are members of other denominations as well. All mainline denominations have their good points. Truth is, I don't think that God really cares what denomination we are, providing that we honor him.

Margaret looked me up and down and responded by saying, Well now, don't that beat all. Taking a deep breath and expelling her breath with a sigh, Margaret continued by saying, Preacher, I couldn't rightly tell you what I am. I believe in God and Jesus and all, but tell you the truth, I don't know one church from another hardly. It just seems as though I don't belong anywhere. Maybe I never did.

After pausing briefly and considering her response, I smiled and exclaimed, Well, Margaret, I have some good news for you.

I shared with Margaret that we as followers of our Lord Jesus Christ are part of the church universal and that we are members of the family of God, no matter what denomination we are or even where we are located. I further explained that God's people are worldwide, and while we may not all speak in the same native tongue, we all speak the same language of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I continued by saying that Jesus, our Lord and Savior, died on the cross to cancel out all of our sins, not only for the past, but for today, and for evermore.

Margaret sighed very deeply, then exclaimed, Preacher, I'd sure like to have all of that, but you see, I have been very mean to my family and I have done some awful things in my lifetime. I have sinned against God, and I have sinned against my family.

After a brief pause, I responded by asking, Margaret, are there any sins that have been committed by you, that is to your knowledge that God has never seen before?

While she contemplated the question, I followed up by saying, Margaret, all of our sins are against God first, and then against our family members, friends, and then others secondarily, including our own children. None of us are above sin. The Bible tells us that we ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23 NKJV).

I continued by saying that when we examine our sins in this fashion, we cannot honestly say with conviction, Good ole me and bad ole you. Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, is the standard bearer, we are not. Only he without sin could die on the cross for us. He, the just, for us, the unjust.

Continuing, I said, Margaret, for those of us who accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, it is as though we have never sinned at all when we ask for forgiveness. God accepts us as his children based upon Jesus's work on the cross on our behalf, not upon anything that we have ever done or ever will do. To be forgiven, we need only to be sincere and confess our sins before God. In turn, God only asks that we say what we mean and to truthfully mean what we say and then try to live it out to the best of our abilities with his daily help.

Again, Margaret sighed very deeply and then replied, Preacher, in some ways, I'm not scared of dying because in many ways, I have already been dead for a long time. Yet in other ways, I am scared of dying and going to hell because of the way that I have treated my family.

Realizing that Margaret was in no hurry to ask God for forgiveness or to forgive herself, I asked in a tone of voice much sharper than I intended, Margaret, tell me, what makes you think that you are dying in the first place? You see, just the fact that you and I are here talking with each other is indicative that neither you nor I are through with the assignment that God has given us to complete on this earth at this time.

After a long pause and then the by-now familiar sigh, Margaret replied, Well, Preacher, I had cancer, and I thought that I had beaten it. Now, I'm in even worse shape than before. Now I'm told that the growths in back of my heart are cancerous. These growths are pressing against my heart. I don't think that they can operate this time, so I don't hold out a lot of hope. I am a goner, and I want to make things right with my family.

After a slight pause, Margaret continued by saying, Problem is, Preacher, I don't even know where all my children are anymore. I can't blame them for avoiding me because of the way that I have treated them. My only daughter that would even talk to me has recently died less than a year ago.

I gently nodded and encouraged Margaret to continue and to talk about why she felt that she had treated her children and grandchildren so badly.

Margaret paused briefly, then took a deep breath, and continued by saying, Preacher, my man died at forty-two years of age. Together, we had seven children, and I had to raise them the best way that I could. My husband and I were both from Kentucky. We were orphans and had no living family members to help us out. We only had each other, and my husband literally worked himself to death to be able to provide for us.

After again pausing briefly, Margaret continued by saying, Preacher, I am old-fashioned, and I don't believe in having children out of wedlock and all. I have a son and two daughters that did that. Their lifestyles broke my heart. Then, I did some things and said some things that I shouldn't have. As a result, everything seemed to go from bad to worse. I've been so mean to my children and my grandchildren, and now nobody wants me around.

Smiling and speaking softly, I said, Margaret, as a young boy, I was taught the same values that you believe in. We are both persons of our mountain cultures, our times, and our ways. You know, sometimes, life doesn't deal us all aces, and we have to play the hand that we are dealt to the best of our abilities.

Continuing, I added, Of course, a good dose of daily prayer and reading of God's word always helps. Gently, I said, Margaret, our children and grandchildren have to live their lives, and we have to rest on the proper things that we taught them, pray for them daily, and then let it go. At the end of the day, we have to ask ourselves: which is the most important, being right or being in love with the children and grandchildren that God has seen fit to give us? I think that we both know the answer to that question.

Changing the subject, I asked Margaret if she had any children or grandchildren living in the area that she knew of.