Just Stay…
A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside. “Your son is here,” she said to the old man. She had to repeat the words several times before the patient’s eyes opened. Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man’s limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement. The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man’s hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile.
He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital – the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night.??Around dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited. Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her.??”Who was that man?” he asked.
The nurse was startled, “He was your father,” she answered.
“No, he wasn’t,” the Marine replied. “I never saw him before in my life.”??”Then why didn’t you say something when I took you to him?”??”Well I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his Son just wasn’t here.
When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed.”
I came here tonight to find a Mr. William Grey. His son was killed in Iraq today, and I was sent to inform him. What was this Gentleman’s Name?
The Nurse with tears in her eyes answered, Mr. William Grey………….
The next time someone needs you … Just be there. Stay.
Author Unknown
1 Comment
Leave a Reply
Ron Corzine
Better known as Son of a Preacher, Ron started the first Christian Fellowship Church in Harlingen, Texas in 1982 and presently serves as a counselor, consultant and apostolic overseer to multiple churches and ministries. He travels nationally and internationally motivating and challenging people to be effective in their call and ministry to their local church, their community, and the marketplace.
Ron and his wife Anne were married in 1968. They have three children, seven grandchildren and presently reside in San Antonio, Texas.
Ron is the founder and president of Christian Fellowship International. Click to email Ron.
Philip Corzine 
Philip serves Christian Fellowship International by helping oversee the network of CFI churches, as well as pastoring Christian Fellowship Church McAllen, Texas. He graduated from Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas in 1991, and then served in the Army for three years. Philip is a very gifted musician, worship leader and communicator of the Word. He and his wife Trish have two daughters, Lauren and Lenzy. Click to email Philip.
Ministry Toolbox - Scopenewsletter
Subscribe to IMPACT
Subscribe to Free Weekly IMPACT
by Ron Corzine
'Lessons For Abundant Living'
03/06/2010
Marines are like that! When my husband passed away the funeral director told me he could have a military funeral. So they called to find a Marine to stand by his coffin and present the flag to me. Only they could not find a Marine qualified in this area. I told them to call the Marine recruiters office in Paris and tell them Joseph was in the Chosin Reservoir. I knew the men who survived that battle were greatly honored by the Marines. Joseph was one of 23 that survived in his unit. In fact, when a Marine Capt. met him several years before and found he had been in that battle, he introduced him as a “living legend.” That day in the recruiters office there just happened to be a young Marine on leave on his way to Louisana. He heard the phone conversation and said, “I will stay over and do this.” The next day that young man stood at attention beside my husbands casket, then presented me with a medal that had just been awarded Marines who served in Korea by the Korean govenment. he had been taking it to an uncle in La….but he gave it to me. When I thanked him after the funeral for what he had done. “He said, “Mam, it was my privilege! We take care of our own!”Then he said, I have never been to a funeral like this in my life, I was blessed!” My whole family was touched by this young man kindness and the story has become a “legend” in my family. I wish I could see him again to tell him how much it meant to us. …thanks for the story….The Marines I have met in my lifetime are like that. Oh yes, they are also hard drinkers and cuss….but the ones I have known are honorable…My husband once said to church, he wished the church would become like Marines….and learn to bond together and watch each others back….