FOODFORTHOUGHT

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas.
She was the patient of doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips
was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people.

His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office
with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked
into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in
her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.

Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my
name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain
the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.

Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse,
Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood
pressure. Edith began by saying, "My name is Edith Burns. Do you
believe in Easter?"

Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you believe
about Easter?" Beverly said, "Well, it's all about egg hunts, going to
church, and dressing up." Edith kept pressing her about the real
meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Phillips said, "Beverly, don't call Edith into the office quite
yet. I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting
room.

After being called back in the doctor's office, Edith sat down and
when she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you so
sad? Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?"

Dr. Phillips said gently, "Edith, I'm the doctor and you're the
patient."

With a heavy heart he said, "Your lab report came back and it says you
have cancer, and Edith, you're not going to live very long."

Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do
you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to see my
precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me
that I am going to celebrate Easter forever, and here you are having
difficulty giving me my ticket!"

Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this Edith
Burns is!"

Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and the office
was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Edith
did not show up. Later that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said
she would have to be moving her story to the hospital and said, "Will,
I'm very near home, so would you make sure that they put women in here
next to me in my room who need to know about Easter."

Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room
with Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor from staff
to patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her
Edith Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse.

Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because
she was a "religious nut". She had been a nurse in an army hospital.
She had seen it all and heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane.
She had been married three times, she was hard, cold, and did
everything by the book.

One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick.
Edith had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot.
When she walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said,
"Phyllis, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for
you."

Phyllis Cross said, "Well, you can quit praying for me, it won't
work. I'm not interested." Edith said, "Well, I will pray and I have asked
God not to let me go home until you come into the family."

Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never die because that will never
happen," and curtly walked out of the room.

Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith would say,
"God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I'm praying for you." One
day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith's room like a
magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said, "I'm
so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special
day."

Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the question,
'Do you believe in Easter?' but you have never asked me." Edith said,
"Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you
asked, and now that you have asked..."

Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter
Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Edith
said, "Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus
Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?" Phyllis
Cross said, "Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do
want Jesus in my life." Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited
Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis Cross did not
walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings of
angels.

Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, "Do you know what
day it is?" Phyllis Cross said, "Why Edith, it's Good Friday." Edith
said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter Phyllis!"

Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did
some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some
Easter lilies because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her
some Easter lilies and wish her a Happy Easter. When she walked into Edith's
room, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her
hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet smile on her face.

When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith's hand, she realized Edith was
dead.

Her left hand was on John 14: "In my Father's house are many mansions.
I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to
Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." Her right hand was on
Revelation 21:4, " And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes,
there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall
be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Phyllis Cross
took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face toward
heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said, "Happy Easter, Edith -
Happy Easter!"

Phyllis Cross left Edith's body, walked out of the room, and over to a
table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, "My name is
Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"

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