For those of you who did not know about David Antion/Molly Antion:

David shared this very sad email to his church brethren and those who

subscribe to his blog:

Subject: Search the Scriptures, April 11, 2020

Reply-To: Guardian Ministries <info@guardianministries.org>

April 11, 2020

Dear Brethren and all who offered prayers for my wife, Molly,

Right now it is a little after 5 a.m. here in Pasadena.  I have been awake

since a little before 3:30 a.m. But at 3:30 I received a phone call from

Huntington Hospital telling me that wife, beautiful, loving, faithful wife

of 60 years and 8 months is now sleeping in Jesus.  "For if we believe that

Jesus died and rose again, even so, them (including Molly) also which sleep

in Jesus will God bring with him" (1 Thess. 4:14 KJV).

Please forgive me if I can't take all of your calls or answer all of your

texts, Facebook comments, and emails at this time.  Today is the Sabbath and

now Molly is enjoying that Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:9).

I was scheduled to be on the streaming video for the sermon this morning but

I am unable to do it.  Therefore our elder here, Gary Wannlund, will be

taking the sermon. 

It has been a very long week for me.  Tuesday morning when Molly got up I

was preparing her coffee.  She came over to the sink counter to get it and

suddenly said I have to go sit down.  I said do you feel weak and she

answered yes. I said hold on to me and I help you to the chair.  When she

sat down she slid down and I said you are sitting on your tailbone, do you

want to sit up.  She said, "I'm comfortable." I then said I will get your

coffee. I went to get it and back with the coffee in my hand and said,

"Here's your coffee."  No response. Said it again. Put the coffee on the bar

and came back talking louder, "Molly do you hear me?" No response.

I called 911.  The rest is that they thought she suffered a stroke and

wanted to give her a powerful blood thinner to dissolve the suspected blood

clot.  I talked it over with my son, he said he thought we should do it. I

talked the pros and cons with the doctor. Then gave permission as it has a

94% positive function and 6% chance it would cause the brain to bleed.  The

drug caused massive bleeding.

The doctor told us the blood-covered most of the brain almost to the brain

stem.  She was able to breathe on her own and with just heart and lungs

functioning. My son and I cried almost all day Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

and Friday.  But with this COVID-19 we were not allowed to go in and only

one could go it at that. On Wednesday, my sister suggested I talk to a nurse

and ask her to put the phone up to Molly's ear.  I did and talked while

crying telling her how much I loved her. I did it again on Thursday morning.

Then I asked them if I could come to see her.  I am her husband! They gave

permission which is rare.  So I was in the room with her Thursday and again

on Friday.  The only allow about 30 minutes but they tell me she can hear

even if she cannot respond.  So I told her how many people love her and are

praying for her. How much I love her and what a great wife she has been.  I

told her funny stories. Rimiest about our many memories together. I asked

her to respond in some way -- move a finger, squeeze my hand.  But no

response. I prayed to God for His merciful healing for her. I realized that

if she dies, she had made it. I was praying for myself.  I want her back. I

know God is in charge. 

Word spread to Brethren everywhere and we believe God can do miracles and He

could reverse any damage.  So many calls, emails, texts, Facebook

communications came in saying that they were offering up prayers.  My

brothers and sister expressed grief and were praying. People from various

church groups were marshaling their "prayer warriors."  It strengthened my

faith. 

So, with much anguish and pain, I must accept God's will or God's okay.  I

don't think God had a will that she die but He might say it is ok and she

has run the course and finished the race.  There comes a time when we will

say what Paul said, " For I am already being poured out as a drink offering,

and the time of my departure has come.  7 I have fought the good fight, I

have finished the course, I have kept the faith"  (2 Timothy 4:6-7 NAU)

She is the single greatest woman I have ever known.  I am sure that all you

husbands reading this would argue with me and that would make me happy to

know you love your wives like I love Molly.  I was her husband for 60 years

and 8 months. She was to me a woman who fulfilled the Proverbs 31 passages.

I could wish that every husband would feel this way about his wife.  But

here are the Scriptures that I think fitted Molly. Verse 11: "The heart of

her husband trusts in her and he will have no lack of gain." Verse 12: "She

does him good and not evil all the days of her life."

And Proverbs 31:25-31 fit her so well.

My Molly was not necessarily a person give to crafts -- making things,

sewing, artsy stuff.  She was a businesswoman would buy the field and sell

it. She was a wonderful people person and consummate hostess.

She was kind and tender and hated violence of any kind. 

I will grieve because I have lost my greatest human gift -- Proverbs 19:14:

"House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is

from the LORD." 

Regarding death these passages come to mind:  "...and the day of one's death

is better than the day of one's birth" (Ecclesiastes 7:1).  She died a

peaceful death without pain or suffering for which I am grateful to God. If

she were a bad wife and a shrew, nagging, quarrelsome or ill-tempered it

wouldn't be so hard to get over her.  But my Molly was the kindest, most

caring and loving person who loved me for over 62 years which includes our

courting time

In this COVID-19 pandemic time, we can only have 10 or fewer people at the

mortuary and gravesite.  But that is not our goal. My son and I have decided

we went to celebrate her life: "Give her the product of her hand and let her

works praise her in the gates (community)" (Proverbs 31:31).  We will let

all of you know when we can all join in a location and CELEBRATE Molly's

"dash" --October 12, 1938-- April 11, 2020.

"I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.  He referred

to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning...to the end.  He noted

that first came the date of her birth and spoke of the following date with

tears, but he said what mattered most of all...was the dash between those

years 

"For the dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth and now

only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.  For it

matters not how much we own, the cars...the house... the cash...

"What matters is how we live and love.. and how we spend our dash." 

We will celebrate how Molly spent her "dash."

Thank you and may God's peace be with you and me too.

David Antion

For cards:

David Antion

Guardian Ministries

P.O. Box 50734

Pasadena.Ca 91115

I'm sure this could be used to reach his son, Stephen, also.