| June's Faith - Crossing Over - The Unseen World |
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| Written by Stanton O. Berg |
| Thursday, 28 January 2010 11:25 |
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This article for and of June will consist of a collection of events relating to June's life of faith, events relating to "Crossing Over" and to the "Unseen World." June has been a lady with a strong Christian faith for all of her life. She was born in a loving Christian family and, raised in a Christian Lutheran environment. June has been a strong believer in Jesus and the Christian faith. I have never seen June's faith waver. She has always practiced her faith and has been deeply involved in the Lutheran Church for all of her lifetime. June loved Gospel music. She was a member of the Redeemer Lutheran Church for over 50 years. It was only when Alzheimer's took away her memory and gradually took over her life, that she slowly slipped into another world and eventually went to her heavenly home. Her favorite Bible verse was: "John 3:16 (KJV): For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." An article that reviews June's life in the Redeemer Lutheran Church can be found by clicking this link: June and the Redeemer Lutheran Church A few days ago, 26 January 2010 was the 12th anniversary of June's Alzheimer's Diagnosis. For me this was an emotional, sad and melancholy day. During that day, I listened to two (2) Gospel songs sung by Jimmy Swaggart who I consider to be one of the greatest singers of Gospel Music. Many people would only think of Swaggart as the Evangelist who was involved in a personal scandal in 1988....I believe his greatest talents are not as an Evangelist but as a singer and player of gospel music. (He is the past winner of numerous "Male Vocalist" and "Grammy" awards.) I have seen his music talent described as: "No one can sing Gospel like Jimmy Swaggart". I would agree. Both of the songs were written by Thomas Dorsey who was the father of Gospel Music and in fact Dorsey coined the term "Gospel Music". He was an African American who was a genius as a song writer. His two songs are my favorites of all Gospel songs. Both of these beautiful songs were sung at June's funeral...("Peace in the Valley" and "Take My Hand Precious Lord".) "Peace in the Valley" was also sung at my mother Ellen (Nedland) Silbaugh's funeral just one year before June died. Both June and my Mother were victims of Alzheimer's. Dorsey was also a victim of Alzheimer's, and died of this terrible disease. He died 5 years to the month and year (January 23rd, 1993) prior to the date that June was diagnosed and he died on the exact same day of the month (23rd) that June died. Many will say these three (3) references are all just coincidences...Perhaps... Of these two songs, my very favorite song (and a favorite of June's) is "Take My Hand Precious Lord"...Dorsey wrote this song immediately after his wife Nettie and his infant son died in childbirth. It was first recorded August 16th, 1938...the day and month of our anniversary....another coincidence? This song has been said to be the greatest of all Gospel songs. It was published in 40 languages and made a part of the Christian Music Hall of Fame. Not only was it sung at June's funeral but also at Martin Luther King Jr. and President Lyndon Johnson's funerals. My focus on the song "Take My Hand Precious Lord" dates to late 2007. One afternoon as June was napping, I was sitting outside of the small Chapel (Holy Spirit Chapel) at the Benedictine Health Care Center having a cup of coffee. This was only a week or so after my mother’s funeral in late October 2007. Fran O'Connor, the Chaplain was playing some hymns on the Chapel piano. One hymn she was playing I recognized as a favorite of June's but could not put a name to the tune or recall the words. The Hymn was beautiful. It caused me to become very emotional. When Fran finished playing the hymn, I asked her what the name was. She told me it was “Take My Hand Precious Lord.” I then recalled the name and some of the words. I subsequently obtained a CD recording of this song by Elvis. ("Elvis Presley - Amazing Grace - His Greatest Sacred Performances - 2 CD's") I then used this CD to play for June every day when I was at the Benedictine Health Care Center as June was nearing the end of her afternoon nap. I had a copy of the lyrics and would sing along with the recording... (I am not much of a singer but the recording effectively concealed my musical shortcomings.) As indicated above, "Take My Hand Precious Lord" was one of the songs that we arranged to have played by violin and a vocalist at June's funeral...My daughter Julie said that as the song was ending, and out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw a bird fly across in front of the alter....Her first reaction was to wonder what was a bird doing in the church sanctuary. If Julie really did see a bird, then I am sure it was June on her way to heaven. Although no one else reported seeing a bird does not mean Julie did not see one...We do not all perceive the same.. We are not all endowed with or have the same powers of observation or perception. I recall that Julie mentioned the event to me immediately after the funeral service...I have thought of it often over the ensuing months...just a few days ago I again asked her about it and she reaffirmed the event. She reported what she saw was a movement from her right to her left. (She was sitting with the family in the front row on the left side of the church.) She recalled looking around to see if anyone else had noted it. After the service she even asked one of her friends Pam Stenstrom, who also served as a pall bearer, if she had seen anything unusual. She described the movement as a short period of time, similar to what one sees in the reflection and movement of a car headlight on a dark bedroom ceiling at night... I mentioned this event to Erma Jean Yates, an ordained lady Minister from Tennessee, now retired. This lady visited June's web site a short time ago and experienced a startling and unusual vision of receiving a rose from June. (This story is related below in this collection of events.) Her reaction to Julie's story was: " It is very interesting about the bird your daughter saw flying across the alter. I believe her 100%. My brother died one year ago tomorrow of cancer. We were very close although he was the baby boy. I went to Ohio, two days before he passed, he called my name and woke me from sleep. It was all very painful. I returned home after a week. Each evening and morning I'd cry for him. I could not believe he was gone. ...I was laying in bed crying for him. A bird came to my bedroom window and starting singing.. more a call than singing... loud and clear, almost urgently.. Immediately I begin to smile. It was Ronnie, my brother! I jumped out of bed, trying to see the bird... then I ran through to the patio and there this big bird sat, calling and looking me in the eye. "Oh, Ronnie, thank you" I replied. "I won't cry anymore." The bird came each morning, waking me up with his call...I don't know what kind of bird it was; I showed him to Jarrelle.(Grandson) We looked for him on the internet, couldn't find one like it...This went on for about a week and then the bird stopped coming. I have No doubt that it was my brother...If we trust God to show us, He will show us wondrous things in the most simple ways. We must allow our soul to be open and available, like a child, to hear beyond hearing and to see with more than eyes." Here is the link below to the song "Take My Hand Precious Lord" as done by Swaggart: Below is the link to "Peace in the Valley", also by Swaggart: June and the Erma Jean Yates connection! Erma Jean Yates is an interesting lady, not only because she is a retired Minister, but also because she, like June, was a lady of very humble beginnings. Erma was born in Hickory Ridge Township, Arkansas as the daughter of a share cropper and a blacksmith. She was the 7th child of 11 children. The family later moved to Ohio where she completed High School. She was able to enter Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina where she studied for the Ministry. Erma's uncle was the head of the Seminary. This same uncle was also the Pastor of the largest Black Church in Greensboro, NC. (Mt. Olivet A Methodist E. Zion Church.) She completed her education at Roane State College in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. She was ordained and licensed as a Minister in Tennessee, with a Ministry that covered all of east Tennessee. She has a sister who is a minister in Beverly Hills, CA. She left the Ministry following a physically abusive marriage that ended in divorce. I thought it was interesting to note that Erma was/is a collector of Angel Dolls just as June was an enthusiastic Angel Doll collector. Erma has had a number of unusual lifetime experiences and visions, some of which are documented in this article..Erma appears to possess a very unique and rare sensitivity and perception of the "unseen world" found in very few people. Below is Erma's story of her unusual connection with June...Erma now (4/15/2010) also tells me that when she visits June's web site: "Now sometimes when I go to a specific section of June's site, I am hearing music as I read... For you and June's I hear "Tennessee Waltz..", for the memorials I hear "Take My Hand.." and all the others songs the two of you loved so much... playing quietly in the background in the various sections."...Erma. Erma originally visited June's website on 17 December 2009. As a result of that visit, Erma left a very touching and kind note in June's Guestbook. (Reproduced below.) "Dear Stan: Ms. Yates and I then had a subsequent email conversation that ended in such an extraordinary and startling way that it left me stunned. Ms. Yates had told me of her own divorce from an severely physically abusive marriage. She had noted that I frequently gave June Roses and then stated that she had never in her life received a rose... I just commented to her that perhaps we (June and I) could change that...She protested that this would not be necessary. This is what then immediately followed:. (Erma Yate's email reproduced below.) "Henceforth, whenever I see a rose, I will think of June...Please understand... Something just fluttered in my heart... in a quick vision... I saw her, June, giving me a rose... she is so beautiful... Oh, my God!! It seems I KNOW her! ... OH my God... Now I am crying..." "The rose is a Christmas gift for me" "She is happy, loves you, very bright and happy.." It appeared to me that June had intervened in our email exchange and presented Erma with a Rose. Needless to say, this left me thrilled and emotional...Later in early January, Erma reaffirmed what had happened but also mentioned that June had smiled at her as she handed her the rose during the vision that flashed in Erma's mind. I rather excitedly brought this to the attention of our Redeemer Pastors. Our senior Pastor David Glesne made the following comment: "Stan, I believe in a God that can reveal things like this to us at junctures of our lives. Take it as another confidence that God is with you and June is with him.
A most blessed Christmas to you,
Pastor Dave"
Subsequently our associate Pastor, Scott Nocton also made a comment: "Stan, I would accept what she says as a gift. Pastor Scott Rev. Scott A. Nocton"
"Spirits" and "The Unseen Spirit World" During the years Ca. 1954-1969: (15 years) Haldis and Henry Rolstad (June's Mom and Dad) moved a final time in the mid 1950's to the small farm on the South side of U. S. Highway 8 about 6 miles east of Cameron in Barron County. It was while Haldis and Henry were living at this farm that June's Dad Henry passed away. This was in effect, her Mom and Dad's retirement home and they no longer were actively engaged in farming. Haldis and Henry lived together at the farm home for approx. 15 years before Henry passed away. Haldis continued to live there for a short time period before moving to Barron, WI. (Photo below right is Henry "Pops" Rolstad Circa 1965, dressed in his favorite casual farm clothing.) June's Father, Henry "Pops" Rolstad, passed away on 7 October 1969 at the age of 77 years. (2 weeks short of his 78th birthday.) He died suddenly following a second heart attack while doing some of the things he always liked – "puttering" around the barn. June's first notice or news of her Dad's death was received on disembarking from her return flight from her Russian Forensic Science tour. June's Mother Haldis was crying as June came in the gate at the Minneapolis airport. June assumed that her mother was crying at the joy of seeing her rather than the sadness of the news she had to give her. The news was particularly overwhelming in that the funeral had already taken place. Our son Dan tried to reach us by phone in Moscow but was unable to do so. Some unusual events have since been reported to have taken place at the site of the last home that Haldis and Henry lived at, prior to Henry passing away. Since Haldis and Henry last lived there, the land and buildings have had at least two (2) or more recent owners. It has been rumored that this farm premises was or now are inhabited by "spirits" and are said to be haunted. This notion was spawned following a visit to the farm by Denis (June's brother) in November 2009 when such suggestions were made to him. Because of this information, I decided to revisit the farm premises and talk first hand with the present owners. I interviewed Reagan and Mary Gensen on 29 May 2010 at the former Rolstad farm home. The Gensen's are the current owners of the former Rolstad Farm on Highway 8 East of Cameron.) This middle aged couple have been the owners of the farm for 6 years and are operating a business as the "Blue Pony Antiques." Gensen's advised that the previous owner for 17 years was John Porter who had operated the premises as a Llama farmer. The Gensen's reported that the most recent incident related to "spirits" and the "unseen World" took place at about 10:00 PM on a Saturday night during the winter months of January or February in the year 2008. On the day of the event, Reagan Gensen was seated at and using his computer when he heard a "tap - tap - tap" on the southeast window of the house. When this tapping was repeated a second time, Reagan armed himself with a gun and went outside to investigate. When he failed to note anything unusual, he returned inside the house, and again seated himself and resumed using his computer. Almost immediately he felt 4 sharp jabs or pokes in his back like someone had poked him with a finger. A startled Reagan exclaimed to his wife Mary - "This is ridiculous!" Nothing further happened that night. The next morning he discovered that an electrical outlet on the south side of the house appeared to be burned and partially melted. This outlet had been connected with an electrical extension cord to a water tank heater. Apparently the cord shorted out or the outlet box itself shorted out and started a small electrical fire. This in turn melted part of the box and the connection and then burned itself out in/at the box. The Reagan's were of the opinion that the "Spirit" had been trying to warn them of the fire danger to the house. No other unusual incidents have taken place since that time in 2008. The Reagan's also reported three other "Spirit" related incidents that have taken place in the time period of their ownership of the farm. All the events were prior to or preceding the above event in the winter of 2008. (1) One incident took place during the evening in which a noise was heard on the ceiling that sounded like someone was stomping on the ceiling with a pair of "Cowboy Boots." No one was upstairs at the time. (2) On a second occasion, one evening, Reagan was taking a shower in the bathroom. When he exited the shower, he heard a loud ruckus or commotion from the ceiling attic area above him. Again, no one was upstairs in the attic area at the time. (3) A third incident was reported by their children one evening as the sound of music and laughter from the upstairs or attic area. Again no one was up in that area at the time. It had been suggested that since Henry Rolstad had died on the premises, that perhaps the "Spirit" was that of Henry Rolstad. Knowing that Henry Rolstad was a devout Christian and had been such for all of his lifetime, it did not make sense to me that his spirit would be staying on the premises. If there was ever a person that should have gone directly to heaven it was Henry Rolstad. Certainly he would want to be with Haldis and the other family members who had preceded him. I have since consulted with Pastor David Glesne and Pastor Sean Kelly. Pastor Glesne is the senior Pastor at our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fridley. Pastor Sean Kelly is Pastor at Penasquitos Lutheran Church in San Diego and formerly Associate Pastor at Redeemer Lutheran in Fridley. Both have provided the following interesting responses which are reproduced with their permission: Pastor Glesne: "I truly believe in the unseen world and believe it is just as real as the seen world. I also believe there are spirits in the unseen world that are in contact with this seen world. I do not believe, however, that the spirit of a Christian roams around in that unseen world. The soul of a believer goes to be with Jesus. But there are counterfeit spirits that want to deceive. So the strange happenings can indeed be real. Blessings, Pastor Dave." Pastor Kelly: "I would definitely echo Glesne's comment, especially about not believing there are Christians roaming around the unseen. I would add a thought about the unseen spiritual world...: God's Spirit (Holy Spirit) promised at baptism is contained within us, not hovering around close by. The apostle Paul tells us that our bodies are Temples of the Holy Spirit. There is an interdependency with our and God's Spirit. We're intertwined. It's this interconnectivity that continues when we pass from this life to the next whereby our Spirit's stay connected. I believe that any Spirit in the unseen world that we can sense (outside of Father/Son/Holy Spirit) is not connected to God. We do know, however, that occasionally God sends messengers (Angels) to proclaim a particular truth for a particular person at a particular time." As Pastor's Glesne and Kelly point out, it would seem unlikely that the "Unseen World" would be populated with Christians wandering about. I am sure that June, her mother Haldis, her dad Henry, my mother Ellen and my father Tom are all now living a life of heavenly splendor and excitement far beyond all of their earthly imaginations or expectations. God's promise through Jesus is found in John 14:2 (KJV): Editorial Note: I mentioned earlier that Erma Jean Yates has had many interesting personal experiences and visions that suggest a supernatural origin. The following will serve as a good example of one such experience that I feel is worthy of documenting in this article. "Years ago, I (Erma Jean Yates) was very ill and admitted to the hospital where I worked. I had a cardiac emergency. I remember my sisters and mother standing around as they raised the foot of my bed very high because my blood pressure was dropping. I remember the emergency cart being pulled over to my bed and doctors and nurses running around the bed. I awoke in the middle of the night. My family was gone and standing near the side of my bed was a black lady dressed in green scrubs similar to a nurse's aid. She wore one of those old fashioned white ruffled caps... she had her hand on my forehead and said "Erma Jean do you want to live?" I said yes. She then said "you are going to have to drink all this water if you want to live." I said I would. Through out the night, she gave me sips of water which was cool and sweet tasting. Whenever I opened my eyes she would be there, holding my head up saying "drink this water if you want to live." Sometimes she put cold towels on my head. I was burning up with fever. Once I asked her where did my mother and sister go and she told me they were down the hall. When I woke again, it was morning, I could not sit up but could see an RN sitting at the foot of my bed which was not longer raised. I looked around the room for the nurse's aid that had taken care of me. The RN said that no one had taken care of me except her. she said that nurse's aides did not work with intensive care patients, only RN's and she had been mine for the night. I told her what the lady had said, how she was dressed. She replied: "No, Erma, first of all, you're NPO, "nothing per oral", especially water.. that's why we have these IV fluids going. - I am the only one who has been in here last night. You were probably dreaming." As soon as my mother and sisters came in, I told them about the woman and how she was dressed. Immediately my mother asked - "What did she look like". I said "In a way, she looked like you Momma, but darker skin, somewhat short, a little plump, thin lips and pretty eyes. My mother replied "That was my mother taking care of you." I believe it "- my deceased Grandmother appeared as an angel to take care of me during the night." (Erma had never known her maternal grandmother and no family photographs were available.)
Note: After battling Alzheimer's for almost 11 years, an exhausted June was finally called home by God on October 23rd, 2008. Her funeral notice as published in the Minneapolis Star in October 2008 can be seen on this website under the "In Memoriam" label - Click on: "June K. (Rolstad) Berg - In Memoriam". For the story of June’s favorite home at 6025 Gardena Lane and the poem I wrote about this home during a day of deep sadness, click on the below link. This home was June’s home for almost 40 years. It was constructed shortly after the previous home was severely damaged in a tornado. 6025 Gardena Lane was the first home the June participated in the selection and purchase of a lot on a small hill, helped with the design of the home and watched it being constructed. 6025 Gardena Lane had a special place in June's heart. as it does mine: “6025 Gardena Lane – June’s Favorite Home”
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