November 18th - "My life was mostly good - I'm thankful for that."

The story...

A friend of mine met my mother in her independent-living home on Tuesday.  I introduced him to her and they settled down to one-hour conversation about her life past and present - him in a chair and her laying comfortably in bed.  It was a great joy listening to my mother describe her life - mostly good but there was bad stuff too.  She shared her hope that her kids, grand kids, and great-grand kids would go to church.  Her greatest pain was the loss of her husband in 2011 - she described how she missed him every day.  They lived a good life and that made her happy.  The surprises and joys, in her current life, were centered around the different people that are caring for her and meeting her needs.  "I never was around people like that, I really like them and some of them feel like friends."  That was her unexpected joy - she thinks that relationships like these might be why she lived so long.

The only church in town will ideally be like that independent-living home.  There will be some paid staff doing their jobs yet most of the caring and loving will be shared between each other.  People living out their life and faith in God's Word together.  The love my mother felt at the independent-living center surprised me every time I visited.  What if you spent more time with the folks in a church?  You might be surprised at the love you witness, receive and seem to offer to others.  Many of us are clunky and different so it might appear in unexpected and surprising ways.  Love experienced is worth it.

Just for today...

"If I can see nothing but my troubles, I am seeing with limited vision. Dwelling on these troubles allows them to control me. Of course I need to do whatever foot-work is required, but I also need to learn to let go."  Courage to Change (p. 323)

"When I'm uncommunicative or dishonest in my interactions, I set myself apart and feel rejected. Conversely, open, truthful communication nurtures feelings of trust and encourages me to participate fully in life. However, as I begin to change my old habits, fear of rejection sometimes tempts me to respond in old ways."  Hope for Today (p. 323)