The Rest of the Story: Advent 2006

So now, if you've been keeping up with the devotional guide, you've read about 25 entries from my mother's journal of 2006. Isn't it interesting how she wove together the ancient Scripture with the events and thoughts of her day?

But there's something that you may not know -- and I dare say you would not have been able to derive from her entries. At the time of these writings, mother was facing the impending death of her dear, sweet husband of 56 years -- my daddy. She was his primary caregiver and she loved daddy with all her heart. They were best friends. They were soulmates. She didn't know how much longer she would have him -- it would just be five months -- but she knew it wouldn't be long. 

Mother's heart was breaking. She was watching her sweetheart drift further and further away from her. She stood by helplessly as his memory of all things vanished. By the time of these journal entries, daddy had lost his childhood, his stint in the Navy, his courtship of and marriage to my mother, his many years obtaining and utilizing his PhD in Education, his three daughters, his seven grandchildren, and his travels to Africa, Europe, China, and South America. Gone. This brought mother great sorrow. 

Mother's body was suffering. Did you ever notice that she had very limited range of motion with both of her arms? That's because she had torn up both shoulders taking care of daddy. 

Why was this pain and sorrow not reflected in her writings? Oh, it was. It was manefested in her utmost trust in her sovereign Lord. She made the conscious decision to focus on Him so that the difficulties of her life would take on proper perspective. 

Do we do that? Do we spend the first hours of every day absorbing the Lord's word and savoring His communion with us? Or do we say, "I don't have the time," or "I just don't feel like it." Really. 

Did you notice the author of the poem mother included in her Christmas Day writing? Unknown. Mother was a stickler for giving written credit where credit was due. If she truly had no idea who had written that poem, she would have stated that in her entry. Instead, there was no mention at all of the author in her work -- I added that when I reproduced it for my blog. Why did she do that? I think it was because she was the author and didn't want any accolades for what she wrote. Doesn't that sound just like her? 

In the same way, mother would be extremely uncomfortable with our placing her up on some spiritual pedestal where, really, only one person belongs. Our Jesus. 

So as you learn the rest of mother's 2006 story, remember this. No matter what our circumstances, we owe God our life. Let's act like it.