On the last Saturday of January, I had the privilege of being with three fantastic women. All were in their 80s and each one a beautiful daughter of the King. I have only known each for the past two years, since attending Central Bible Church.
Alice was a precious, sweet lady. I attended her memorial service along with about 400 others. I only knew her as a care provider for her husband, who has Alzheimer’s. Although she was his “memory,” he was her man and her muscle. She continued to love and respect him, lifting him up as head of their home. I would often see her on his arm, depending on him for the stability that he’d provided throughout their many years together. At the service, I learned more about this amazing woman and the impact she had on her family, church, missions, and children in the community. Alice lived life fully, her eyes always on Jesus. She is with Him now in glory.
Following the memorial, I went to honor Muriel for her 80th birthday. Oh, what a celebration it was! Another friend had opened her home for a “girls only” party and in the course of the two-hour open house, nearly 150 women stopped by to give and receive a hug and, honestly, just to be in Muriel’s presence. Her genuine, caring demeanor has impacted thousands, maybe millions of people. She is a non-stop, soft-spoken woman of God, whose compassionate eyes and engaging smile captivate you and draw you in to the very presence of God. Though way past retirement age, she continues to provide counsel at Multnomah University and works alongside her husband in numerous endeavors, many of them having to do with missions. Muriel lives each moment eager and willing to do our Lord’s bidding.
I experienced both of these events with Joyce, yet another octogenarian non-stop fireball. Non-stop she is! I can scarcely keep up! Long ago, Joyce served in the role I now have as office manager at Central Bible Church. She continues to come in each Monday to prepare the prayer sheet for publication, typing in the requests from Sunday’s cards. From there, she often buzzes off to her next activity, a prayer group who meets to lift our missionaries to the Lord or a Bible Study with those at the Senior Community where she lives. She zips around, pushing her rolling walker/situpon thing and I chuckle at her vivacity, her positive approach to life. Joyce serves Jesus with every breath she takes.
What pure joy to know these and other wonder women, my own dear mom included. Wonderful … and full of wonder. Not living for now, nor for self, but living each day fully with their eyes fixed on Jesus and their real home, the place that is being prepared for them in eternity with Him. Not in futility, but in hope. And impacting others with their love and caring along the way.
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Layne, your post made me smile. You remind me of my mom. She, too, is an awesome woman of God and is also very dedicated to her tiny church. She is the president of the UMW, and she always shares stories of the "octogenarians" (as you call them) that she works with. Actually, she's always saying that although she's one of the youngest women in the group...she feels slower than the generations ahead of her. Maybe there's some kind of speedy zeal that accompanies maturity. I can only hope, lol, cause if you ask me - I'm even slower than my mom!!
ReplyDeleteAs for SIX HOURS 2-4:
ReplyDeleteChapter 2 was good. I can totally relate to the desire for a peaceful night's rest. Every time I get in bed I long for a speedy lights out...but that never seems to happen anymore. To quote Lucado, "if you are kept awake, it's not by counting your fingers but by counting your debts, tasks, or even your tears."
That's me. I always lie awake in the dark, pondering over anything and everything that pops into my head. I can never seem to turn off my brain, no matter how tired the rest of my body may be.
That said, I guess I haven't "given it all to God" as much as I'd like to believe. Despite feeling like I'm in a good place with God...I still struggle with letting go of my earthly obligations.
Chapter 4 was the hardest for me to read because I'm living it first hand as a new parent. My son is only 6 months old, but I can already sympathize with Lucado's story about the first day school for his daughter.
ReplyDeleteMy original intention had been to take off work for one academic year, to raise Wil while he was 0-12months, and then return to work and put him in daycare - for the obvious financial reasons that most families are now dual income.
However, with every tiny breath my son took I fell deeper and deeper in love, and the thought of ever leaving him to someone else's care killed me. In fact, by 3-4 months old, it had reached the point where I was having anxiety attacks in bed each night (jump back to chpt 2 and lack of sleep) just dreading my return to work.
The pit in my stomach grew deeper with each thought, until finally I gave it to God. I knew we couldn't really afford to go without my salary...even now...but I also knew it would rip my soul in two to leave my baby. So I prayed. I asked God to provide the answer - either a coping mechanism for me and a great daycare solution...or the trust to leave our finances to a higher power and raise Wil myself.
For days I focused my prayers and my attention to that one thought, waiting for an answer. And it came.
I truly feel God has called me to fully trust and rely upon him for everything - even our finances which is scary - and quit my job for good to be a mom.
It's been quite an adjustment...saying no to the human desire to control everything; and we definitely saw a sudden onslaught by the adversary...trying to instill fear and doubt, trying to persuade us to fall back on human solutions to life...but we've stayed true and kept our eyes on God.
The fiery darts have lessened, but it's still a huge matter of trust just to survive our day to day finances.
I think maybe God is using this time to serve two important purposes. First, to have Wil raised in a loving home by his own mama. Second, to teach that mama to really let go and let God...something I had only assumed I was doing in the past.
A final thought on chpt 4 comes from page 32. Again, tying back to my previous comments about being anxious over leaving my son...the series of images that Lucado paints comparing his reactions to his daughter's pain with God's reactions to Jesus’ pain were very powerful.
As a parent, it is impossible to imagine ever allowing your child to suffer, yet somehow God watched as Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice. I don't think as humans we can ever truly appreciate the magnitude of God's actions that day. And if you are a parent, it's even more impressive.
Jesus’ final six hours has taken on a much deeper and more personal meaning for me now that I'm a mom. I wonder how Mary must have felt. Knowing her son's purpose, but knowing the grief in her own heart. I can't fathom how she survived that day.
I guess she too had to trust...and hold fast to the promise of God's love, grace, and eternal life, knowing that someday she would be reunited with her son.
Chapter 3 was sad. The tombstone of Grace Smith was pitiful. You might think there's no way anyone could feel that way about life, but the numbers who do is probably staggering.
ReplyDeleteBefore quitting my job to stay home with my son, I was a high school English teacher for a school serving predominantly underprivileged kids. Once gaining their trust, the stories they would confide in me broke my heart. I would look at each class in amazement, wondering how these kids found the strength to face the day - most of them choosing school over staying behind in a bad home situation.
Are these the forgotten souls Lucado speaks of? In society's eyes maybe. But never in mine. And definitely not in God's. I loved the quote that God will "take the common and make it spectacular." That's a promise to hold on to...and a message I tried to instill in all my students.