Lent: Day 18

“All things work together for good” – Romans 8:28
“I have learned to be content in whatever my circumstances” – Philippians 4:11

My Mother’s legacy to our family is built on her faith. The two Bible verses listed above summarize two of my Mother’s guiding principles. No matter what life presented to her, she accepted it. My Mom lost her first boyfriend and two sisters in her teens. Then she fell in love with my Father. In his early 30’s, my Father decided to complete college and go to Garrett Seminary. My Father went to school during the week and worked as a circuit rider to three churches. Our family moved to Chicago during his last year of seminary.

Their sixth child was born in1946 the year my Father graduated from Garrett. They had four happy years before he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He survived the first treatment but the second one incapacitated him. He spent the last five months of his life in Elgin State Hospital. At this time ministers did not have social security. My mother had to find a job, which she worked for the next 15 years before retiring at the age of 62. After her retirement in 1972, she lived on $900/month for the rest of her life. Some of her kids made decisions that I am sure disappointed her, but I never heard her complain. She never remarried because she had the best and no one would measure up to the love of her life.

When I would ask her how she lived through all that she did she would share the two verses above. She had every right to be a bitter woman, but she chose to live accepting. During the last three days of her life surrounded by some of her children, she thanked us, told us that she forgave us and asked us to forgive her and that she loved us.

I have to add one humorous thing – during one of those last three days she became startled and said she had made a big mistake. We couldn’t imagine what she would say. She was remembering a numerical mistake when she had ordered thousands of something instead of hundreds at work! – over 30 years ago! She died peacefully with my daughter, Cami, in bed with her. I have tried to live with the verses – sometimes I’m successful and sometimes not. What will your legacy be?

Prayer: Lord, when we are down, confused and wondering how we will survive, remind us to be content and that all things will work out for good. Amen.