Last year at this time, we were entering the darkest days of our time with Mom. Her sister passed on October 17th and that news seemed to crush what was left of her shattered mind. Oh, dementia! You are so cruel!
I can’t head into these next few weeks without looking back over my shoulder to those days. I long for the memories to fade, and, praise God, they are. AND, the sweet memories of my dear mother come flooding back—the mom with a sweet spirit, quick laugh, and a heart made of gold.
Grief—there is absolutely no way to rush through it! We all will face grief sooner or later. There are wonderful resources out there to help us through it—none as helpful as the Word of God! But still, it is a slow, painful yet healing process.
And then it comes: peace. Life takes on some of the “normal” you vaguely remember, and you embrace it with joy! We are changed, or at least we should be. But the scars upon our hearts will serve as gentle reminders of the One who created us and keeps us and leads us in His ways, even when they are difficult, and loves us to the end! Praise His holy name! Oh, how I love Jesus!
Wanda MacAvoy
He hits, he kicks, he mocks, he scorns;
I bleed and weep, forsaken—forlorn.
His taunts and blows bite in and out,
And breaks the walls of my redoubt.
Till swift as night, he leaves my place,
And I lay broken. Any trace
Of hope is gone, gone, gone.
It is done. He has won.
Then on the dawn of silent day,
There comes the faintest spark—a ray
Of hope! It grows! It comes so near!
Oh, tis my Savior, precious—dear!
His hands reach down; his touch is kind.
He gently fills my heart and mind
With lasting hope. Oh, sweet release!
It comes so sweetly—peace, peace.
Time heals the wounds but leaves the scars,
Which are reminders, like the stars
That, though the days be dark as night,
Scratch brings the dark—God makes the light!
Beyond Common Sense 