When We Share Our Stories

Good morning…

On Wednesday night in the Northside Church sanctuary, Ron Greer shared wisdom with us from his new book The Quiet House: Reflections on the Loss of a Spouse. He said, “This book is like a parable, a story with a lesson. Parable also means ‘placing beside,’ a story we place beside the story of our lives. In The Quiet House, my story is placed beside your story, and we parallel each other. Side by side, we feel not so alone on the journey.”

As Ron encouraged, I have been trying to “heal what I feel” this emotional week. Grateful that my 85 year old mom made it through her seven and a half hour surgery and disappointed that she needs a cumbersome colostomy bag for another six weeks and sad that I live so far away from my parents and worried about my dad’s exhaustion as her constant companion and hopeful that this extra time of physical healing will bring her strength and comfort for the days ahead. The morning after her surgery, I received the gift of a poetic email. God knew I needed an honest friend to come beside my story with her own story. Please enjoy with me her tender words.

******

Lifting your sweet Mom (& your sweet Dad)
up to The King of the Universe…
as I praise God for bringing your Mom… again
…(& your whole family)
…onward
…onward
through these, tough medical challenges.

In 2007, I was sick and almost died from colon/intestinal issues…
numerous hospitalizations…
doctors determining I was not a candidate for the “bag”….
leaving me wearing an adult diaper for 18 months with complete bowel incontinence.

…but God!
…but God!
He healed me!…
and now am
…continually
praising God He is finishing
His miracle works…
…this time in your beautiful Mom!

…Eternally grateful God always has a way of working things out…according to His Will
and
Happy our hearts remain joined
…expectant
as we persevere
…counting it all joy
through all these very tough, tough challenges.

Looking to Him Who made us, called us
and equips us
…onward!

Hugs…to you Sue!
Everyday I’m very thankful for the huge blessing of the Sue of Sue to You… you!!!
…and God’s ministering, touching, and changing lives…for His Kingdom
….through you, Sue !!
Richest Blessings!

******

With her story curling up and resting beside my story, I do feel less alone. Understood. Encouraged. Pointed back to God. I truly do feel less alone.

Sharing stories with my dad each day helps us feel deeply bonded. Dad says my mom is weak. She’s on oxygen and is being fed intravenously. This new bag needs to be changed more frequently, so the experts are recommending that, when she is released from the hospital, my mom will return to twenty-four hour care at the skilled nursing center in their senior living community, a five minute walk from their cozy villa. I am grateful that so many caring people are coming beside me and my parents as we journey onward, onward, onward with God.

On that first Christmas morn long, long ago, God miraculously came beside us in the skin of a vulnerable baby. Placing our story beside his story, we feel less alone. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! (Hebrews 2:3b-4, MSG).

…Sue…

P.S. For those in the Atlanta area, Nancy Quintrell (whose husband Randy went to heaven during the first COVID summer) and I will be hosting in her home a four-week study of Ron Greer’s The Quiet House for women who are adjusting to life without their spouses on earth, Sundays 1:00 to 2:30 pm, 1/21 through 2/11. Be on the lookout for this opportunity as we send the registration link for our winter/spring class early in January.