Post by rramom on Jul 21, 2013 18:32:46 GMT -5
“This too, shall pass” was a saying I often heard from my mother. After I reached adulthood, I asked my Mom about that, especially because I couldn’t find it in my computer search of the Bible (NIV or KJV). Mom said it derived from the many times in the Bible it would say, “And it came to pass…” that something happened. She said that no matter what “it” is, “it” won’t last. Only God is eternal. Good times don’t last forever, but neither do bad times. It may seem that bad times last forever, but they won’t after death, if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior & Lord, and will go to heaven when our life here is over.
My mom taught me to treasure the good times in life, when they are here. I learned to see the humor in the childhood stunts my sons pulled (get out the camera!), before I disciplined them. Children grow up. Treasure good relationships in the present, because they often don’t last. People move, people die, people change. As some relationships fade, reach out to new people and make new relationships.
My mom also taught me that when times are bad, to “grit one’s teeth” and do what has to be done to keep going. If finances are tight, cut out anything but the barest necessities, until the crisis is over. If relationships are rocky, take it to God, and possibly a professional counselor. If health issues are the problem, deal with it as best as one can, and seek the advice of medical professionals.
Having grown up during the Great Depression, and just entering adulthood as WWII happened, Mom knew about tough times. She’d also given birth to a stillborn girl, plus multiple miscarriages. The tough times I’ve gone through pale in comparison to what she’d experienced. No matter what Mom went through, she was authentic, but not a bitter woman. She had the joy of the Lord, and endured hard times with a grace and peace that was remarkable. Her last 2 ½ years was marred by a series of strokes, which left her more and more disabled. I know from her previous statements how proud she was of her good health and independence she had before the first stroke. But she never lamented the loss of her good health, just dealt with the current situation, and only complained if it could change things.
Mom passed away on Halloween in 2009, right at trick-or-treating time. She left us with a great sense of humor, so we discussed putting her corpse out on the front porch with a bowl of candy. She would have approved, knowing her. When we told the mortician, he said his dad (who came to pick up Mom’s body) thought about saying “trick or treat” when he rang the doorbell, but restrained himself. They were thankful that there was a driveway that went around the side of the house, so they could park the hearse out of sight. What a Halloween attraction!
As long as I can remember, Mom was my role model. Even during my rebellious years, I had a good relationship with her. I knew I was doing things she didn’t condone, but her unconditional love kept our relationship alive. Once I came to my senses, and came back to the Lord, she was my mentor. She listened, and helped me to deal with having a husband and sons who didn’t always see things my way. During the time my health has gone downhill, her example still guides me.
I’ve tried to be honest, but not be bitter about what has happened. As you probably know by now, I have grown weaker during this year, to the point I’m barely walking. But praise the Lord – I think that too is passing! About a month ago, the doctors at Mayo Clinic (where I’d gone, since I’d stumped the doctors in Wichita) took me off of a couple of my medicines. (One has been replaced with something that works differently). I’m actually getting better now! I still use my wheelchair for distances, but haven’t needed a walker or wheelchair inside my house for the last couple of weeks. I’m thankful for the small improvements, like being able to stand while sorting dirty laundry.
We went back up to Rochester on Thursday, as they did a muscle biopsy on Friday on me. The pain pills make me sleepy, and there’s a big bad bruise on my arm, but I’m doing well. It will be a slow road uphill to full recovery, but at least it is going in the right direction.
I don’t know why God allowed me to go through this experience, although I did gain a new appreciation for the disabled as a result. It is humbling to have to rely on others to do things for you, that you used to do for yourself. It takes patience, because you have to wait on them to help you when they get around to it, and they don’t always do it like you would. I’ve tried to be thankful for and to everyone who has helped in anyway. Hopefully, I’ve learned whatever lessons God wanted me to learn through this experience. The experiences may pass, but we need to retain the wisdom we gain from going through them.
May you remember to treasure the good times, and endure the bad times, because “these too, shall pass.”
My mom taught me to treasure the good times in life, when they are here. I learned to see the humor in the childhood stunts my sons pulled (get out the camera!), before I disciplined them. Children grow up. Treasure good relationships in the present, because they often don’t last. People move, people die, people change. As some relationships fade, reach out to new people and make new relationships.
My mom also taught me that when times are bad, to “grit one’s teeth” and do what has to be done to keep going. If finances are tight, cut out anything but the barest necessities, until the crisis is over. If relationships are rocky, take it to God, and possibly a professional counselor. If health issues are the problem, deal with it as best as one can, and seek the advice of medical professionals.
Having grown up during the Great Depression, and just entering adulthood as WWII happened, Mom knew about tough times. She’d also given birth to a stillborn girl, plus multiple miscarriages. The tough times I’ve gone through pale in comparison to what she’d experienced. No matter what Mom went through, she was authentic, but not a bitter woman. She had the joy of the Lord, and endured hard times with a grace and peace that was remarkable. Her last 2 ½ years was marred by a series of strokes, which left her more and more disabled. I know from her previous statements how proud she was of her good health and independence she had before the first stroke. But she never lamented the loss of her good health, just dealt with the current situation, and only complained if it could change things.
Mom passed away on Halloween in 2009, right at trick-or-treating time. She left us with a great sense of humor, so we discussed putting her corpse out on the front porch with a bowl of candy. She would have approved, knowing her. When we told the mortician, he said his dad (who came to pick up Mom’s body) thought about saying “trick or treat” when he rang the doorbell, but restrained himself. They were thankful that there was a driveway that went around the side of the house, so they could park the hearse out of sight. What a Halloween attraction!
As long as I can remember, Mom was my role model. Even during my rebellious years, I had a good relationship with her. I knew I was doing things she didn’t condone, but her unconditional love kept our relationship alive. Once I came to my senses, and came back to the Lord, she was my mentor. She listened, and helped me to deal with having a husband and sons who didn’t always see things my way. During the time my health has gone downhill, her example still guides me.
I’ve tried to be honest, but not be bitter about what has happened. As you probably know by now, I have grown weaker during this year, to the point I’m barely walking. But praise the Lord – I think that too is passing! About a month ago, the doctors at Mayo Clinic (where I’d gone, since I’d stumped the doctors in Wichita) took me off of a couple of my medicines. (One has been replaced with something that works differently). I’m actually getting better now! I still use my wheelchair for distances, but haven’t needed a walker or wheelchair inside my house for the last couple of weeks. I’m thankful for the small improvements, like being able to stand while sorting dirty laundry.
We went back up to Rochester on Thursday, as they did a muscle biopsy on Friday on me. The pain pills make me sleepy, and there’s a big bad bruise on my arm, but I’m doing well. It will be a slow road uphill to full recovery, but at least it is going in the right direction.
I don’t know why God allowed me to go through this experience, although I did gain a new appreciation for the disabled as a result. It is humbling to have to rely on others to do things for you, that you used to do for yourself. It takes patience, because you have to wait on them to help you when they get around to it, and they don’t always do it like you would. I’ve tried to be thankful for and to everyone who has helped in anyway. Hopefully, I’ve learned whatever lessons God wanted me to learn through this experience. The experiences may pass, but we need to retain the wisdom we gain from going through them.
May you remember to treasure the good times, and endure the bad times, because “these too, shall pass.”
