A Terrible Season

It's a terrible season. Dwayne's dad is in hospice. The whole family took a trip to see him at his home in Florida. Even Norah was able to come from college in Tennessee. It was a mini-reunion for a few days filled with equal parts joy and sorrow, so lovely to be all together, so sad to be there for that reason. We spent some time on the beach everyday with cousins, nieces and nephews, and the great grand babies. The beauty of the ocean ministered to my sorrowful soul. As I played with my niece's babies, the same niece who was a flower girl in my wedding, and as I helped her hold their hands as they splashed in the waves, I meditated on how quickly life goes by. It was not long ago that I was a young mom with babies. Now I am a seasoned mom with lovely, older daughters, now big enough help with the great grand babies, too. I meditated on how unimportant much of what I spent much of my attention on for years was, but how important other people are, especially family. Dwayne's father was so filled with joy and hospitality during our visit even as he suffered great pain. He has always been the most generous, faithful, and disciplined man. He knows and walks with the Lord. He's our family's glory and our crown, truly. He took time to bless each grandchild and each of us before we said, "Goodbye." It was a powerful moment I'll never forget. Dwayne is still with him and his siblings and his mom. Norah's back at college. I'm home with our younger girls, remaining faithful to our routine, which feels like a sacramental blessing right now. I'm just going about everything that needs to be done slower, more deliberately, with extra thought to prayer, conscious of God, thankful for this good life as simple and mundane as it often is. I am encouraging Dwayne as often as I talk to him on the phone or via text. We're trusting in God's perfect timing for Dad's life and continuously putting our hope in Christ. He's our Resurrection and our Life. If a man believes in Him, He will live, even though he dies. Because of our faith in Jesus, His victory of death, and our victory through Him, we can have hope in the midst of this terrible season.