His wife of 37 years is gone. He has suffered with ALS for over 20 years. She was his caretaker. She was his voice. She was the laughter and humor in his days. She died because of a mistake someone else made. She was healthy and whole trying to get relief from neck pain in order to continue his care and all the other activities in her life. When asked if he is angry, he replies, "I'm not angry. Why would I be angry? I am a blessed man." Some would call him foolish. I call him a mighty warrior. He may be physically frail, but he is spiritually and emotionally robust. In his deep grief, with God's help, he triumphs.
They are adorable. They are, to me, a young couple. Their child is as a character in a quaint children's book. They laugh, they smile, they love. While they were out to dinner, their house burned. They lost almost everything. She is an artist with art shows coming up, and a good deal of her art destroyed. When asked what she wanted the firemen to try to rescue, she replied her laptop and her daughter's Pooh Bear. When laments are expressed over the loss of their beautiful, charming home, she replies, "home is where my husband and daughter hang their hats." Some may find their response odd, but I am inspired by them. They, with God's help, are moving forward. They are not simply surviving, they are thriving.
Her husband has left her. He has left her with three children. She is deeply wounded. When given the opportunity to share his faults, she will not. Despite his misguided ways and his poor decisions, she loves him. Truly, after her children, her greatest concern is for him. She is learning to open up and sincerely share her life with those she trusts. She does not go about polluting the air with bitter vitriolic talk. She leaves the drama behind and puts one step in front of the other, caring for her children, doing her job, and praying for her husband. Some would encourage her to "make him pay." I find myself awestruck by her dignity, her lack of retribution, and her refusal to blame. With God's help, she will overcome.
These are people I know and love. I feel privileged to have them in my life. They counter those who seem to create one crisis after the other. They give me hope for those who cannot seem to shut their mouths for the good of others. They remind me that bashing and trash talking are not necessary. They contrast sharply those who refuse to set themselves aside for the greater good. They let me know that those quick to anger are not to be emulated. They do not hold grudges. They are not angry. How do they manage? The only explanation I can find is their genuine reliance on God, and their wholehearted participation in community. I watch and learn. I am grateful for their influence. My life is enriched for knowing them. Through them I get a glimpse of Kingdom life.
So for today, I wish you community, good examples, and I wish you
blessings
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