Love them While We Can
Truth be told there are very few of us who have not been crushed by the news of the loss of a loved one. It is so very difficult. I had lost my Dad back in 1986 at the age of 58 years. The following year my youngest brother, Randy was killed in a car wreck. And then just a few years ago my other brother Jeff died at the age of 42. Very sobering indeed.
But Mom was 82. She loved Jesus with all her heart and had lived a wonderful life. Then about five years ago she was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease. About a year ago my sister and I had made the painful decision to place Mom in a nursing home with a memory unit. We thought she was doing quite well. If you don't know, Alzheimer's is a hellish condition. Mom knew us when we saw her. But her short term memory was completely gone. She could tell you stuff that happened on our Ohio farm 30 or 40 years ago but may not know where she was, what day of the week it was or even what season of the year it was! But the disease had taken a terrible toll on her general health including her personal hygiene.
So in some ways her going to Heaven was a blessing for her. No more suffering. No more forgetting. Only joy. I have to say that I will be eternally grateful to Mom (and my Dad) for being great examples of Christian parents while I was growing up. I have often said that if I was half the parent that my Mom and Dad were then I would be a successful parent! I really do miss them.
If you have your parents, be thankful! "For time just seems to hurry by and the days turn into years. And the moments that we have will disappear so love them while we can."
The Methmusician
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