The Sweet By and By
I reviewed it - now you can read it too!
This new book by Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck has just been released by Thomas Nelson Publishing. I have one copy that I am giving away. Just leave a post telling me about a "sweet moment" in your life that you would like to share. Maybe it was a moment with a parent, friend, mentor, etc.
To get you started I will share a "sweet moment" or two of my own.
A little over 10 years ago I lost both of my parents to terrible illnesses. They died a little over a year apart. It was a very trying four year journey with my mother becoming ill first, and then my father.
A sweet moment God allowed me to have with my father came when he was too ill to live alone and he moved in with my family. We knew he was terminal and time was short. God allowed me precious time to cuddle up with my Dad and share our hearts with each other. I learned so many wonderful things about my Dad: his true heart, his love for his family, the things he wished he had done differently, etc. We cried, we laughed, we learned from each other. I discovered I was more like my Dad then I had ever imagined!
A sweet moment with my Mom came just a few days before her death. She had suffered a brain aneurysm four years prior that she actually survived; but it left her paralyzed and in a nursing home. Aneurysm number two hit and the end was near. When I arrived at the hospital she was still able to talk (against all odds and astonishing the doctors). As minutes slipped by, her abilities were slipping away. She opened her eyes one last time, looked me in the eyes, and silently mouthed the words "I love you." She then closed her eyes and slipped into a coma. Death came a few days later. My mom was my best friend. I lost so much that day.
Difficult. Heartbreaking. Precious. Sweet. Moments that time cannot take away.
May your sweet moments be lighter than the ones I shared. Tell me your story.
1 comments:
Sweet Moment:
Growing up a child born into a military family, we always lived away from family.
So, when we settled in Clarksville and I started my highschool career at NWHS, I was able to spend some time with my grandparents. They had moved down here from Michigan because my mom and my aunt were both living here at the time. This meant access to Grandma and Grandpa. During this time I learned about what it was like to live during the depression, and how to make anything last, and to appreciate things more. My grandmother spent a lot of time in her garden. I was blessed to be able to spend time with her as she canned and put away various veggies. She also showed me how to make strawberry jam. Yummy!
This gave me some truly special time with grandma. I got to know her as a person, what made her tick, and her love for the Lord. She gave me all sorts of advice on the different boys I would talk to her about. She helped me steer clear of some bad ones!
I remember the day I brought Chad out to meet and visit my grandparents. As you know, Chad is full of energy and life and doesn't meet a stranger. My grandparents were very stand offish and unless you really developed a relationship with them, one would perceive them as harsh.
Grandma made her apple crisp and since we were blessed to share a meal made with love, Chad was eager to try Grandma's dessert. Well, he helped himself to the piece right out of the middle. I waited for the thunder bolt to hit.
Grandpa cleared his throat and made some comment about Chad making himself at home. Grandma was very suprised, but held her tongue. I knew I would get the rest of the story when he was gone.
The rest of the story from both my grandparents was that Chad was good for me, helped pull me out of myself and they loved how happy I was when I was around him.
Grandma told me that Grandpa pursued her also and that was okay, let him pursue. I told her I wasn't sure and she said that Chad would show himself to me just as the others had especially with me leaving for school. Chad did! He didn't give up and he would come down to my school on weekends. Chad visted with my grandparents often with me and on his own when I was home, and grandma was impressed with his determination to stay in my life.
Later on when I shared with her that he had asked me to marry him, and that I had said yes, she gave me a big hug and told me that she was so proud of me and that she just loved sharing in this moment with me. She told me she had been praying for him, and for me and for the Lord to give me the peace to allow Chad into my heart. I was suprised. I knew she liked him, but had no idea she actually prayed for him. That was a sweet moment, as was the moment that she gave me her mothers handkerchief to carry with my bouquet on our wedding day. One of the final sweet moments I had with Grandma was after she had her second stroke and couldn't communicate well. She would just hug me and smile. As her speech would come back she in broken words told me how proud she was of me and how much she loved Chad. She said that the Lord was calling her home and that she knew I would be okay as I had truly married the man that the Lord gave me. She said she watched both of her girls marry and divorce and have such pain. She told me how she treasured the time we had and how I involved her in Chad and I's relationship. She got weaker in the coming months mind played tricks on her and she sometimes would forget. She went home to be with the Lord I was devestated. I have been blessed to have many sweet moments with those I love, but Grandma showed me that its okay to trust in God, what love is, and she showed me how to live out faith and grace in my daily life.
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