Recently my mother was diagnosed with ALS, more familiarly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Her form seems to be rather aggressive. She’s gone from no symptoms in September to needing a walker and wheelchair presently. So please keep my family (especially my mother and father) in your prayers in the months to come.
The reason I bring this up is that lately she’s been sharing with us some of the entries from her journals that she has been keeping over the years. This was something I was unaware that she has done and has been a pleasant trip down memory lane. The good, the bad and the ugly.
Growing up, my dad (the eternal pessimist) always said, “You need to plan for the worst, so when things work out right, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.” You see, he is a retired structural engineer. His job was always to plan for the worst case scenario.
Take, for example, this from my mom’s memories:
Monday February 25, 1974
First day of sectional tourney today and “Kid Day” at school – show school spirit and dress like a kid…At supper table Bob said “Hope you win tonight” Me – “What a time to change tactics”. Denise – “Yeah, it makes me nervous.” Bob – “Well I don’t expect you to win, just hope you do.” They felt better. They did win the game 70 – 65 over Wayne.
It’s quite ironic that a few years ago he was voted the “Optimist of the Year” from the Optimist Club that they belong to. Though in this regard I tend to take after my mom, his outlook has been quite beneficial from time to time.
My mother, on the other hand, is the epitome of the eternal optimist. One thing theme that has run throughout her memories is how much she has been blessed by the Lord. No matter what the situation (again, the good, the bad, and the ugly), she sees the hand of God working through the situation to ultimately benefit our family. She truly believed in Romans 8:28 (ESV) “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” It’s an outlook that I have not had at times.
Looking back through her memories, I can indeed see how God’s hand has moved through the history of my family, how He has guided, protected, and kept us all in His hands. Maybe it’s time that I start up a journal. Looking back, I know that I too will see God’s hand at work in our lives.
