What Really Matters

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1

I have been so blessed to grow up in the home that I did. My parents were loving, godly people who taught us the most important things of life. When we were kids, every morning after breakfast we spent time memorizing scripture together. Sometimes it would be just one verse like 1 Corinthians 10:13 and sometimes a whole psalm - 23 & 91 especially come to mind. This was how we were sent out into our worlds of public school and secular thinking - covered with the Word and with much prayer.

In the past few years, all those scriptures have been a blessing and a comfort. The man who sat us down and made that a priority has been slipping away from us. The mean and cruel disease of Alzheimer's has been stealing his thoughts, memories and personality. To go and see him can be a difficult thing. He still knows me . . . still looks up when I walk in the room with recognition and love and I still hear the precious words, "Hi, Deb!" But that is often the extent of our conversation. To ask him what he has done with his day or what he had for lunch is pointless. He has no idea what happened 5 minutes ago. And often he just sleeps in his chair as my mom and I sit and visit.

It seems cruel and unfair. It makes anyone question the goodness of our God. Why would he allow this to happen to someone who loved and served Him so faithfully? Those are the times when those scriptures come tumbling in - sometimes unexpected and so beautiful. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6) "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7)

And so it was especially sweet today when I got an email from my mom. She said, "Yesterday while I was with Dad, the head nurse came in to do an evaluation memory test -- date, year, season, etc. He didn't do well on those, but he could spell WORLD frontwards and backwards and he folded a piece of 8 1/2" x 11" paper in half. It took a while because he was doing it on his lap and he is slow. It looked like a perfectly folded bulletin (one of his "things") when he was through. Then she asked him to write a sentence. He sat with the pen and clipboard looking out the window for several minutes. Cathy said, 'Write about anything . . .' He finally started to write three words at a time: 'In the beginning . . . was the Word . . . and the Word . . . and the Word . . . was with God . . .'"

I cannot express what this means to me. The depth of emotion I feel over this is surprising, even to me. It makes me love my dad more than ever and it tells you exactly the kind of person he was. Oh, how I want to live like this. How I hope that when everything else is stripped away from my mind, I still know the most important thing there is to know - that God is, has always been and always will be!

Thank you, God, for your faithfulness and for rewarding us in ways we would not guess. Thank you for the unfailing truth of your Word - the Word made flesh. Thank you that even when we don't understand, you have purpose and a plan. You are all we need and you are more than enough!