Sep
4
2013
Life Is Hard Sometimes
Posted in Faith 6 Comments
My heart is heavy.
My dear friend from elementary school, my best friend as a girl, lost her father yesterday.
He was ninety-two years old.
Many would say, he had a full life.
He did, but he will still be missed.
Mr. and Mrs. F were so kind to me after my mother died.
I was at their dinner table often and was always welcome in their home.
Mr. F was definitely the patriarch; for me, he was harder to get to know than his wife.
He had served our country proudly. He was a good provider, husband, and father.
Mr. and Mrs. F were Polish and their life was filled with wonderful traditions.
She made the most delectable pierogies.
Mrs. F was a wonderful baker, setting aside an entire day to make Christmas cookies.
Though what I remember most about them as a couple was their Polka dancing.
When I was a very young girl, I had the privilege of going to a few polka dances with them.
They knew every polka band and knew when the band came to town.
My friend and I would dance around; she knew the steps far better than I did.
Her parents; however, were spectacular dancers.
Her mother had a warm smile, but her father was a bit more serious.
On the dance floor, however, that seriousness melted away.
He was light on his feet; he was enthralled to have his wife in his arms.
My friend and I would sit down at the tables around the dance floor.
We would watch her parents dance.
I came to the conclusion that this carefree couple, twirling around so effortlessly, was the real Mr. and Mrs. F.
At that moment, they were not parental as much as they were just people.
I never knew that Mr. F was much older than his wife.
When you are young, every parent just seems old.
Age didn’t matter; Mr. and Mrs. F truly delighted in each other’s company.
My friend lost her dad and her dog in the same week.
Life is hard sometimes.
A sweet man from my church just died last week.
He sat behind me every Sunday.
He took care of his ailing wife for years; even when she no longer recognized him.
He loved her; that is what you do when you make a promise.
I would ask him, How are you feeling today, Ed?
Better than I deserve was always his answer.
He loved the Lord; he served his country well; he worked hard, he raised two children.
His wife and his son preceded him in death.
Life is hard sometimes.
My pastor’s mother-in-law died last week as well.
She was a precious Godly woman, who loved the Lord and loved her family well.
She was a tiny woman; I towered over her as we talked at church.
As osteoporosis set in, she became even smaller in stature; and was in constant pain.
A small woman with big faith; she will be missed by many people; she touched many lives.
Life can be very hard.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. (Psalm 116:15)
Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and His disciples and a large crowd went along with Him. As He approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her, and he said, “Don’t cry.” Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, “Young man I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. They were all filled with awe and praised God. (Luke 7:11-16)
What a tender story.
Jesus has compassion; His heart goes out to those who are suffering.
He knows life is hard; He said it would be.
It wasn’t meant to be that way, but it became that way when sin entered the world.
One day, God will restore all things.
Only God can say, “Get up” to someone who has already died.
Jesus commanded Lazarus to “Come out.”
Death is only sleep to God; sleep which we will one day be wakened from.
When we hear His command, we obey.
When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he told the people to take off the grave clothes.
Grave clothes are not needed when the command to “Get up” or “Come out” is obeyed.
Clothes of righteousness are needed.
Jesus is the only One who can provide those clothes.
His blood, shed on the cross, covers us when we come to Him in faith.
Our sin was placed on Him, and His garments of righteousness were placed on us.
Not a fair trade, it seems, but Jesus loves us that much.
Life is hard sometimes, but death is not final; it does not have the last word.
The last word, the first word, the ONLY Word is Jesus.
Because of Jesus, we are better than we deserve.
That is Grace!
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The story of Mrs. F can be found at:
http://www.whispersofhismovement.com/2012/04/16/of-spoons-and-spatulas/
Regina, what a beautiful piece! I can hear him calling Mrs. F “Dear” as I write this. I hope you are well.
Cathy,
Thank you for your sweet words. Many memories are flooding my mind today…as it seems to be for so many of us.
It has been too long since we all have seen each other. Wouldn’t it be nice if we all could catch up?
Regina
Thank you so much for sharing! It brought back wonderful memories of Mr. and Mrs. F. My condolences to you Patty and the rest of your family. Praying for all of you. Regina you are a wonderful friend!
Marianne,
It has been a long time…thank you for your kind words. We did have great memories, didn’t we? It was a wonderful place to grow up. My love to you and your sisters. I would love to catch up with everyone from the old neighborhood. We have many years to cover.
Regina
Regina- Thank you so much for your kind words and memories of my dad. You described not only him but ‘them’ better than I think I ever could, using the one thing they enjoyed doing the most- polka dancing! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Love, Patti
Patti,
You are welcome, friend.
I will always be grateful to your mom and dad for the love they gave me at a difficult time in my life.
YOU will always hold a special place in my heart, as well. What great memories we share! You are loved and prayed for…especially as you go through this time.
Regina