Memories

This morning as I listened to a report by Beaj, a missionary who lost her husband a few years ago to cancer, memories flooded back to that day. Steve her husband, spoke during our chapel time about his battle with cancer and read a tender letter he had written to their daughter talking about suffering and reminding her that suffering can destroy or refine us. ”The option is ours", he said. Within thirty minutes as he drove away, his earthly life ended and his vehicle came to a stop against a guardrail. At that time, our battle with Carol’s cancer was in the early stages and we both wondered what would lie ahead for our family.

I am thankful for the experiences that Carol and I chronicled during those 2 ½ years. To be able to read again about our challenges and thoughts, then seeing how God strengthened us and orchestrated events and people to come alongside us, helps to strengthen my faith for the future.

It was just a year ago that Carol wrote “Such good news! Just before midnight I crept out of my hospital bed and crawled into Chuck’s bed… Not only did I sleep sweetly the rest of the night, but so did Chuck, a total of 7 hours for him." That was the last time she was able to do that and the memory must have been on my mind during the night when I was having a bit of difficulty sleeping. I awoke this morning holding her pillow tightly. Carol’s last big desire that she noted then was to attend the wedding for Justin and Laura in Michigan and by God’s grace and the help of many; we were able to do it!

This morning “Indeed” featured dependence and was a good reminder for me of the need for my dependence upon God and not on self-sufficiency and being independent. 1 Chronicles 16:11 is clear about that “Look to the LORD and his strength, seek his face always.” Now if I can just remember that…always.

Love,

Chuck