Today was another difficult day. Janet’s father, John, is entering hospice and the family has decided to suspend further treatments and concentrate on pain management. I haven’t even had the time or the energy to write this evening until now – and it’s going to be a short one. I just can’t even begin to tell you how much my mother-in-law and father-in-law have impacted my life throughout the last 55 years. So I called John today to see how he felt and sadly, we said our goodbyes.
I’ve never done this before with someone I loved. In the case of my parents, I wasn’t there when they passed, and the same is true of my best friend, Bob. We were in Hawaii when Nancy passed away 2 weeks ago and yet, somehow, I knew that I needed closure with John today. He is the last of the older generation. Soon, Janet, her sisters and their three husbands, including me, will represent the oldest living generation in the family. And that’s a daunting thought.
Suffice it to say that I am very sad tonight. John’s pain has been alleviated with drugs and he told me that the end is drawing near. I hope that you understand that I am not ready to share the contents of our discussion – perhaps some day, but I am still processing the things he told me and that I shared with him. I sat crying in my car when I hung up the phone. More than a friend, or a father-in-law – a “father” – someone I have known more than twice as long as I knew my own Dad.
Life is short, and fragile. Relationships are delicate and in the end, they are the only thing that matters. Janet and her sisters are dealing with things the best way they can. As a family, we will get through this as we have through so many other things. My heart goes out to Debbie, Janet and Nancy Dee as they suffer yet another trauma in their lives. Lord, please give all of us the strength to persevere – the sorrow is almost too much to bear…
The verse for this evening is from the prophet Isaiah. We are told, in Is. 33:2, “O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.” My encouragement this evening is that God wants you to depend on Him. At times like this, it is difficult to understand the pain that we are going through, but one thing is for sure. In fact, Ps. 121:1 says it better than I can – Psalm 121:1-2, “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” My prayer this evening is that you will turn your issues over to the Lord of the universe and trust Him to give you the strength in times of distress and hurt. That’s our only hope. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…