Death with Dignity
It's all over the news and social media. Brittany Maynard, the 29-year-old woman with a terminal brain cancer, and a six-months-to-live diagnosis from her doctors, has died on her own terms, and by her own hand, right on the date she scheduled. It's referred to as "Death with Dignity," and an act of legislation by the same name gave her the right to do it. Death with dignity. I've thought about this a lot since she first announced to the world that she would die in early November, after her husband's birthday. She didn't want to have to suffer the end-stage ravages of her disease, or have her family go through that either. I get that, because really, who would want to if they were...
His Words (for when you just can’t catch a break)
Every Sunday around here is for His words instead of mine. Are you being hit from all sides and feel like you just can't catch a break? God has something to say about that. The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. ~ Psalm 9:9 ESV The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. ~ Psalm 34:18 ESV We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. These bodies of ours are constantly facing death just...
Hidden Treasure
I pulled up the blog this morning, noting that the last post was written on August 26th about my Aunt Mary Ellen. I smiled, finding it fitting since my intent was to write about her again this morning, my first day back after a long break. Mary Ellen met her beloved Jesus just a month after I wrote that last post, and I haven't stopped smiling since. Not that there haven't been tears interspersed, of course, but she was so ready, so expectant, that the thought of her in His company thrills me. This week I spent two days with my parents, at her house, to begin the task of readying it for estate sale. Like many depression-era children, my aunt hid things of value or tucked money away,...
In His Favor
We went to see my 87-year-old Aunt Mary Ellen yesterday. She's my dad's last living sibling and only sister, and, suffering from the effects of congestive heart failure and pneumonia, she's had a very rough go of it the last few weeks. Mary Ellen is deeply loved by everyone who meets her. Her beaming countenance and unflagging spirit make every person feel as though they are her best friend, and she is so central to her church and social community that any time she has even the slightest need her front door morphs into a revolving one. Never having any children of her own, she adopted my brothers and me, and all our cousins, as her children, as well. She has been consistently...
His Words (for when the world stops for a minute to LOVE)
Every Sunday around here is for His words instead of mine. I've been incredibly moved by the phenomenon of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. When was the last time the world paused for a few moments of making themselves look silly (and COLD!) to help someone else? When was it that, regardless of race, religion, age, gender, political affiliation, or fame, people joined together for the common good of their fellow man? We have trouble remembering and yet it's supposed to be this way everyday... Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. ~ Romans 12:10 ESV Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for...