NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

April 10

This month’s devotionals were written in grateful collaboration with my mother-in-law, who passed away a couple weeks ago.

Scripture focus: Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. Proverbs 3:9-10 NIV

Marion moved from the hospital to Health Care at her retirement community the same day that she made the decision to stop pursuing medical solutions to her health problem. Hospice was called in. Arriving late in the afternoon, she was tired from the transition. Her other two sons had arrived from Florida, and we were preparing to hunker down for an uncertain and unpredictable season ahead – waiting for that massive tumor to grow to the point where breath would not come.

As I walked into the new room and got my welcoming kiss, she reached up and pulled my ear to her lips. “Stay with me tonight, won’t you dear? I am anxious about being here alone.”

“Of course I will stay. I promise you, you will never be alone for a second.” I’m happy to say that we were able to keep that promise.

It was a rough night. She was more restless than I had seen her on previous nights. I asked her if there was anything I could do to make her feel more comfortable.

“Well, I’m not going to tell you I’m fine!” She smiled and continued. “But I want you to know that I am blessed. I know who holds my hand, even if I don’t know what the future holds for me.” Eventually, she drifted off for what turned out to be a very short rest. I dragged a chair over next to the bed, held her hand, and watched her breathe. Her breaths came with ragged regularity, but the end was clearly in sight. I wondered how a woman could sleep so peacefully in the midst of such a battle for oxygen.

I thought back to the early days of my marriage. After our honeymoon, Pete began sharing with me his vision for our future. (Some would say you should do this before you get married. We did not.) He told me in no uncertain terms that our family was going to tithe – a term I didn’t even know – but have learned to appreciate as a spiritual discipline and privilege of believing. He also wanted us to go to church – something I thought he actually hated doing. I’d known my husband for a lot of years as a friend, so I knew this guy pretty well. Wasn’t he the one who went to his church youth group and bible study for years without uttering a word? Didn’t the pastor’s daughter often try to cajole him unsuccessfully to participate in youth events (and she was really cute)?

Wes and Marion showed their children how to honor God. They gave the firstfruits of all that they had – their money and time and their hearts. Nana knew what it meant for her soul to be well, even if her bank account was on empty, her body was weak, and her breathing labored. This tough night was more peaceful than painful because it was the natural expression of a healthy soul life. I can only pray that we have done half the job that she did in showing our own children that the only pathway to lasting peace comes as we honor the Lord in all that we do.


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