NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

April 2

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

Scripture focus: A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:13 NIV

During Marion’s lifetime she had a series of unfortunate circumstances that could have crushed her spirit. She became a widow in her forties. She had a bit of a clumsy streak that led to a series of falls and a bunch of bodily assaults including: broken arm, broken wrist, broken elbow, two shoulder replacements, three fractured pelvises, a hip fracture…to name a few.
She did not enjoy her injuries or heartaches. But she handled each loss, setback, cast, rehab, and hospital visit with great cheerfulness. She never gave herself permission to let her own suffering become an excuse to hurt others.

As a young widow, she often remarked to me that it was difficult for others to know how to help her in the midst of her unexpected and great loss. People said thoughtless things. Her married friends complained about their husbands – repeating petty grievances and acting aggrieved about problems that Marion longed to experience. Instead of becoming bitter, she determined to do better. As the years progressed, and other women in her circle became widowed, she reached out to them. Some of her best friends became women who entered the surprising state of widowhood and found Marion a willing and prepared sister in suffering.

Once, while on a lovely trip to New York City with her beloved Golden Notes, she fell and hurt her shoulder. No one really knew the extent of her injuries. She didn’t want to complicate the plans, so she waited to ride back on the bus with her singing group. When she returned home, it took days for us to arrange an appointment with a doctor. He sent her for an x-ray to her least favorite hospital. When we arrived for the test, we were sent down a series of long and winding hallways. I suggested that perhaps a wheelchair might be a good idea. She replied, “I am fine. I can make it.” She did – barely. Later we found out that her arm was barely attached to her body.
Days later, she told me, “If this ever happens again, I’m taking that wheelchair.” Then she chuckled.

Marion had a cheerful heart and never wanted to inconvenience others. I suppose we could quibble about whether or not the failure to take a wheel chair was a good idea or not, but no one will ever accuse her of living a self-centered life. One of the reasons Marion was able to live with a smile on her lips was because she had so much love for others in her heart. She learned that from her mother.


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