NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

April 7

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: However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all. Ecclesiastes 11:8 NIV

One day we were sitting in the hospital, and Marion began to speak, “There was this doctor…”

Pete interrupted her, “Do you mean the doctor came in and we missed him?” When people are sick and in the hospital, one activity that is very stressful and time consuming is waiting for doctors to come and deliver news.

“No, no, no! Just listen.” She continued. “Anyway, this young, new doctor was seeing a very elderly woman and he gave her some surprising news. He turned to her and said, ‘You’re pregnant!’ The woman squealed in terror and went running out the examining room. As she ran down the hall, she shouted, ‘Who is this young whipper snapper that has been hired as a doctor? Get me old Doc Smith immediately!’ Dr. Smith came rushing out of another examining room, heard the story and went charging down to confront the new associate. ‘What are you talking about? How could you tell her such a thing? She could not possibly be pregnant.’ The Junior staffer paused and responded calmly, ‘Well, at least she doesn’t have the hiccups anymore.’ “

Pete stared at his mother with a blank expression. Each day her breathing was becoming more labored; speaking required a lot of effort. He couldn’t quite keep up with her sense of humor in the face of such adversity. Finally, we explained the joke to him. His inability to get his mother’s joke delighted her immensely. Up until the very end, she still had a sharp mind and keen wit. She was also sensitive to the feelings of those around her. It had been a long couple of days. I can imagine that she lay there, thinking about the impact her situation was having on her kids. She sought to lighten the mood – and it worked.

Later that day, we did see the doctor. The news was not good. Pete went down the hall to make some calls. She began discussing plans, really important things like what she wanted to do with her desk. I’m a real sucker for conversations about furniture and re-arranging. She and I have spent many an evening making her various downsizings and new abodes cozy and her furniture well placed. Suddenly, I just couldn’t stop myself. I began to weep and wail. I buried my head in her lap like a preschooler who lost her favorite toy. Peter heard all commotion and began running down the hall. He expected to find the worst. Instead, he found his mother gently stroking his blubbering wife’s head. She smiled at him and shrugged her shoulders. Go figure, she seemed to say without words. It was such a sweet time. Because she had so enjoyed her life, and lived it well, she was at perfect peace. The rest of us, we have some tears to shed. But we also have a lesson to learn. The fruit of a well-lived faith-filled life is a peaceful transition into the next. (She however would not like how I worded this. She prefers no euphemisms.) However it’s worded, Marion taught us how to live and die with cheer. She enjoyed her life. She was ready to move on.

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