Tears!

March 23, 2023

Tears!

There have been three different mornings this week that I have been awakened by warm tears in the corners of my eyes.  The tears gathered and then slowly trickled down by cheeks. 

I did not appreciate or maybe had not acknowledged the soul-deep sadness that was dwelling in me.  At the same time, my tears were strong evidence by body was feeling the impact of the loss I was experiencing.

I received a call last Saturday morning that my mother’s health had suddenly declined in significant ways.  With the news that she was no longer responsive to visitors, we quickly packed a bag and made our way to Lincoln, Nebraska to be by her side.

When we arrived, it was apparent my mother had entered the last phase of her life on earth.  We visited with the hospice nurse who quickly and compassionately confirmed our observations. 

My mother was dying. 

However, on Monday and Tuesday she rallied with a burst of energy, more cognitive clarity than we had seen in months, and with verbal skills we had not witnessed in over a year.  It was a sweet time of connecting and conversing although still with the limitation of her Alzheimer’s disease. 

There was almost complete sentences, laughter, and expressive eyes.  God was so good to give us this special time.  And then yesterday, the energy was less, the alertness was less, and the communication was dramatically less.  In a conversation with the hospice nurse in the morning, we were told we should not return home to Colorado.

The tears are real, the sadness is real, the loss is real.  I am grieving the gradual loss of my mother as the final loss comes on the day she dies. 

I am confident that death is not the end of life for my mother; she will join Jesus in heaven soon!  I am grateful for the assurance of salvation, the hope of heaven, and the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit with her and with her family.

As I watch my mother die, I am reminded that life is a blending of tears and laughter, sadness and joy, helplessness and hope.  In Psalm 30:5 we hear the Lord’s promise that tears are not the end of our grief-story.  Here are three translations of the Psalm.

“At night we may cry, but when morning comes we will celebrate.” (Contemporary English Version)

“The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter.”  (The Message)

“Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”  (New Revised Standard Version)

The tears and the sadness and the devastation of great loss will be replaced with celebration, laughter, and immeasurable joy.  My mother’s journey reminds me of this spiritual truth. 

Even while her body is dying, my mother’s soul (and her face!) are laughing…literally!  I am grateful God’s truth is eternal even when dying and death are taking someone I love.

As of this morning, my mother is still with us.  Her dying is obvious as is the short time remaining in her life on earth.  But, just as the Lord will take my mother by the hand and lead her through the doorway of death into heaven so the Lord will take each one of her family by the hand and lead us through our tears to deep, deep joy.

My heart takes delight in the promise of God; the Lord will take us by the hand and give us the strength we need to see the restoration of joy!  I pray you may know the assurance which comes through faith in Jesus as your Savior and your Lord.

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug