Marie was an older relative, and a favorite of mine and of my whole family.
I grew up with many relatives, and so I am not sure why she was so liked
but she was. She was caring, and kind and had a good sense of humor.
Her husband had a good sense of humor as well, and they always seemed
to have a very nice car, and also a fairly nice dwelling. They had one child also,
a daughter.
Marie was one of several children, and she especially had trouble accepting
the Christian religion of her parents. They were people of considerable faith,
but it was an advanced faith, and one that a young person might have trouble
understanding. Her own relationship with her parents also got in the way.
Whose fault was that? Not God's, but I am sure there was room for blame
all the way around the family.
Anyway, Marie was not known as a person of faith, and I never heard of her
going in a church since she had grown up. Nor did she raise her child in
the faith.
Finally when Marie was older, in her seventies, one day she had a terrible stroke,
and it left her with one side in good condition and one side with real problems in functioning
correctly. She was a proud person and she looked miserable. One day a couple of
us relatives came to see her in the health facility, and we talked to her and we had lunch
in the dining room there and she came out in her wheel chair to be with us and talk to us.
She introduced us as her family and she seemed proud to do so. There was a pastor there
to see some of his flock, and while there he walked by Marie, to see another patient, and
she held out her hand to him and they shook hands. I couldn't hear what they said, but I could look in her eyes
and I could see regret there. I believe that it was regret on her part for not being close to
God during all those years, and I think that she wanted to make amends.
It is my hope that she also prayed and was forgiven, because within a very few weeks she was gone.
May the Lord forgive us all and take us back. Amen.
I grew up with many relatives, and so I am not sure why she was so liked
but she was. She was caring, and kind and had a good sense of humor.
Her husband had a good sense of humor as well, and they always seemed
to have a very nice car, and also a fairly nice dwelling. They had one child also,
a daughter.
Marie was one of several children, and she especially had trouble accepting
the Christian religion of her parents. They were people of considerable faith,
but it was an advanced faith, and one that a young person might have trouble
understanding. Her own relationship with her parents also got in the way.
Whose fault was that? Not God's, but I am sure there was room for blame
all the way around the family.
Anyway, Marie was not known as a person of faith, and I never heard of her
going in a church since she had grown up. Nor did she raise her child in
the faith.
Finally when Marie was older, in her seventies, one day she had a terrible stroke,
and it left her with one side in good condition and one side with real problems in functioning
correctly. She was a proud person and she looked miserable. One day a couple of
us relatives came to see her in the health facility, and we talked to her and we had lunch
in the dining room there and she came out in her wheel chair to be with us and talk to us.
She introduced us as her family and she seemed proud to do so. There was a pastor there
to see some of his flock, and while there he walked by Marie, to see another patient, and
she held out her hand to him and they shook hands. I couldn't hear what they said, but I could look in her eyes
and I could see regret there. I believe that it was regret on her part for not being close to
God during all those years, and I think that she wanted to make amends.
It is my hope that she also prayed and was forgiven, because within a very few weeks she was gone.
May the Lord forgive us all and take us back. Amen.