Letting Go and Letting God!

Letting Go and Letting God!

Have you ever spent most of your life believing something, I mean firmly believing something, and then in an instant finding something that shook you to the core and made you question your perception of someone, something, or an entire lifetime?  I had that happen to me just this morning.

I have been dragging “things” with me as we moved here and there and everywhere (including two cross country moves) for the last 40 years.  Yes, I’ve recently had to admit that am a hoarder.  I never met a piece of paper or a gadget that I didn’t love!  

My dear husband and I have committed to decluttering and downsizing for at least 1 hour a day until we can rid ourselves of enough stuff to move across country AGAIN, without the burden of a semi-truck.

I found my mother’s Bible in one of yesterday’s boxes.  I got my coffee this morning and sat down with mom’s Bible to look at her handwriting; my mother’s handwriting was, is, beautiful.  My dad gave her this large print King James Bible on Christmas Eve 1966.  I flipped to the center pages of her Bible; mom and dad were married in 1939 in Charleston, Missouri.  My dad’s brother and sister were witnesses.  Next were the births Mary Carol and Janet Grace (my sister – a tiny preemie only lived a couple of hours).  And then the deaths, dad’s mother and both of mom’s parents.  It was interesting to see that my dad’s father wasn’t mentioned.  Dad didn’t like him for good reason.

Mom had written the references to Bible verses and chapters written in on various pages and had taken a few notes in the margins of her Bible; but not many.  There were some pictures, postcards, pamphlets, and bookmarks in her Bible and I took some time to read through some of the passages that were marked.  

The first thing I ran across was a bulletin from the church she attended.  It was dated May 1988; mom was already in a nursing home by that time.  That told me that she had her Bible with her at the nursing home and that someone from church had come to visit her in May.  I felt a twinge of guilt because I didn’t get to the nursing home as often as I could have.  She passed away in July 1988.

Exodus 16-17: Manna is Sent - There was a photo of her Sunday School Class, taught by my Uncle AG, and my mom looked so happy.  My Uncle Wayne was also in the back of the class smiling happily!  They went out to eat every once in a while.  Maybe they were getting ready to have fellowship?

Judges 9:  Found the remnants of a dead flower.  Could have been from someone’s funeral.  The story that caught my eye was about a certain woman (a strong, brave woman) that cast a millstone upon Abimelech’s head and broke his skull.  I think mom may have admired this very strong brave woman!

2 Samuel 8-9: There was a postcard of the rapture showing a depiction of what it might look like when Jesus returns for us.  One of the images looked eerily like the plane crashing into one of the Twin Towers on 9/11.  The verse that caught my attention here was 2 Samuel 9:1. David inquired if Saul had any relatives left that he could show kindness to for his friend Jonathan’s sake.  After all the grief Jonathan’s father Saul had put David through; David still wanted to show kindness to Jonathan’s family.  Now, that’s love!

There were other things in my mother’s Bible; but perhaps I found the key to her success, and her longsuffering, in a bookmark she had tucked away at 2 Kings 13-14.

The front of the bookmark reads.  

Seven Steps for Spirit Restoration 

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

The back of the bookmark says…   

Seek to Restore a Right Spirit by…

1.       LISTENING more than talking

2.       GIVING more than taking

3.       TRUSTING more than doubting

4.       SMILING more than frowning

5.       RESPONDING more than questioning

6.       COMPLEMENTING more than complaining

7.       SERVING more than demanding

The bookmark was distributed by the World Literature Crusade, Box 1313, Studio City, CA 91604 many, many years ago.  I think my mother took the advice to heart; though I don’t think I understood that until this morning.

I didn't have a good relationship with my parents.  But, they were my parents, and for better or worse I am bound to them through love and blood.  I must forgive their faults as I want mine forgiven.  The same Lord Jesus Christ who died to save me died to save them.  I must thank God for the good times and let go of the bad ones so I can move forward and find my Joy in my relationship with Him.