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Hi there!

Well, it’s coming on 5 years – in April – since our dear Mother passed. And we’ve survived, as we guessed we would, but not without difficulty, and certainly not without missing her deeply. Life has moved on, and for all of us I’m sure there has been many things we would have shared with her if she were still with us, but there have also been happenings we’re glad she didn’t have to witness.

I’m thinking now in particular of the state our dear Dad is in. It would’ve been extremely difficult for her to see her dear “Milty” this way. I’ve wondered though if she wasn’t seeing signs of what was to came before she died, and could it be it broke her heart to the point of weakening her? I guess we’ll never know. But this I do know, he hasn’t failed her yet! That same indomitable optimism – even though at times we felt he took it too far – is still there! That cheerfulness in the face of distressing situations, that thankfulness, that love of his God, his love for us. Those things are still there, shining just as brightly as they ever have. The very “horror” our Mother feared, that of ending up in a rest home, has befallen our dear Father. But, we find to our amazement it’s not a horror, certainly not from his perspective. What more could he ask? His needs are so well taken care of by a staff who love him and have made the effort to glimpse the man in his mind, he has four, by now, familiar walls to dwell within, covered with the art and writings of his dear Margie, the chairs he loves to sit in, good food, of which he can partake any time he wants to – or so it has seemed to me. And, then all of a sudden, here comes a familiar person, walking down the hall, arms outstretched waiting to fold him in a familiar “oh-oh”, someone, bless him, that in the meantime he’d forgotten existed! I heard a saying awhile back that is somewhat humorous, but oh so true. “What they don’t tell you about losing your mind is that you don’t even miss it!” Sad for us looking on maybe, but a blessing for him, I would say.

I am very glad the Lord took Mom so she didn’t have to go to a rest home, but I have also found that Dad ending up in one has not been the end of the world. And you know what? It’s him that’s taught me that. And how has he done it, even with his mind so compromised? It seems to me that now when just about everything has been stripped away, the important things are still there. As Doug put it, the Lord gave him ten talents of thankfulness, optimism, whatever you want to call it, and now when he needs them the most, because he used them so well in the thick of life, God has multiplied them tenfold in his sunset years, even to the point of taking what little someone else has and giving it to him. How many stories haven’t we heard of how he has reacted to his fellow residents who have not even used their one talent of cheerfulness, having griped at him, and he looks at them and throws back his head and laughs? Still upbeat, still happy, still joyful. Wow! Is it too late for me to cultivate that? Oh I hope not!

This website has been revamped and I hope it’ll get a lot of visits. In taking over with Praise Hymn Publishers, what I want most of all is for the values that Mom and Dad stood for to be kept alive and passed along. Share what you have so we can all benefit. Inspirations, memories, happenings, whatever the case may be. (Didn’t Dad say that a lot?) And even though it is what it is – another of his – let’s enjoy! God Bless! I love you all!

Written by: Geneva Boehs

Time Passing