When I visited my mother in rehab after her hip replacement surgery, I ran into Geraldine, an old childhood friend (really, my sister’s old friend), who was visiting her mother-in-law. Geraldine later wheeled her mother-in-law into my mother’s room.
With body in the grips of old age and her mind being ravaged by time, this 90-year-old woman managed a very infectious smile. She struggled to remember us as her daughter-in-law revealed who we were.
When we told her how great she looked, the woman declared with a great smile, “Ain’t God good?”
- How many times to do you have to say that in life to be able to say it at the end of life? I wondered.
- How connected must one be to eternity in order to proclaim His goodness after three years in nursing home? I mused.
- How deep an intimacy must one have with God to say he is good when your closet relative is a daughter-in-law?
When I left my mother, I saw this woman sitting in her wheelchair in the hallway among other residents, also wizened by time. I waved. She brought an arthritic hand to her mouth and blew me a kiss. “I love you,” she said.
“I love you, too,” I replied.
Such a magnificent reflection of steadfast faith! Faith tried and tested! A life filled with hardships but at the end of the day — the end of life — she can still say, “Ain’t God good!” Marvelous! Let that always be the cry of those of us who love you, Father!
WHETHER PROCLAIMED BY DON MOEN IN A FOLKSY BLUEGRASS STYLE
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OR BY THE SOULFUL DEITRICK HADDON — THE BOTTOM LINE IS . . . “GOD IS GOOD”
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Things can always be worse, and to many the greatest gift is the gift of life. People who are able to focus on the positive in the midst of adversity are people who truly appreciate life and believe that He is good. They realize that no amount of pain or suffering will ever amount to what He has sacrificed for us. In addition, they believe there are better days ahead. I don’t think there are a certain number of times you have to say, “Ain’t God good” in order to be able to say it at the end of life. At the end of life if you truly believe He has been good to you, that one time may be the only time you say it. My grandmother worked in a nursing home for over thirty years, and sometimes I would go with her to visit her patients. There was one man in particular, probably in his mid-thirties at the time who was paralyzed from the waist down and did not have any family. The little things would put a smile on his face…bringing him a plate of Grandma’s Sunday dinner, a simple phone call, or even a book. I often wondered how and why he was so content being confined to a room and unable to really move…who could possibly be happy with that sentence? It is natural to go through a stage of depression, but eventually you have to make a choice. You can either spend the rest of your days being miserable and feeling sorry for yourself, or make the best of the unfortunate circumstances. Once you accept your situation, there may not be anything that you can do to change the outcome, but you can look forward to better days. An eternity with Him is worth so much more than any hardship life can ever bring. I have truly been blessed with a wonderful family and some fabulous friends, and I honestly cannot imagine life without them. For someone to be so content with their daughter-in-law being their closest relative, they must have a very deep intimacy with God. I’m sure that they believe their loved ones are in a far better place, and that they will see them again. For me, it is such an inspiration to come across people who are so devoted to God through all of their trials and tribulations. Their faith is unwavering and that just reminds me of His greatness.
But, V, if you have never said “Ain’t God Good?” can you really say it at the end of your life? I don’t know. I just know that I want to keep saying it now — while I can!
Love the visual of the paraplegic! It is so real. Love your insight most of all! Continue to pursue His heart as you have been!