Life Lessons From Mom - Think and Live!

My mother was a nurses' technical assistant at University Hospitals in Cleveland for 37 years.  She successfully reared six children and still found time to take care of people in the community and so many in her extended family.  She took the time to look pretty, smell good and she was an accomplished cook!  She had a signature smile that would light up a room.  From the outside, many people thought she had it "made!"  Very few people knew the challenges she faced with her marriage and so many other day to day obstacles. 

One day, it was all too much.  Too many life events were happening at once and mom could not see the light of day.  She loved the Lord and her children but this particular day, she couldn't get her bearings and she just felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. A thought popped into her head that she could just leave it all behind and just take a long walk into Lake Erie (we lived a stone's throw from the lake) and not look back.  My mother could not swim.  

Mom worked in the emergency room and typically it was teeming with activity.  This was a slow night and at one point there were no patients waiting to be seen.  She was in the linen room folding towels when she heard a voice say "You've  got a lot to live for, if you just think about it!" She quickly looked in the hall and there was no one there.  She realized that she had heard the voice of the Lord. He was letting her know that no matter how hard things might get, that she still had so much more of life to live. 

She told that story to many people to encourage them to hold on even when things looked bleak.  I thought of my mom's saying this weekend as I watched the University of South Carolina's running back, Marcus Lattimore, writhing in pain from a devastating knee injury.  He had just returned to his starting position after an injury to the other knee.  I can only imagine how discouraged he must have felt.  After just finishing the long rehabilitation with one knee he is facing an even longer road with a more serious injury. 

Marcus must have felt encouraged when he saw players from both teams rush to his side and knell in prayer and support.  By Monday, over a 1000 people gathered on campus to wish him happy birthday and to show their support.  He truly has a lot to live for and God spoke to him through the immediate show of support from so many.  

I don't know what you are going through right now but I do know that you have a lot to live for, if you just think about it!  Take Mother Hubbard's words to heart and live life to the fullest!

DJ