Lent 2018
Lent is the 40 days before Easter, not including Sundays. It is a time set a part to give consideration to the 40 days Jesus spent fasting and being tested by satan in the desert before He began his ministry. Even Jesus set Himself apart for a time on several occasions to call on and be strengthen by God as an example to us that in our busy lives. We need focused time with God to live in this lost and broken world.
3-12-18
March 12TH
I lost my dad (Robert Darby) to cancer when I was a senior in high school. Then when I was a senior in college, my mom (Inez) had a major stroke. He was 57 when he died and she was about that age when she had her disabling stroke. When I fell on my knees to God asking for Him to spare her life, He granted that prayer an she lived to be 82. Of course, many of those years were spent at Mitchell Hollingsworth.
Mom made lemonade from her lemons. She had told me years before she had the stroke that if something happened to keep her from her clear mind to put her in a nursing home. We tried other things first, but eventually I told her that we were going to try the nursing home. Well, she got there and enjoyed all the activities provided by the facility. Bingo and crafts that I especially remember.
We tried to fix her room like it was home for her. She had television, telephone, family pictures on the wall, etc. She definitely used the telephone! She would call everyone she knew when it was their birthday and wish them a “Happy Birthday”! If anyone called her with information about someone being sick, in the hospital or had died, she would call the pastor and give him the information. I remember Bro. Sam Graham and Clint Busler saying “she is always calling to let me know when she hears about someone being sick so I call her my assistant”.
Susan was living with us when mom first had the stroke because Jerry was stationed in Viet Nam. She was able to take mom to physical therapy and other places, also take care of her meals and other needs. Elma Ann and her family lived in the Chattanooga area. Tommy was in the Army and came when he was able. Then, when he was stationed in Huntsville and lived at home, he wanted to bring mom home to live with him, but she was NOT in favor of that. We always made a big deal of Mom’s birthday. Everyone who was able came and celebrated with her.
I lovingly remember how her sisters, (my aunts), Deedy, Ora Lee, and Olive Ruth would go every Saturday to her room and we all got to visit together.
When I realized that I was close to losing both my parents, I pleaded with God and He heard and answered my prayer.
James 5:16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
Shelia Rhodes
