Thank You for My Parents

With the passing of my mother in October, someone, quite frankly, asked how it felt to be an orphan since both of my parents had now died. I had never thought of myself as being orphaned, and as I considered his question, I began to think about it. Immediately, I began to give thanks to God in realizing that my committed Christian parents, and their committed Christian family and friends, had set examples that would never leave me feeling orphaned.

As the Christmas season approaches, rather than be melancholy thinking about my parents now both being gone, I choose to be thankful for the many lessons they taught me. These lessons will sustain me for the rest of my earthly days and hopefully have been embedded into the minds of my children who can continue to pass these examples on to their own children.

I am thankful that I had parents that made it a point to be at church each week and to find a church on the rare Sundays we were out of town.

Both taught me the importance of forgiveness and for the reminder that I can only control myself and not others. I am thankful that my father led the singing in church when I was young, and even at Lebanon FUMC when the early worship service was first started. (Ironically, I think this gift was a model for my oldest son who is a music/worship leader in a church today.) I am thankful my mother exhibited the importance of the gift of service – usually in the form of baked goods or a meal, serving on the altar guild, or keeping the Lebanon FUMC courtyard in tiptop shape. My mother’s commitment to caring for her aging in-laws, her own parents, neighbors and friends gave me the example to follow suit as primary caregiver for her and my father in their last few years.

I am thankful for my parents’ committed friends and family members who mailed cards, made visits, prayed with them. took them fruit or treats, and loved them even when dementia and Alzheimer's had robbed them of understanding who these friends even were. I am grateful for the assisted living home staff that loved my parents unconditionally even when things got challenging in their final days. I am grateful for medical staff and hospice who patiently guided me through their disease progression. I am thankful for a husband who listened to my frustrations repeatedly in being unable to do more, or questioning my decisions on their behalf.

I am thankful for the opportunity and learned lessons in being a doer, a respite-giver and a listener. May we all strive to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Thank you, God, for the gift of having committed Christian parents that showed me the importance of spreading hope, joy, peace and love not only during the Advent season, but throughout the year. Amen.

Reflect & Respond

• Do you have any "empty chairs" at your holiday celebrations this season? How do you handle the absence of people you miss?
• Who first brought you to church and how old were you? What did you think/feel about it?
• Who has been the hands and feet of Jesus to you?