My 92 year old mother came to stay with me here in northern Wisconsin for 3 weeks. Following a stroke in February of this year, she has been living in a nursing home in Nebraska ever since, so our days together here in my home were precious.
We loved having her visit, and did our best to fill her days with flowers, small children, campfires and music. Memories were definitely made, but sadly enough, not retained. Ever since the clot lodged itself on the left side of her brain, short term memories are not saved. She has no recollection of even being here.
Our roles in life are now reversed, and after helping her brush her teeth, find her room, and put on her pink pajamas, I would tuck her into bed with a hug and ask her if she wanted to pray. As I sat on the edge of the bed, holding her soft hands in mine, she would pray with tears streaming down her cheeks. Hands that were once strong are now curly crippled, and though they are loosing their grip, she would squeeze my hands in hers as she would talk to her Heavenly Father who has not forgotten her.
After thanking Him for taking care of her, she simply asked Him if He would help her “…think clearly, because I am having such a hard time with my brain.”
An astounding request laid at the feet of the King of the Universe who is both Omniscient and Omnipotent. The One who is all knowing, and has the power to dissolve that microscopic clogging of red blood cells in her brain listened, and for all I could tell did not grant her request. Apparently, this loss of memory, this loss of memories, this lack of grip on this world will be her struggle while she completes her final days here on earth.
I find myself frequently in a fog of forgetfulness. Sailing along in glassy waters, I can take my eyes off of the Rock of my salvation. Cares of this world, wrong priorities, and forgotten vows are just a few of the mists that can slip in, and begin to block my clear view of God. When my vision of God gets cloudy, my thinking is no longer clear. I need to remember:
Lord! Help me think clearly.
It is a matter of survival.
Lord! Help me think clearly.
When I’m loosing my grip,
Lord! Help me think clearly.
When I don’t see You in all of Your glory,
Lord! Help me think clearly.
When I don’t know what to do,
Lord! Help me think clearly.
When the powers of darkness threaten to deceive me,
Lord! Help me think clearly.
When I’m sailing off course,
Lord! Help me think clearly!
How thankful I am for the prayer of such a forgetful, but very wise mother.
One day my mother’s prayer will be answered, when we are all safely anchored in our heavenly haven. Not only will we all be able to think clearly, but we will all be able to see clearly. And to borrow words from old favorite song of mine, “It’s gonna be a bright, bright, sun-shiny day.”
Photo credit: Summer Pederson
Nash, Johnny. (1972). I Can See Clearly Now.
the good old way 