1 More Day...to be Known
My sweet mom lived 89 years of a beautiful life. I adored her. She was a good woman. I was the baby or "caboose" of the family (as my daddy would say). My mom and I were very close. She was a rock. A giver. A believer. An avid reader. She lived through the Great Depression and had seen the best and worst of times. She was married to the love of her life for nearly 60 years before he passed. She was a saver of everything because one never knew when she might need it. She never bought anything unless it was on sale or she had a coupon. She was a giver and believed in serving others.
I knew my mom well - but she was raised in a different time - not every detail of one's life was to be shared. So about 15 years ago I gave her a book entitled "All About Me." A book with hundreds of questions - a personal time capsule of sorts. I gave it to her for Christmas and asked that she fill it out and give it to me the next Christmas as my gift. It was all I wanted - to know her better.
Time passed and we both forgot about the book. Throughout the years, I would occasionally ask about it and she would say she was still working on it.
During my mom's final days, my brother found the book and brought it to me. I carefully read each word written by her hands.
Knowing my mom's thoughts - what a gift: She wished for less crime, feared pollution, wanted drugs and cigarettes banned, despised the term "The Man Upstair", and desired a robot maid. Her favorite color was purple, favorite flower - rose, favorite number 4, favorite book - the Bible, favorite author - Billy Graham, favorite time of time - late afternoon, and favorite place to sit in the house was the recliner.
With each new year, she wanted to "Let me do better." Her motto was, "If you don't like it, try it anyway." And if her voice could broadcast all over the world at midnight for the new year, she would want to say this: "God loves you."
And there it was. My mom - still teaching me with her unspoken words.
I have thought of that book so often over the last few weeks. Don't we all desire to be known - for those that love us to really "know" us. Our spouse shouldn't have to ask us what we want to eat - they should "know." They should know our fears and our shoe size. But they don't know everything. But God does. What a loving Father we have that knows us - really knows us. He doesn't need a book to learn about our dreams, our favorite winter memory, and a lie we tell ourselves. He knows. He knows everything. And He loves us.
"O lord, you have examined my heart and you know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. you go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!...Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." Psalms 139:1-6, 16.
Take comfort today, my friend. You are known - every single detail. And you are LOVED!