She Showed Me Happiness

I stood there for a moment, in the doorway of the hospital room where my mother laid staring at the ceiling. The medal brace that was holding her neck in place, looked so confining. I had never seen her so still. I remember looking at dad as if to say “How is she going to possibly get through this? How are you going to get through this?” Holding back the tears, I walked over to her bedside, and gently touched her hand. “Mom, how are you doing?” I asked. “Oh, honey, I’m alright” she said.

Soon after my arrival, the doctor stopped by with the news. He explained that the first two vertebra's in her neck had been broken and that it was a miracle she was walking. He proceeded to instructed us on how to care for her and made it a point to let us know that the road to recovery would be a long one. With a confidence in his voice he made this statement “She’ll be wearing this neck brace for year or so.” Knowing mom, I’m sure she was thinking…but I know the Great Physician and in His time I will be healed.

( She was completely heal after 8 months and no brace was needed!)

Mom had been home about a month after the accident when I noticed that she seemed to be depressed, which had never been a part of her life. There was a sadness in her eyes, sadness I’d never seen, so I asked her what’s wrong. “You seem so unhappy, it’s not like you, mom”. That’s when she looked at me with tears in her eyes and with a broken voice replied “I can’t read my bible because of this brace.” I immediately jumped up and went looking for her bible. There it laid, right next to her rocking chair were she had left it before the accident. Returning to the table, I sat down and began reading God’s Word to her. In a instant, her smile had returned. I could see the tears being replaced with joy and the darkness had disappeared .

It didn’t take long for us to figure a way to place the bible in front of her, so that she could spend time with her Father. Reading His Word was a daily lifeline for her. Every morning she would sit in her chair with her bible and devotions in her lap to learn more about our wonderful Creator. Then she would bow her head and begin her conversation with Abba Father.

I’m not sure why God blessed me with this wonderful mother, but I will be forever grateful. I learned on that day what my mother already knew; happiness doesn’t come by the way you feel but by Who you know.