Pondering upon the passing of time. The quick transitions, winds of opposition, winds of fortune, loss, lack, love, & levity. I can’t help but see the beautiful smile of my late mother amidst the movement of time. Jeanina Belle had a way to bring laughter, smiles, faith, and strength to any occasion. She was a calming presence and wore the love that she shared on her shoulders. If she was for you, you knew it. And if she was against you, I never knew it. She was the voice that embraced and pushed me in all my endeavors: sports, writing, arts, dance, and the list goes on. She was also the one who showed me what faith looks like in the face of adversity.

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She suffered from cancer for a year or two before my siblings and I learned about it. When we did learn of it, it was like time took her before we could really understand what was happening. I owe that to my father also because they never panicked under pressure. They prayed and continued to walk out their faith before us and others. Cancer, there is a lot to be said about it. With today’s medications, it would seem that early detection is key. Nevertheless, there are higher survival rates even when detected in later stages. Yet, just like the wind, it can shift at any moment. Her cancer spread from the breast, to the spinal cord, to a tumor in the brain. She went from long, flowing, beautiful black curly and sometimes straight hair to bald and beautiful. She had her breast removed, but that didn’t stop it. Cancer had its way, but through it all, she never lost her faith in Christ or the love she had for my father and her children. She was and is amazing.

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But why am I writing about her? This painting reminds me of not only her struggles in life but how PERSUADED she was concerning her faith and even her healing. Her look was piercing, positive, and powerful. It showed that through it all, she would overcome any obstacle standing in her way. Even on her deathbed, unable to formulate a full sentence because of the tumor on her brain, she rested on the recliner and waited for Father Tom to come and say the last prayer. She smiled and told me to blow my nose. Then she looked up, and her light was ushered into the arms of Jesus. I saw it and remember it; it was like she was LIFTED.

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When caring for someone you love that has a terminal or chronic illness, we (on the outside) can never really understand the angst within our loved one. With that being said, our loved one can never really understand the angst that the caregiver goes through watching as they diminish day by day. Emotions can literally erupt like a volcano, destroying all sensitivity within its vicinity. Words can cut quick, sharp, and deep. The mind can feel like it is comatose, no rhyme, no reason. The heart can feel broken, helpless, lifeless. And the lung can feel suffocated, no breath, and with no strength to live.

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These times will come, no matter how long we have embraced the situation, experienced the ups and downs of the illness, or the unpredictable winds of its terror. We should understand that now, later, or in-between time, we are going to have to deal with times of dark uncertainty. I want you to be encouraged that there is a time and a season for all things under the sun. This too shall pass, and you shall grow and become stronger, wiser, and full of joy.

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A few points to ponder:

1. Words have power. Choose them wisely with love and tenderness because both the afflicted and the caregiver are experiencing hurts, pressure, and bouts of irrational behavior.
2. Love, Love, and again Love. Love is the blanket for our brokenness, the strength in our weakness, and the clarity in what we do not fully understand.
3. If at all possible, put your loved one before yourself. Sickness can produce different levels of irrational thought. Compassion, empathy, & sympathy will help keep the situation as it is without distorting the moment or making it too personal.
4. Embrace the beauty of life so that we can appreciate the brevity of it.
5. Grace is God’s Divine hand guiding, keeping, and comforting us in times of change.

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Be PERSUADED This Too Shall Pass.

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