Living in Hope
Stories
“I know they’ll come.” Mary shifted in her wheelchair but kept looking out the window.
“I’m not sure.” Karen looked up from making Mary’s bed. “The weather isn’t very good and the traffic is moving pretty slow.”
“Dave said that he and the kids will be here so I’m sure they will make it.” Mary turned to Karen. “He didn’t call and say he wouldn’t be here, did he?”
Karen shook her head. “I just don’t want you to be disappointed if they aren’t able to make it in for a visit.”
Mary smiled at her care giver. “If they don’t make it today they’ll make it tomorrow or the next day.”
Karen smiled at her. “They may have to wait as the weather is pretty bad outside.”
“If the storm is that bad I don’t want them to come and visit.” Mary tilted her head. “Having them visit is perhaps going to be the highlight of this holiday season but there can be other times for me to see them.”
“You could chat with them on the computer.” Karen nodded at the machine set up in the corner. “Or you could talk to them on the phone.”
“I could but seeing them in person is just that much better.” She turned back to the window. “Anyway half the fun of having them visit is the excitement in waiting. I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas morning.”
“I wish I had your attitude.” Karen sat at the edge of the bed.
Mary wheeled away from the window to face Karen. “Why?”
“You always see the best in things. For so many people the holiday season is filled with disappointments.”
“Did Shaun not make it home this year?”
Karen sighed. “No, his ship was deployed before he could get leave.”
Mary rolled over and took Karen’s hand. “I’m so sorry. Do you know where he is?”
“They are with the carrier fleet somewhere in the pacific. I mean I know that he will call me in a couple of days but you’re right, there is nothing like seeing a loved one in person.” Karen wiped at her face. “I miss him so much when he is away.”
“You really do love him, don’t you?”
Karen nodded. “He makes me feel special and is good to me.”
“Then he’s a keeper. You deserve to have someone who makes you happy.”
Karen looked down. “I think maybe he was going to purpose this year.”
Mary squeezed her hand. “I don’t doubt it. You’re quite a catch yourself.”
“Mary, you’re so sweet.” Karen flushed. “I worry about him though. I worry about him and all the crew on his ship.”
“That’s perfectly natural,” Mary said. “I think everyone with someone in the military worries about them. I know I did.”
“Who served in your family?”
“My Jim was overseas during the war.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Yes, he was in the Army. He didn’t like to talk about it so none of us did.” Mary looked up for a moment and then back at Karen. “Being away from him was difficult but when he came home it was like the world was starting again.”
“I can understand that.” Karen looked at the picture of Mary and Jim on the dresser. “How do you stand being apart from a loved one?”
Mary smiled. “Did you hear Pastor Ken this morning at chapel when he talked about the people waiting for Jesus?”
Karen nodded. “I was in the hallway but I heard him.”
“Just remember to keep praying for Dave when you’re apart and keep thinking about how sweet it will be when he comes home. If you give your worry and fear to God then you can rest in the hope of being together and the good things that will come later.” Mary smiled. “When you hope you hold onto the good memories of the past and you imagine the good memories you will make when your loved one is back with you.”
“That sounds so much better than worrying all the time.”
“It is. Trust me.”
Karen looked at the resident for a moment and then leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Mary rolled back toward the window. “I think I’ll just look out the window and think about how wonderful it will be to see my children and grandchildren again. Can you let me know if they call?”
“I certainly will.” Karen headed for the door. “I’ll leave you to your good memories of what was and your hope for what will be.”
*****************************************
StoryShare, January 6, 2022 issue.
Copyright 2022 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
“I’m not sure.” Karen looked up from making Mary’s bed. “The weather isn’t very good and the traffic is moving pretty slow.”
“Dave said that he and the kids will be here so I’m sure they will make it.” Mary turned to Karen. “He didn’t call and say he wouldn’t be here, did he?”
Karen shook her head. “I just don’t want you to be disappointed if they aren’t able to make it in for a visit.”
Mary smiled at her care giver. “If they don’t make it today they’ll make it tomorrow or the next day.”
Karen smiled at her. “They may have to wait as the weather is pretty bad outside.”
“If the storm is that bad I don’t want them to come and visit.” Mary tilted her head. “Having them visit is perhaps going to be the highlight of this holiday season but there can be other times for me to see them.”
“You could chat with them on the computer.” Karen nodded at the machine set up in the corner. “Or you could talk to them on the phone.”
“I could but seeing them in person is just that much better.” She turned back to the window. “Anyway half the fun of having them visit is the excitement in waiting. I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas morning.”
“I wish I had your attitude.” Karen sat at the edge of the bed.
Mary wheeled away from the window to face Karen. “Why?”
“You always see the best in things. For so many people the holiday season is filled with disappointments.”
“Did Shaun not make it home this year?”
Karen sighed. “No, his ship was deployed before he could get leave.”
Mary rolled over and took Karen’s hand. “I’m so sorry. Do you know where he is?”
“They are with the carrier fleet somewhere in the pacific. I mean I know that he will call me in a couple of days but you’re right, there is nothing like seeing a loved one in person.” Karen wiped at her face. “I miss him so much when he is away.”
“You really do love him, don’t you?”
Karen nodded. “He makes me feel special and is good to me.”
“Then he’s a keeper. You deserve to have someone who makes you happy.”
Karen looked down. “I think maybe he was going to purpose this year.”
Mary squeezed her hand. “I don’t doubt it. You’re quite a catch yourself.”
“Mary, you’re so sweet.” Karen flushed. “I worry about him though. I worry about him and all the crew on his ship.”
“That’s perfectly natural,” Mary said. “I think everyone with someone in the military worries about them. I know I did.”
“Who served in your family?”
“My Jim was overseas during the war.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Yes, he was in the Army. He didn’t like to talk about it so none of us did.” Mary looked up for a moment and then back at Karen. “Being away from him was difficult but when he came home it was like the world was starting again.”
“I can understand that.” Karen looked at the picture of Mary and Jim on the dresser. “How do you stand being apart from a loved one?”
Mary smiled. “Did you hear Pastor Ken this morning at chapel when he talked about the people waiting for Jesus?”
Karen nodded. “I was in the hallway but I heard him.”
“Just remember to keep praying for Dave when you’re apart and keep thinking about how sweet it will be when he comes home. If you give your worry and fear to God then you can rest in the hope of being together and the good things that will come later.” Mary smiled. “When you hope you hold onto the good memories of the past and you imagine the good memories you will make when your loved one is back with you.”
“That sounds so much better than worrying all the time.”
“It is. Trust me.”
Karen looked at the resident for a moment and then leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Mary rolled back toward the window. “I think I’ll just look out the window and think about how wonderful it will be to see my children and grandchildren again. Can you let me know if they call?”
“I certainly will.” Karen headed for the door. “I’ll leave you to your good memories of what was and your hope for what will be.”
*****************************************
StoryShare, January 6, 2022 issue.
Copyright 2022 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
