My Mom's Story

Goodness, it has been a while since I wrote a post, so I apologize for that. I have been wanting to share my mom's story, but timing was very key. Now we're ready, and hope that you can benefit from the telling of God's grace in our lives. 

Many of my blog readers know the story of what happened to my mom, or at least know the basics. Now that much of the chaos has subsided, and my mom has approved of this telling, I will share the story of the tragedy, her continuing journey, and ultimately, God’s goodness.

Friday, November 30 around 6:30pm, I was getting ready for my best friend’s birthday party. Some of the boys were over practicing a perfectly hilarious skit to make our dear Claire laugh, and I was putting in some earrings when I got the phone call.

“Hello, are you Melanie? My name is (calm, nice lady) and I’m with your mom. She has been in a car accident.  She is all right, and she is talking. She asked me to call you and to tell your dad what happened.”

Panic. Fear. Slow down. Calm. She said she was all right; I just need to tell Dad.

Phone. More panic. Confusion. Many more phone calls. Calm.

My dad headed to the hospital, and I continued to slowly put on clothes and tell the boys what had happened. We would wait to hear more news, and go to the hospital afterward. Everything was mediocrely ok. Press on to have a good time, and not disappoint my lovely.

Then the second call came that turned mediocre into terror and tears. The other driver didn’t make it.

In a moment of falling apart, my brother’s first response was intense prayer that solidified our faith in our Father, even in terrible and confusing situations. I felt His Presence as I wept for many things. We left for the ER.

From that point on were days of grief, bewilderment, and pain; but never despair. The immediate reactions of our family and closest friends were the pure image of grace God designed for us. The ER room was overflowing with loving family and the most beautiful friends all there to support my mom and us. I had to laugh at the twelve other faces I saw before finding my dad (the only one I expected). The continuous flow of people didn’t stop as my mom’s hospital room was rarely without guests, flowers, and encouragement.

Her delightful friends covered her walls floor to ceiling with Scripture to keep her focused on what was important. Though tragedy surrounded her, she continued to look only to the One who could carry her through. Physically, just her leg was broken, but inside she had a much bigger battle to fight.

She shared some visions that God gave her about what she was going through. My favourite one is a picture of a huge canyon with just a swinging rope bridge going across. My sweet mother is standing on one side, knowing she needs to cross. But she is screaming in terror at God telling Him she can’t. She’s terribly afraid of heights in reality, and this journey seems like too much to bear. To face people. To find out more. To overcome the grief and guilt. To move forward. She asks God about the other people in her life who love her. He says to her, “They can’t walk this bridge for you, but they’re all on the other side waiting for you, and they’re pulling the ropes tighter to make it a little easier to cross.” And so she is crossing.

My mama is one of the toughest, bravest people I know, and has far too much love in her heart for a daughter like me. When she was in the scary ER, we held hands as she started to cry, and I said, “Mom, you get your focus right. You don’t think about anything else but Jesus.” She did, and she did it with such grace and beauty. She spoke only of God’s goodness and mercy, and kept looking to Him. It’s something you can hear about a thousand times, but it’s something else completely when you’re looking at it. My mom built her house before the storm, and had a strong foundation when it came. She could have been rocked, blown over, finished, too overwhelmed to go on. But she had a firm anchor like I’ve never seen. It’s a gigantic testimony to others to build up your foundation NOW, not when tragedy hits.

Some of the other things this accident has shown us is the love for each other within our family and never taking the people around us for granted, an increased love and concern for hurting people, and the most gorgeous picture of grace we need to extend, as we have received it in such abundance. So many people have been affected by her story, and she will continue to use what she can from it to glorify God.  

People are often asking me how she is doing, and I asked her how I should appropriately respond to that. She told me to tell of His goodness and unfailing love, and the work He is doing in her heart.  Her leg is still healing, and her journey isn’t over, but we serve a good God, and that is all that matters.

I love you, mama.