Every Hour
copyright 2019 Mollie Bozarth
As many of my readers know, we moved my grandma up from Virginia and into my house just a few short weeks before she passed away. Those weeks were tough, but not for the reasons I expected. I felt that helping take care of an elderly woman dealing with severe physical pain and slight dementia brought out the worst in me. I’m a problem-solver by nature. I couldn’t take away the pain. And I couldn’t talk her into a calm state if she got flustered about papers she thought she’d misplaced or pills she was keeping track of. The hospice care worker and my mom were excellent in these situations. But I’d end up impatiently giving up and heading to bed, trying to guard my sanity for the next day’s work. That being said, I wouldn’t have traded the few weeks she was here for anything. It gave my nieces, nephews and siblings a chance to really spend time with Grandma before she passed away. My brother and his little girls would pop over as often as they were able. And we all had a perfect family weekend with her over Labor Day, just before she took a turn for the worse.
One of my favorite memories of Grandma’s time here was a simple car ride. We were driving to my mom’s house, and I had the radio turned to WBGL. The song Lord, I Need You by Matt Maher came on. This is one of my grandma’s (and frankly one of my) favorite worship songs. She started singing softly. I joined in. I can remember exactly what light we were sitting at, waiting to cross the highway and turn into Mom’s subdivision. The lyrics say, “Teach my song to rise to you when temptation comes my way. When I cannot stand I’ll fall on you. Jesus, you’re my hope and stay. I need you, oh I need you. Every hour I need you. My one defense, my righteousness. Oh, God, how I need you.” We both knew she would be headed home to Heaven soon. But we got to share a moment of heaven on earth there in the car. And what a humbling and peaceful moment it was. To sit next to a woman I loved and admired…my prayer warrior grandmother…and simply worship together. In the midst of all her pain, she knew Whose arms to fall into. She embraced her need of Him above all else.
This painting was completed for my mom as a Christmas gift. I chose the scene because it’s her entire family…all of whom are gone now. But it’s them at a time long ago when life was simple and childhood safe. The photo was taken about a year before Mom’s parents and grandparents became Christians. They did not know their need for Christ when this snapshot took place. Yet, in spite of the happy family and safe, stable life, something in them realized that there could be more. Their faith would create a domino-effect on generations to come. And that same faith would carry them through deep deep waters, family struggles, illnesses that only God knew were coming. I am so glad that nearly 60 years after this photo was taken, right up to the final moments of her life, my grandma continued to love God with her whole heart. Every hour, we need Him. Every hour, He is faithful. May I (and all of us) hold tightly to that truth as we head into 2020.
molliebozarth 