I could probably write 100 blog posts about all that has happened in life since I last wrote 5 months ago in February: The Wedding of the Hospitality Manager and her Engineer in April and all the precious moments surrounding it, the advent of a son in the family, the life and times of a woman (me) sandwiched between 2 generations, the loss of The Golden Retriever for 24 hours (which almost broke my heart but strengthened my faith), 2 visits to Ocracoke Island during this time frame, another visit to Hatteras (where I currently am) for my hubby’s family’s 15th annual beach trip, my new hobby as a Beek (beekeeper); I could go on and on. And all of these things have been completely enwrapped, enfolded, surrounded, enveloped, cradled, covered, encompassed, hemmed in, hugged (you get the picture, and thank you, Roget) in God’s precious grace which I have written about time and time again.
But perhaps the most purposeful and meaningful activity I’ve had is the time I’m spending with Aunt Blanche. God is using it to change me, shape me, and mold me into a person that might be just a little less self-centered and a little more useful to Him.
Aunt Blanche is the second youngest of 9 children and the only child left of Blanche and Charles Hyde, originally of Hagerstown, Maryland. Charles was a gentleman farmer for Governor William Thomas Hamilton of Maryland. Although 2 of their children died at a very young age, the rest grew up, were well-educated and very successful in life (in ministry, in railroad, in hotel management, in finance, in racehorse rearing, racing and ownership, in oil, etc.) The 2 girls out of this family of boys left home and started careers at an early age.
Aunt Blanche is 101 years old. She is the younger sis of my grandmother, Julia, who passed away 53 years ago.
Aunt Blanche is a hearty and fiercely independent 101 year old. She is in good health but is hard of hearing, partially blind, and has the memory of Dory from Finding Nemo. So she needs a little help these days. She never had children....
but she has me.
An extremely aggressive skin cancer appeared on her face about 2 months ago and has wreaked havoc on her beautiful, joy-lined face and has caused great disfigurement. I can’t go into detail because it is a bit repulsive, and I don’t do well with repulsive.
She is currently in the midst of 18 rounds of radiation therapy treatments and emergency surgery. She will hopefully be finished by the middle of next month. I am her eyes, ears, mind, chauffeur and companion in the midst of all this.
Here is what I’m learning:
about myself: I am impatient, anxiety-ridden, self-possessed, faithless and don’t want to be burdened by anyone or have my time taken up with other people’s problems or grossed out by other people’s imperfections. I am really not very good with elderly people.
about God: He is turning me into a patient, peaceful, selfless, faithful person who is finding joy in the time I have left with Aunt Blanche. He is teaching me that I can also share my burden with other loving family members (my mom, my sis-in-law, and my brother) and that I don’t have to shoulder all of this burden ("Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest...) I am becoming a work of His grace and sanctification and I can joyfully turn a burden into a blessing of huge proportion. I can look at Aunt Blanche’s cancer-ridden face now and love it. THIS IS GRACE.
about Aunt Blanche: she is a faithful, positive warrior who has not been defeated by this latest attempt by the enemy. She joyfully gets up morning after morning (“this, too, shall pass”, she says) to go to the cancer center, to put on her Hannibal Lecter mask for radiation treatment, to get her oatmeal cookie in the waiting room to which she eagerly awaits after treatment, and she laughs all the way home as we drive, celebrating the beauty of each day. When she repeatedly says in the car, “God, please take me home”, I say, "Aunt Blanche, God is using you in a powerful way right now. He’s not finished with you yet. I’m the one that needs you right now!!!” We laugh some more and carry on. THIS IS ALSO GRACE.
about other people: some can be very cruel: like some in her retirement community who have asked not to be seated with or near her in the dining room because of her disfigurement, which is hurtful to her. They are also in great need of God and His grace.
more about Aunt Blanche: she had a hysterectomy at age 18 and that’s why she didn’t have children. (I never knew that). She prayed for a husband who didn’t care about having children. She met Eric, an artist and map-maker, who didn’t want children because of his painting and who had also prayed for a wife who didn’t care about having children. (I never knew that either). They were a match made in heaven. Eric was also a spiritual mentor for my father. Eric was killed in a plane crash over Peru in the late 1950’s. In Aunt Blanche’s late 50’s, she met Uncle Walt, head of Cancer Research at NIH. They married and he took her around the world with his work (including USSR and China way before anyone could travel there). They lived a blissful life giving us magical historical night tours of DC where they lived and taking us on magical shopping trips there (magical to me, a young teenage girl)!!!!! She brought me souvenirs of their travels. Uncle Walt died of old age about 20 years ago. She has been my inspiration as family matriarch most of my life.
about life: I can do all things through Christ who gives me what I need and when I need it and in a double portion if I need it! (See Phil. 4:13,1 Sam. 1:5, 2 Kings 2:9, Is. 61:7) AND THIS IS GRACE.
I will write again soon for my 2 Ocracoke fans. Stay tuned...
But perhaps the most purposeful and meaningful activity I’ve had is the time I’m spending with Aunt Blanche. God is using it to change me, shape me, and mold me into a person that might be just a little less self-centered and a little more useful to Him.
Aunt Blanche is the second youngest of 9 children and the only child left of Blanche and Charles Hyde, originally of Hagerstown, Maryland. Charles was a gentleman farmer for Governor William Thomas Hamilton of Maryland. Although 2 of their children died at a very young age, the rest grew up, were well-educated and very successful in life (in ministry, in railroad, in hotel management, in finance, in racehorse rearing, racing and ownership, in oil, etc.) The 2 girls out of this family of boys left home and started careers at an early age.
Aunt Blanche is 101 years old. She is the younger sis of my grandmother, Julia, who passed away 53 years ago.
Aunt Blanche is a hearty and fiercely independent 101 year old. She is in good health but is hard of hearing, partially blind, and has the memory of Dory from Finding Nemo. So she needs a little help these days. She never had children....
but she has me.
An extremely aggressive skin cancer appeared on her face about 2 months ago and has wreaked havoc on her beautiful, joy-lined face and has caused great disfigurement. I can’t go into detail because it is a bit repulsive, and I don’t do well with repulsive.
She is currently in the midst of 18 rounds of radiation therapy treatments and emergency surgery. She will hopefully be finished by the middle of next month. I am her eyes, ears, mind, chauffeur and companion in the midst of all this.
Here is what I’m learning:
about myself: I am impatient, anxiety-ridden, self-possessed, faithless and don’t want to be burdened by anyone or have my time taken up with other people’s problems or grossed out by other people’s imperfections. I am really not very good with elderly people.
about God: He is turning me into a patient, peaceful, selfless, faithful person who is finding joy in the time I have left with Aunt Blanche. He is teaching me that I can also share my burden with other loving family members (my mom, my sis-in-law, and my brother) and that I don’t have to shoulder all of this burden ("Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest...) I am becoming a work of His grace and sanctification and I can joyfully turn a burden into a blessing of huge proportion. I can look at Aunt Blanche’s cancer-ridden face now and love it. THIS IS GRACE.
about Aunt Blanche: she is a faithful, positive warrior who has not been defeated by this latest attempt by the enemy. She joyfully gets up morning after morning (“this, too, shall pass”, she says) to go to the cancer center, to put on her Hannibal Lecter mask for radiation treatment, to get her oatmeal cookie in the waiting room to which she eagerly awaits after treatment, and she laughs all the way home as we drive, celebrating the beauty of each day. When she repeatedly says in the car, “God, please take me home”, I say, "Aunt Blanche, God is using you in a powerful way right now. He’s not finished with you yet. I’m the one that needs you right now!!!” We laugh some more and carry on. THIS IS ALSO GRACE.
about other people: some can be very cruel: like some in her retirement community who have asked not to be seated with or near her in the dining room because of her disfigurement, which is hurtful to her. They are also in great need of God and His grace.
more about Aunt Blanche: she had a hysterectomy at age 18 and that’s why she didn’t have children. (I never knew that). She prayed for a husband who didn’t care about having children. She met Eric, an artist and map-maker, who didn’t want children because of his painting and who had also prayed for a wife who didn’t care about having children. (I never knew that either). They were a match made in heaven. Eric was also a spiritual mentor for my father. Eric was killed in a plane crash over Peru in the late 1950’s. In Aunt Blanche’s late 50’s, she met Uncle Walt, head of Cancer Research at NIH. They married and he took her around the world with his work (including USSR and China way before anyone could travel there). They lived a blissful life giving us magical historical night tours of DC where they lived and taking us on magical shopping trips there (magical to me, a young teenage girl)!!!!! She brought me souvenirs of their travels. Uncle Walt died of old age about 20 years ago. She has been my inspiration as family matriarch most of my life.
about life: I can do all things through Christ who gives me what I need and when I need it and in a double portion if I need it! (See Phil. 4:13,1 Sam. 1:5, 2 Kings 2:9, Is. 61:7) AND THIS IS GRACE.
This is Aunt Blanche 6 years ago at her 95th birthday.
I will write again soon for my 2 Ocracoke fans. Stay tuned...
Leah,
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing about your Aunt and for revealing your heart's joys along with struggles. Your honesty convicted me and pointed me to Christ. You are loved and were missed today. ❤️
Praying for your Aunt as she lives to His glory but looks with longing towards Heaven with Jesus.
Leah, your concise, heartfelt accounts of GOD's very personal lessons inspire me, too. Caregiver's acronym inspired by Leah and her Aunt Blanche: a CAREGIVER is one who: Cares About Returning Encouragement - GOD's Instrumental Visitor Extending Relief
ReplyDeleteYour heart is connecting with her heart, whether she can express it to you or not. May GOD continue to show His love through you and give you peace. Love and hugs, Bonnie Schmitt
Thank you for sharing her with us. ❤️
ReplyDelete