Our usefulness to God begins at salvation and is perfected through process. Generally, the picture accompanying today’s blog, using familiar imagery, illustrates this process. Specifically, in the next seven hundred, seventy-two words, I will share how Linda and I have been formed on the Potter’s wheel. For the first forty years of marriage, God used our differences to strengthen our relationship, and at times it almost seemed as if we were one lump of clay being molded together. For the past nineteen years, as Alzheimer’s has increasingly disrupted out lives, God has revealed His individual plans for each of us.

Linda’s Readiness

Losing our son Jeffery, four days before his seventh birthday, exponentially increased Linda’s awareness of Heaven and the brevity of our time on earth. With each passing day, as she slips further away from me, I am increasingly aware that something wonderful is taking place in her life. Knowing her as I do, I am convinced she would want everyone to know that her heart echoes Paul’s message:

…Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever. For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less (2 Corinthians 4:16-5:5 MSG).

Ron’s Preparation

My story is quite different. For the time being, it appears that my life on earth is to continue. Let me hasten to add two things: I am very aware that I am in the final quarter of the game and the two-minute warning has sounded. As an aside, anyone my age who maintains that they can do anything they did at fifty is delusional — steer clear of them!

Throughout the past week, in the midst of trying circumstances, I have seen the marvelous hand of God at work:

Monday — I unwisely transported Linda to a dental appointment in my car. Even though caregivers at Legacy Village and technicians at Dr. Beard’s office helped with getting her in and out, it was a drastically different ordeal than it had been in the past. Very concerned that extensive work may be required, I was greatly relieved to find that only two surface level cavities needed to be filled, and a front tooth adjusted.  Thankfully, Dr. Beard skillfully completed the work in record time.

Wednesday – After her evening meal, Linda fell and cut her head. Being strapped into place and transported by ambulance to the Emergency Room was very frightening for her and hard for me to bear. Fortunately, I was able to be in the room and comfort her while the wound was being closed. Later, I recorded in my journal: “One never knows what a day will bring forth; however, even as I walked through this ordeal, I was constantly aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit, and that He was preparing each step of the way. Furthermore, I was aware of, and so thankful for, the many great people that God was using to meet Linda’s needs.”

Thursday – Reflecting on all that had transpired in the last four days, I had a vivid recollection, even though I was wide awake, of a song that I had sung and prayed since early adulthood:

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

I saw myself being formed on the Potter’s wheel and grieved as I saw the Lord take the clay off the wheel, reform it and start over several times. Suddenly, my sorrow gave way to praise and joyful laughter as it dawned on me that the Potter has never given up on His intent to conform me into the image of Jesus Christ.