My feet were getting cold as I stood on the cement floor of our basement going through a very old grey filing cabinet filled with my parents’ files. I’m in the final process of resolving my parents’ estate, and I need to find some specific documents. The musty smell of the old files wafted past my face as I flipped through one after another. On each file is my dad’s beautiful handwriting, which made me begin to remember, and to miss my dad. I came upon the documents of the sale of my parents’ house when they decided they needed a smaller place. They were only in that smaller place for a short time before they came up to Washington to live with me.
I found a batch of documents that might be what I was looking for, and so I came back upstairs, thinking about how our lives were turned upside down when my parents came to live with us, and how God used that time to set the stage for His merciful rescue and reconciliation of our family.
I went back to work on various web-site projects. I’ve been working on the graphics for a new Lifestyle of Learning™ eResource, “Remembering Ellen.” This ebook, and CD series with transcripts is about my mom, Ellen, and God’s miracles that chased us down and tackled us through Marilyn Howshall’s ministry to my mom and to our family.
As I’ve been working on creating the transcript covers, I needed to choose a couple of good pictures, so I’ve been going through pictures of my mom, and of Marilyn with my mom, and my mom with us, and I’ve been remembering.
“And they [earnestly] remembered that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer.” ~ Ps. 78:35
My mom was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease when my parents came to live with us. My dad died not long after they came, leaving me and my family as the caregivers for her. At that time, she didn’t know who we were, and she was very nasty to be around. She was grouchy, mean, angry, demanding and ungrateful, and my children were afraid of her. I found caring for her day in and day out to be a lonely and unpleasant task.
The “Remembering Ellen” ebook and CD series is about the radical transformation in my mom that began with Marilyn coming over to pray with her. Through Marilyn’s obedience to the Lord and ministry to my mom, my mom became suddenly awakened to her need to repent and be reconciled to me, and she was radically and miraculously changed. Marilyn proceeded to minister to me and to help me see my unloving ways of relating, which brought me to sweet repentance, reconciliation and radical change as well.
“For I will be merciful and gracious toward their sins and I will remember their deeds of unrighteousness no more.”~ Hebrews 8:12
Marilyn recently posted on her facebook status, “Gratefulness is a true blessing from God that He grants our hearts when we trust in Him and His work in our lives.” As I am remembering my mom, and all that the Lord has done in our lives through the privilege of getting to care for her, I am overcome with tears of gratitude. I’m so grateful that the Lord sent Marilyn into our lives, and I’m so grateful that she obeyed Him. I’m so grateful for His merciful forgiveness of my unloving ways, and His kindness in leading me to repentance. I’m so grateful for His wonderful works and His loving compassion toward me, my mom, and my family.
“He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious, merciful, and full of loving compassion.” ~ Ps 111:4
I’ve also been remembering when Marilyn and I made the CD set by recording a series of conference calls. I’ve been remembering how others have been blessed through listening to our story of reconciliation:
“Thank you, thank you for sharing this beautiful journey of reconciliation with us all! It is such an encouragement on so many levels! The goodness and mercy of the Lord shines through every fiber of it! Its absolutely amazing! I’m amazed at all the lives that can be touched by our agreement with heaven! What a testimony of what it means to be a co-laborer with Christ and a witness of the passionate love of the Father to bring us into right relationships! What a story of extravagant mercy and love….and it’s STILL being poured out!! This is sooo powerful…so saturated with the power and presence of God!!” – Teri P
“It is so wonderful seeing how God is and has worked in your lives. It gives me hope for my precious family. Thanks for sharing!!!” – Charlotte C
“This is so precious to hear about how much the Lord cares and when someone cares about who the Lord cares about and willingly engages in that process of reconcilliation, the miracles can’t help but break forth. I know He wants this to happen in all of our lives. It is so clear that the only way we can truly touch another life is to be broken. Listening to this interview, I’m amazed to think of what followed that one decision Marilyn made to obey the Lord and the ripple effect. Then each one who decided to obey…Ellen…Barbie…and each family member. Thank you Lord for loving and caring for us. Help us be willing to release our lives and all our cares and concerns into your care and take on Your concerns. I can’t stop crying…Thank you Marilyn, Barbie and Rachel for letting us in on your personal life.” — Carlise S
“I was drawn to this ministry because of Barbie’s testimony about her mom. And I and my family are being transformed! Thank you LORD for Marilyn and Barbie!!” – Michelle G
“Oh Barbie and Marilyn…this is soo beautiful. I’m in tears and I love hearing the details of this restoration. I’m sobbing with you. Thank you Rachel for sharing with your mom and Marilyn too, it is so beautiful to hear.” — Cynthia M
“[Earnestly] remember the former things, [which I did] of old; for I am God, and there is no one else; I am God, and there is none like Me.” ~ Isaiah 46:9
There certainly is no one like God. He makes my remembering amazing! When I remember my mom, I remember Jesus and His love for me, and I can’t hold back my tears of gratitude!