Everlasting Place
  • Home
  • One way
    • Proof
  • Sadie Sparrow
    • Sadie Sparrow Excerpt
    • Author Chat
    • Articles
    • Book Reviews
  • Memoir
    • Memoir Excerpts
    • Reviews, interviews & endorsements
  • Blogs
    • Eternal eyes: a blog about forever
    • Golden years: a blog about the elderly
  • Old folks
    • Planting tips for Christians
  • Messages from Chris Carrillo
  • Library
  • Bookstore
  • Contact

All you need is hope

10/23/2019

2 Comments

 
Picture
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how we Christians do not “sorrow as [do] others who have no hope.” And of course, when he penned these words in what would become 1 Thessalonians 4:13, the apostle Paul was speaking of biblical hope, which is to say not “wishful thinking” but “confident expectation.” In fact, we can rejoice in even the most unhappy circumstances, because we know that this life is the blink of an eye and that we’ll be spending all eternity in heavenly bliss.
 
That’s precisely what 86-year-old heroine Sadie came to understand in the novel The Song of Sadie Sparrow. Sure, her husband Ed had died years earlier, and she was hardly a priority for her daughter Dana, and she would be spending what was left of this life in a nursing home. But it was an awfully nice nursing home. A fun Activities Assistant named Meg was about to interview her for a mini-biography. And whenever she thought to turn her eyes upon Jesus, she could scarcely contain her joy.
 
So the Beatles were wrong. Love is nice. But all we really need is hope, as this excerpt from Sadie’s story demonstrates.
​

 
Meg’s questions were definitely intriguing.
         
That night after dinner—even though tablemate Gladys managed to find fault with the carrots and onions, it had been a delicious meal of impossibly tender pot roast and cornbread muffins—Sadie wheeled herself to the built-in desk in her room, flipped on the lamp, and pulled her best pen and a few sheets of stationery out of the drawer. No notes were needed for the “who, what, where and when” queries of “Part One, The Basics”; but “Part Two, Beyond the Basics” included a number of questions deserving some thought, and Sadie didn’t want to attempt to answer them off-the-cuff. Someone—okay, her daughter Dana Sparrow Maxwell, to be precise—might one day read Meg’s report on Sadie’s life, and it might be Sadie’s last opportunity to impact a life that had gone tearing down the wrong path, the path to what Sadie called “dead-end careerdom.”
         
The first of these questions was pretty broad. “Why do you live here now?”
         
Sadie started jotting down the answers in her arthritic hand.

1. Because I have heart failure and need help. Can’t even safely transfer into bed or onto the toilet on my own and that means the retirement home won’t have me anymore.

2. Because living with my daughter was not an option. Her plate is plenty full without adding a helpless old mother to her duties.  

She sat back and thought for a moment. Does that sound pathetic? Dana did not suffer whiners gladly. Imagining the eye rolling these thoughts would provoke, Sadie crossed out her second point and substituted a more positive answer:

2 . Because I wanted to live with people my own age, with the same values and experiences and hope for the future.  

She liked that. It was true, Dana would like it, and it might lead to an interesting conversation with Meg.

3. Because it’s a beautiful facility with a dedicated staff and my daughter made sure the bill will be paid to make up for otherwise ignoring me.
 
Definitely whiney.
 
Sadie put a period after “staff” and crossed out the rest, sighing. It was pathetic that she was framing her answers in order to avoid irritating her so-often-irritable daughter—especially since said daughter would most likely not see her answers until she was cleaning out this room after the funeral (an event which Dana would probably greet with both relief and more irritation, since it would no doubt interfere with some important business meeting).
         
Still, Sadie’s goal here was to plant seeds with eternal impact, and that meant she’d have to set aside all her personal, earthly complaints. She wanted Dana to put down the biography of Sadie Sparrow thinking, “What a woman! I want to be just like her, and spend all eternity with her! How can I be sure of it?”
         
Sadie laughed. Okay, then, she’d settle for a “Gee, she wasn’t nearly as stupid as I thought. Maybe there’s something to this eternity business after all . . .”
         
That reminded her of a favorite song, and she started singing it in her wobbly old voice: “Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me.”
         
She looked over the rest of Meg’s questions and decided to call it a night. She was tired, and she still had some time to frame her answers before their meeting on Friday. She tidied up the desk and closed her eyes, letting her thoughts drift heavenward on the wings of the old hymn.
         
“Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling ‘O sinner, come home.’”
         
The best rendition of “Softly and Tenderly” she’d ever heard was Tennessee Ernie Ford’s. He had gone on ahead long ago, she knew, not too long after Ed.
         
“Oh, for the wonderful love He has promised, promised for you, and for me.”
         
She wondered if they had met in heaven, maybe had even sung some hymns together. Ed had always been a big fan of Tennessee Ernie’s deep-as-the-ocean bass.
         
“Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon—pardon for you and for me.”
         
Thinking of Ed and Tennessee together was surprisingly comforting. And one day, she would join them.
         
Which reminded her of another old favorite of Ed’s.
         
“Just over in the glory land,” she sang, scrunching up her face just like a Spirit-led gospel singer,
 
“I’ll join the happy angel band. Just over in the glory land!”
         
She was smiling now, almost giddy at the idea of heaven and glory and seeing Ed again.
         
But oh, in the meantime, it was good to be alive! 
2 Comments
Jeanne
10/24/2019 08:16:44 am

Love the book, KItty...Nice to reread these sections. I'll have to reread the whole book and relish it again. It's good to be reminded to be positive with relatives...not complain about anything...and it pleases the LORD that we are content with HIM.

Reply
Kitty Foth-Regner link
10/24/2019 02:23:18 pm

Thanks for your faithful support, Jeanne -- and for making these great points!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Kitty
    Foth-Regner

    I'm a follower of Jesus Christ, a freelance copywriter, a nursing-home volunteer, and the author of books both in-process and published -- including
    Heaven Without Her.

    Archives

    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    December 2023
    September 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Care to subscribe?

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos from Anas Qtiesh, quinn.anya, skippyjon, gagilas, ulrichkarljoho, Schleeo, djpoblete09, 00alexx, NathanPeck, Riccardo Palazzani, MaartenEyskens, jfinnirwin, romana klee, bundesinnung_ha, theglobalpanorama, Street Photography Addict, StockMonkeys.com, Robert Agthe, Genista, Neillwphoto, frankieleon, RamónP, National Eye Institute, Pink Dispatcher, Tony Webster, quinn.anya, Peter23394, anna gutermuth, neovain, Keith Allison, lewisha1990, Phú Thịnh Co, byzantiumbooks, avlxyz, eastmidtown, 593D ESC, simpleinsomnia, mcohen.chromiste, Pictures by Ann, Stampendous, loop_oh, tedeytan, TipsForComputer.Com, ssilberman, pedrosimoes7, forayinto35mm, Never Edit, GlasgowAmateur, weiss_paarz_photos, Borya, The Graphic Details, robynejay, allenthepostman, quinn.anya, u.hopper, fallingwater123, Alyssa L. Miller, Vincent Albanese, homethods, ponyQ, Braiu, CNE CNA C6F, oakenroad, Tim Evanson, medisave, irinaraquel, Steve Ganz, Nieve44/Luz, roscoland2, One Way Stock, Film Star Vintage, shixart1985 (CC BY 2.0), ulrichkarljoho, anieto2k, meaduva, Homini:), campbelj45ca, Nicolas Alejandro Street Photography, Hades2k, wuestenigel (CC BY 2.0), Alyssa L. Miller, Carlos Ebert, @Tuncay, kms1167, Petful.com, m01229, jonrawlinson, Brian Smithson (Old Geordie), Blogging Dagger, fechi fajardo, wuestenigel (CC BY 2.0), SurfaceWarriors, Leah Abernathy, evans.photo, brianna.lehman, mikecogh, Ejuice, christine.gleason, Free Grunge Textures - www.freestock.ca, Derek Bridges, ulrichkarljoho, One Way Stock, Matt Cunnelly, nandadevieast, cathyse97, quinn.anya, faungg's photo, Lars Plougmann, C Jill Reed, johnthoward1961, mcohen.chromiste, hardeep.singh, physiognomist, ulrichkarljoho, 401(K) 2013, Very Quiet, BromfordGroup, garryknight, Official U.S. Navy Imagery, acasasola, mrbillt6, simpleinsomnia, johanSisno, GollyGforce, Jo Jakeman, Mire de rien, Chris Mower, lotopspin, Marlene Rybka Visualizing & Photography, RLHyde, jez.atkinson, orionpozo, quinn.anya, global.quiz, Public Places, alubavin, drs2biz, espensorvik, ♔ Georgie R, h.koppdelaney, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, Images_of_Money, ttarasiuk, TheArches, tlillis4, verchmarco, Sogn og Fjordane fylkeskommune, lookcatalog, Matt Preston, h.koppdelaney, ChodHound, JarleR, Savio Sebastian, Anne Worner, Salem State Archives, WeVe1, Mel B., Mr Moss, cattan2011, Bryan Pocius, smilygrl, CMFRIESE, Rosmarie Voegtli, Tim & Selena Middleton, Robb North, Steven Pisano, x1klima, Go-tea 郭天, inkknife_2000 (9.5 million views), chamko rani, MattX27, Leonard J Matthews, Brett Jordan, Waiting For The Word, suzannelong, rossomoto, danielsteuri, Carlos Ebert, Pintanescu, blondinrikard, adeleblancsec2015, photomaticographer, speciaali, dumbledad, LuxFactory, Pascal Volk, sarahstierch, kenteegardin, mripp, Pictures by Ann, alh1, CthulhuWho1 (Will Hart), Sthetic, My Buffo, Un ragazzo chiamato Bi, WVTROUT, CasparGirl, x1klima, andrey_zharkikh, Robert's Life in Colour, Clare Storry, Monique Broekhuisen, unicoletti, ThoroughlyReviewed, vmiramontes, Pictures by Ann, simpleinsomnia, pj_vanf, DPP Business and Tax, h.koppdelaney, REM Photo, Sebastian Cabuyales, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, cdsessums, Miguel Discart (Photos Vrac), Artist in doing nothing., Bhavishya Goel, RichardJames1990, y_egan, campbelj45ca, Mobilus In Mobili, shixart1985, Pontalain, manoftaste.de, The Random Hiccup, Arian Zwegers, mac_ivan, cod_gabriel, simpleinsomnia, ulrichkarljoho, rawpixel.com, Ian @ ThePaperboy.com, Rennett Stowe, shixart1985, Elvert Barnes, marc falardeau, wuestenigel, USACE HQ, greger.ravik, Gunnshots, Bhumi Finding Herself, F L I R S T - Palk Clap, archer10 (Dennis) 133M Views, Clonadamas, Leonard J Matthews, kinglear55, Kurayba, Damian Gadal, investmentzen, fechi fajardo, MilitaryHealth, illustir, Laurel L. Russwurm, Phillip Pessar, Jim Makos, wuestenigel, romanboed, Ben Taylor55, quinn.anya, Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, foundin_a_attic, Isengardt, chenines, Deni Williams, ulrichkarljoho, alberto.biscalchin, UAV Filming, Double--M, StoryTravelers, jimjarmo, KellyReeves, Robert Couse-Baker, gurdonark, A_Peach (offline until Xmas)