The writing on the wall

In 2004 I had a conversation with my mother about aging. We talked about our fears and not being able to be understood if we could not fully express ourselves. My mother was talking about my father being worried about someone laying him on his wrong side as he has a bum shoulder and has a hard time breathing out one side of his nose. My mother said she would want her teeth flossed everyday and it would bother her if her teeth didn't get flossed. I had this conversation in my head all day and it made me think about my own mortality and death and dying or just merely aging.


That evening something happened and here is an email that I sent my mother explaining the "writing on the wall" message.


Dear Mom,

It is midnight and I was in the shower, believe it or not, praying. I did not have time to do my evening prayers and my bible readings. I guess I figured since I went to church today that I did not need to do it again. Poor excuse. So, I began to pray in the shower after a full day,at the hour of midnight.


I always lead my prayers with scripture so the beginning of my conversation with God got put on the back burner until I finished my shower. At any rate, I was in the shower and I was praying or you ad dad. I was thinking about our conversation about aging and our request or worries. You know, about dad laying on his left side and all. Well, I was asking God to just take care of the both of you always and to give you peace about those issues and to assure you that he will e here for you. So, I kept praying and asking God to help be a better mom and wife and daughter. To help me teach my kids His way, not my way but, His way. To help them understand that when you get older (as I have aging on the brain) that all these material things in this world today really don't matter. Mom, you know how the kids always want me to buy them something and I can't afford it? Well, what I really want them to know is that what really matters in life is loving each other and doing God's work. I asked God to really help me because I fail in this area a lot, you know me, wanting more than I really need. So, I said to God, "am I doing a good job, how am I doing, am I on the right track??? Would you please help me God or let me know if I am doing good because I don't want to screw things up for my kids." I said, "I don't care how you let me know, just let me know in your own way if I am doing okay in this department."


I finished my prayers, it was a long hot shower. I had a pain in my neck that day and I let the water run on it extra long. When I got out of the shower it was exceptionally steamy because the water had been hot and it had been running for some time but, for some reason I glanced up and looked at the moisture covered mirror and it said, "GOD LOVES ME' 'GOD IS GREAT' and it had a smiley face on it. I guess the kids had put that on the mirror sometime ago. Maybe God had them put it on the mirror as he knew I was going to prompt him with my questions. Nevertheless, it was there, it was my sign and I truly believe God will take care of us when we ask Him to and when we can't. And as for my children, if they put that on the mirror then they are thinking about God. Another good sign!!


So mom, keep asking and having faith that God will take care of you when we age and we need our teeth flossed when we are old and when we need to lay on our left side. Somehow He'll know and He'll take care of it for us.


As for God's message, read the writing on the wall!!!