Hallelujah

In Mom's later years, most saw her riding around in a scooter.

What many don't know is why.



In 1999, at my brother's wedding reception, she didn't have a place to keep a single key so she put it in her shoe.  That began a series of events that would ultimately result in her early departure from this earth.

The key caused a blister in the bottom of her foot, which led to an infection, which led to the amputation of some toes, which led to a condition called Charcot foot.

The condition spread to both her feet and for 15 years she had broken feet that would never heal.

Through it all she didn't complain, in fact she rarely even talked about her condition.  She had an extremely high tolerance for pain.  She also had an extremely high desire to live life to the fullest.

The last weekend I spent with her (just weeks before she died) was no exception.  We went shopping and ate Vietnamese food.  We ran to Dairy Queen and got in trouble with Dad for talking too loud.  We ate a simple pot roast dinner on her china and silver.  The other thing we did was listen to her latest favorite album whenever we were in the car.

She had been able to hear Jason Deere perform the songs from this album live.  She loved it so much that she bought a copy for my two missionaries.

As we listened to the songs, she gave me the lyrics so that I could follow along.  We got to a song titled "Blind" sung by Alex Boye.  

She told me that Alex sang the song in the studio on his knees with his eyes closed.  As a big fan of Alex Boye, I was impressed that he would sing it so humbly. 

After my mom passed away, I bought my own copy of Redeemer.  

Tonight I was listening to the album and the song "Blind" came on.  This time the words had a new meaning for me. She had faith in Jesus Christ and knew that one day her feet would be completely healed. 

Like Alex, she had a beautiful singing voice and I can imagine it joining his when he sings:

"And I feel hands on me now

And I feel His fingers lift from off my face

He says, 'Thy faith hath made thee whole'

As blackness turns to grey

Behold, I see the light

Behold I see the miracle

Behold I hear the prophets of old echo in my ears

And I feel my warm face wet from all my tears

As I behold the Messiah, Emmanuel

He who's come into this world to change us all

Hallelujah!"

It's so easy to look back and say "If only she hadn't put that key in her shoe." But that single act would lead to over a decade of miracles, drawing her and her family closer to our Savior.

A Savior who has healed my mom

  and will one day heal me

Hallelujah.

This post features:

Ruth Rasmussen Buchanan (1946-2015)

My mother and me

me --> Ruth Rasmussen Buchanan