Corrine slept through the night in relative peace. She would wake up, confused, wondering where she was. Then, with a little help, she would adjust her position and sleep. Corrine sat up this morning to talk with Don and give him a hug. At nine, she struggled to take her pills for pain and nausea. Yesterday, Corrine was excited to eat apples in heaven, and today she added coffee to the menu. When she saw Steve with a mug, she asked for a cup and drank a few sips of black coffee... Corrine always says "I'm sweet enough, I don't need any sugar."
My Morning Reflection
"I didn't think I could do this." I told my mom when we were talking about her care the other day.
"I didn't think you could either." She said with a smile. "But when your faced with adversity you do a lot you think you can't. That's just the way it is. You keep on taking one step at a time. When you are weak, God makes you strong."
Corrine was talking about her own journey, and mine, when she told me that. Coming from her they aren't empty words, Corrine knows what it means to be weak and broken. Corrine was widowed with two children ages 9 months and 2 years. My father died in a helicopter crash while they were living in Germany... after some time with family in Ohio, Corrine moved to Colorado, became a teacher, and took one day at a time.
She fell in love with the man who became my Dad, Dick Peterson... and a few short years later cared for him while he journeyed towards heaven, suffering with pancreatic cancer. She was left, grieving, with two teenage kids, ages fourteen and nearly sixteen.
By her own admission, she was not perfect, none of us are. Corrine needed assurance just a few days ago, that we had forgiven her. Even so, there was no doubt Corrine was strong. She did not become bitter. She did not hide from the pain. She grieved, and asked God why, and was sometimes angry. Corrine searched for Truth and relied on Faith. She saw the hand of God when her friends reached out and prayed, and encouraged her along the way. She lived one day at a time.
Then, Corrine opened her heart to love again and accepted Don Leoni's proposal for marraige. Thirteen years later she is faced with the ultimate weakness as her body fails. She can no longer care for herself, yet she is strong, holding fast to the God who has always been faithful. And she lives one hour at a time...
And Corrine spoke the truth when she told me. "You just keep taking one step at a time. When you are weak, God makes you strong."
-Angela
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Corrine, I remember you as the fun, gracious woman who was always so careful to treat me as my own person rather than just as "Kathi's little sister". You have touched so many people and left a strong legacy of faith for your family to follow.
ReplyDeleteThe day my dad died there was an amazingly beautiful sunset. I didn't even notice it until Tim commented that it didn't hold a candle to the beauty Dad was seeing at that very moment. It didn't mean much to me at the time, but that is my strongest memory of that day . . . beauty.
You are a beautiful family, living out and leaning on the grace of God.
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.
Christi Hughes (Banzhaf)