Things work out

The phone rang at 8 AM. My son, Jay, said, “Hi mom, I wanted to let you know I will be praying for you and dad today, and I’d like to have coffee with you.” I said, “Thank you, son. We’ll have coffee together soon.” He said, “Well, if you will open your front door, we can have coffee now.”

On the first day of my radiation treatment for breast cancer, he decided to surprise me and drove two hours to be at my house in time to have coffee with me.

While we were having coffee, I told him that the morning before he came, I felt anxious and unsure of the choice I had made after finding out I had breast cancer.

If I had chosen to have a mastectomy, I would not have to have any upcoming treatments. I chose a lumpectomy to remove the tumor and receive treatments to reduce the cancer’s chance of coming back.

I prayed God would give me a peace that I knew could only come from Him, and I felt like God would place someone in my path that would encourage me. When I finished praying, I had a message on my phone from my friend in Georgia.

She sent me a scripture; “ You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny….My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever.” Psalms 73, 23-26. NIV

Later that morning, I had an appointment with my ENT doctor. After my visit was over, she lingered to talk with me. She encouraged me not to second-guess my decision and reminded me that whatever decision I made, God would be with me through it all.

I told my son I felt peaceful about the treatments. He suddenly said, “Mom, I think I have something else God wanted you to have in the car.” When he returned, he handed me a folded sheet of paper he had discovered in a woman’s bible that had been donated to a yard sale.

“When we opened the box, I found this dusty old bible with a lot of other things that were donated. I picked it and notes fell out on the floor. We gathered them and put them back in the bible, but one was still on the floor,” my son said. “I picked it up and read it and decided to keep it.”

He said it reminded him of how I write notes and keep them in my bible.

When I opened the paper, I saw the following poem written in handwriting similar to mine.

Things Work Out
Because it rains when we wish it wouldn’t, because men do what they often shouldn’t, because crops fail and plans go wrong, some of us grumble the whole day long.

But, somehow, in spite of the care and doubt, it seems at last that things work out. Because we lose what we hoped to gain, because we suffer a little pain, because we must work when we’d like to play, some of us whimper along life’s way.

But, somehow, as day follows night, most of our troubles work out alright. Because we cannot forever smile, Because we must trudge in the dust awhile, because we think that the way is long, some complain that life’s all wrong.

But, yet we live, and the sky grows bright, and everything works out all right.

So, bend to your trouble and meet your care, for clouds must break, and the sky grows fair. Let the rain come down, as it must, and will, but keep on working and hoping still, for in spite of the grumblers, who stand about, somehow, it seems, all things work out.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me.

Edgar A. Guest wrote this poem. A lady, who died years ago, had written it down and kept it in her bible. Jay had placed the note in the back seat of his car and forgot about it.

We both cried when I read the poem because it was words of encouragement when we needed it.

The scripture in Philippians 4:13 at the end of the poem was the first scripture I memorized as a young Christian.

Our son made us breakfast and prayed for his dad and me as we start this healing journey and then drove two hours home in time for a meeting at his office.

When he left, I thought about how blessed we are to have children and grandchildren who love us so much and God’s unique way of answering our prayers.

I thanked Him for allowing me to live this long without any major illnesses.

And I thanked Him for a woman who had kept this poem in her bible. Maybe she needed encouragement too. Guest wrote 1100 other poems in his life, but years ago, God knew I needed to read this one today.

I am awed by that, but maybe my son found it for me because God knew I would share it with someone else who needed it, too.

God hears our prayers, and He will give us a peace that surpasses all understanding if we ask Him.

The answer may not come in the way we expect or from the people we expect it to come, but if we open our hearts and pay attention, he will give us the peace and guidance we need.

So, bend to your trouble and meet your care, for clouds must break, and the sky grows fair. Let the rain come down, as it must, and will, but keep on working and hoping still, for in spite of the grumblers, who stand about, somehow, it seems, all things work out.

Yes, even now, in these very uncertain times.

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