Skip to Main Content
Women of the ELCA
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Daily Grace
  • Contact
  • Ministry & Action
    • Discipleship
    • Justice
      • Human Trafficking
      • Racial Justice Advocacy
      • Racial Justice Advocacy Network resources
      • Domestic Violence
    • Membership
    • Stewardship
      • Thankofferings
      • Faithful Friends
      • Katie’s Fund
      • Gift Planning
    • Special Initiatives
      • Raising Up Healthy Women & Girls
      • Dear Friend in Christ
    • Scholarships
      • Lutheran laywomen
      • Lutheran Ordained Ministry
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Events
  • About
    • History
    • Executive Board
    • Staff
    • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Daily Grace
  • Contact
« Back to WELCA Blog

Words of belief matter in grief or joy
by Elizabeth Hunter

5.14.2018
|
Post

Memory is fluid and tricky. When I was a child, a neighbor found my Grandma Cora adrift in her own neighborhood, lost and unable to remember her way home.

I learned then that memory can flow or ebb or even run everything you know through a spin cycle. We soon discovered from the doctors that my sweet grandmother’s brainwaves had been disrupted by clumps of tangled proteins that sat between her neurons, leaving the synapses unable to connect.

She’d spent her life as the caretaker, but the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s meant she now needed us to take care of her.

Grandma came to live with us, and it was quickly evident that she could no longer remember what we’d talked about minutes before. Depending on the day, my dad might be her son, her dad or her brother, and my mom either her daughter-in-law or a friendly woman she couldn’t quite place.

Speaking our words of belief aloud matters. And those words stay with us long after other things fade.

Click To Tweet

Occasionally my brothers and I were her grandchildren; usually we were more like siblings. Every day she forgot my name, yet she still loved me.

Words of belief remained. She could still read her Bible—although sometimes the same page, over and over. Scripture, hymns, prayers and creeds were a comfort to Grandma; something I began to understand for myself as an adult, whenever I struggled to see things clearly.

Speaking our words of belief aloud matters. And those words stay with us long after other things fade.

Words and images of belief matter in our lives. Do you have a favorite verse or hymn that stays with you in times of grief or joy?

Elizabeth Hunter is editor of Gather magazine. This piece first ran in the September 2017 issue of Gather.

Share

Categories

  • Post (1,234)
  • News (295)
    • Gathering 2021 (9)
    • Triennial Convention 2021 (7)
  • Devotions (70)
  • Uncategorized (2)
Women of the ELCA
15 Aug
Women of the ELCA
@WomenoftheELCA

Today's blogger explores expectations vs. reality when it comes to that first day of school ... and God's reminder in a rainbow. #BackToSchool #WeAreWELCA #ActBoldly womenoftheelca.org/blog/post/…

Expand reply reply retweet retweet favorite favorite
Back to home

8765 W. Higgins Rd.

Chicago IL 60631

800-638-3522

[email protected]

Stay In Touch

Sign up for the WELCA Newsletter

Explore WELCA
  • Ministry & Action
  • Daily Grace
  • Resource Library
  • Events
  • Blog
  • News
  • About WELCA
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Photos
Explore Publications

Bold Cafe

A Lutheran perspective for women of Christian faith or any woman who is interested in how faith relates to the issues facing women today.

Gather Magazine

A mix of articles, theological reflections, devotions and stories of comfort and challenge that help readers grow in faith.

Cafe Podcast

Subscribe to our podcast:

Click to subscribe

© Copyright 2022 Women of the ELCA. All Rights Reserved.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
© Copyright 2022 Women of the ELCA. All Rights Reserved.