Thankful to be Alive

Our family gathered in Terra Linda to celebrate my mother, Roberta Buckley’s, 97th birthday this month. We stood in a big circle as several of her children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren spoke of their love for her. She was smiling as we told stories. My mom loves a good party.

We then prayed together and shared a feast prepared by our sister Susan.

The woman who served us all is now being served. Our mother, the caregiver, now has a caregiver. We all watch over the one who watched over us.

I told a friend about my mom’s 97th birthday and he asked, “What is the secret of her success?”

“She still enjoys life.” I said.

She is thankful to be alive and shows interest in the life of anyone who visits her.
One way we can praise God is to be thankful for our lives. We all have a mixture of pleasure and pain each day. If we obsess about our pain, it takes the pleasure out of life. If we are thankful for our lives, we are showing appreciation for Jesus, who is the author of life.

My granddaughter Ava and I took my mom for a walk down the block and back one afternoon. She walks slowly these days, but she has no complaints.

She has had great pain in her soul over the years. (I caused some of her pain when I was a teenager, and my brothers and sisters added their own issues to our mom’s heartaches.) However, pain does not define her; in the end it only refined her. She has lived long enough to see the lives of her children transformed. We now all bless the woman who has been a blessing to us.

I preached on Easter in San Rafael and the following Sunday in Novato. My mom was at both services, worshiping, laughing, and pondering the sermons. She never wants to miss church when her son is preaching.

In my last message, I included a story about preaching in San Francisco at the Open Door Church in the late 1980’s. At the end of that sermon years ago, I asked those who wanted to give their lives to Christ and receive forgiveness for their sins to raise their hands. Several people raised their hands. I noticed one skinny arm in particular, which brought me great joy.

Cecily Matthews, my 80 year old grandmother, had joined me for the service. As a toddler, I used to repeat Grandma’s swear words. She taught me to play poker as a child. She took me to Reno on a gambling trip when I was ten years old. I went to Europe with her when I was thirteen and we drank Scotch together before going to bed many nights. That Sunday morning in San Francisco, she raised her hand to give her life to Christ. And I never heard her curse again.

Cecily was my mother’s mother. She is in Heaven now. It is never too late to give your life to Christ. It is never too late to be thankful for your life.

I was sitting in the balcony at Living Streams one Sunday. The sanctuary below me was packed with people. A man sitting across from me kept saying “Amen”. I wondered what was up with him.

After the service, I approached him and he told me his story. He was fighting cancer that had spread in his body. He came to Living Streams and two men on our facility crew had prayed with him and gave him a Bible. For the first time in his life he knew he was going to Heaven. He was saying “Amen” because he was so thankful the Lord had forgiven his sins. He was thankful for each day he could still be alive.

We all have prayers that have not yet been answered. We all have pain which has not yet been healed. One day, every tear will be wiped away and all our pain will end in the presence of the Lord. Until then, if we are thankful for each day, we are showing the one who created us our appreciation for the gift of life. Thankfulness is a great way to praise the Lord.
Amen.