Posted 4/12/23
A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. -Proverbs 15:13
Have you heard of the phrase “He/she is all heart”…or “He/she really put their heart into it” or the like? The heart is mission-critical in us being us for a multitude of ways. The Bible goes along with this to a point. Examples:
- Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. -Prov. 4:23
- A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. -Prov. 14:30
- A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. -Prov. 17:22
- As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man. -Prov. 27:19
- Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble. -Prov. 28:14
A few less happy:
- You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. -Matt 12:34
- The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. -Luke 6:45
- For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ -Matt 13:15
- and this important one: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” -Jer. 17:9
More happier ones:
- I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. -John 14:27
- If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. -Rom 10:9-10
Bottom line: Everything flows from the heart, whether metaphorically/symbolically or, in some cases, literally.
I bring these verses up because my mom is truly “all heart”. Every one of the last, say, 3-4 roommates she has had I assumed would outlive her. The wonderful lady she shares a room with now, whom I have visited with hundreds of times, appears to be quite soon another that mom outlives. This princess, whom I will call Hay-ley because every time I get within earshot of her she would wave me down with a hearty and kinda accidentally stern-sounding “Haaaay!” She loved my mom as much as any pretty much bedfast person can love another pretty much bedfast person. She would always give me an update on mom, saying “She has been sleepin’ all day! That’s all she ever does is sleeps!”. I don’t know why she was in the nursing home to begin with although it makes scene if you met her. However, she was all heart and she loved mom. She, once she passes likely in the next few days (?), will be deeply missed.
In some ways, friends, I am also “all heart”, but not in a boastful way. Perhaps definition B for “All Heart” alludes to “Meaning well” or “Doing one’s best”. I could do better, but I have tried….and I meant well. Like in my fundraising event coming up less than 2 months from now. If you feel led to donate, I would appreciate it. 🙂 Here is the link. Good gravy…I have seldom been LESS an athlete than I am right now. Covid seems to have shrunk down my breathing capacity, and I have gained weight again sans enough exercise. In mid-June, I can promise you this…I will do my best and I mean well. However, it will be all heart because it is a lot of stairs. 4 days in a row of 9 hours per day… Zoinks Scoob. Today I was pretty pooped after 1 hour of stairs. Two days ago I was pooped after 5 miles running. I have to step up my steps, and soon…but know this: I am all heart. I will finish. I, obviously, am not super smart despite finishing my 2nd Master’s degree in March. Don Quixote would be proud at my windmill tilting…
Likewise, Mom keeps fighting. It is amazing to me that she is alive. She had yet another grand mal seizure two mornings ago. For those unaware, a grand mal is this not this nor this. Yet she, after a little spritz of oxygen (her O2 goes down to below the flashing check engine level…in the 70s!!!), she bounces back. She still looks at me when I come in most days although more and more reminding me of this poem: LINK . She fights. Hard. She knows she is going to heaven when she dies, but I honestly think she fights because she doesn’t want to bring us sadness. She is truly all heart.
Last little thing today…remember this: what is good for the heart is good for the brain. Take care of your ticker and your brain will love you for it. 😉
I visited with her at lunchtime today on the way back from a house call, as I am wont to do. If I am within a few minutes from there I have to stop by if even for a hug. She seemed about the same. Her biggest 2 concerns are related:
face dropping on one side (mini-strokes brought on by the vascular dementia ingredient of her dementia buffet)
She still had some food in her mouth from breakfast. Her swallowing is failing, which will probably either cause pneumonia or choking or the caseation of eating, all of which will spell the end. She has outlived everyone…amazing. Devastating. 14 years and counting…
All <3
#EndALZ
Bonus note:
I am in the Greater Missouri Alzheimer’s Association Longest Day Committee. If you don’t feel led to donate to my link above, but are still passionate about tilting this windmill and finally beating Alzheimer’s, consider starting a Longest Day event. Here is how: LINK They support your work and you fundraise for this wonderful cause doing stuff you already dig. 🙂 My crazy events the last 2 years have been part of this group. If you have questions, please call or text me at 417-955-2513 or email me at mark.applegate@senioragemo.org
God bless her, you and your family. I love this smiling picture of her ❤️
Thank you so much Gina!