What Will Life Look Like…Because of Verna?

Last week “we” started going back through this blog’s posts, reviewing them for “takeaways” and then answering the question for each of our own selves, “What will my life look like now BECAUSE of what I learned from such-and-such a post?”

So I was grateful to go back to read the post about my husband’s “grandmother” Verna. Her story was posted in this blog on 6/18/2023 and can be accessed at this link: at Verna – Dancing Through Dementia.

Takeaways from the “Verna” Story
Verna had terrible circumstances. Here’s a quick review: Her wonderful new husband Wilbur Hitchcock died from injuries in an accident that happened on their honeymoon in California. Verna was then faced with making a decision regarding whether or not to go back to Wyoming and raise Wilbur’s four children…during the Great Depression, yet. Long story short: she DOES decide to stay and raise Wilbur’s children. Throughout her life, Verna’s hard-working ethic and satisfaction of a job well done stayed with her until her death; even though Verna had dementia in her later years–she was still self-appointing jobs to herself within the nursing home.

An article about Verna’s life was published in the Laramie, Wyoming newspaper one year. It was titled, “When Life Gives you Lemons, Make Lemonade.” That was Verna’s lived philosophy, and it aptly summarized her ethics. She was resilient in the face of adversity even into her dementia years.

What will Life Look Like NOW, because of what the VERNA Story encapsulates?
So, if a newspaper article was printed about YOU or about ME–an article summarizing our own individual life–what would it be titled? Or better yet, what would you WANT it to be titled? I think that is interesting to think about. Mine would unfortunately, but likely be, “Her real name was ‘Pollyanna’.”

I tend to hang around the optimism theme, I’ve noticed throughout this blog. I imagine such a bent can get annoying to most people. But I can get very negative and depressed too, if that makes you feel better. Just sayin’. So that makes me fickle. So I acknowledge I am imperfect…and that is a good place to be. What I want is to have the focus off ME. I want what God knows is best for me. It may not be Great. It might be SCARY. But I know He will hold my hand through whatever HE is wanting me to experience. That’s why the following puzzle picture is hanging in my bedroom with the BCH version of Habakkuk 3:19 bible passage…


I love that visual, don’t you? That picture is hanging adjacent to the window looking out from my bedroom to Pikes Peak here in Colorado Springs. I feel like my move from Laramie, Wyoming to the Springs with husband Denny’s dementia, fall, and death last year has been about as traumatic as climbing up that mountain. Look how confident that Goat is! God says in the Bible’s Habakkuk passage that He will give me sure footing in my perilous times. So I don’t mind being likened to an old goat, especially knowing how fearless they are. Wow!

Can We Choose Our Own Ending?
So, if we could choose the title of our own newspaper story covering the impact of our life, can we actually CHOOSE what kind of ENDING our story will have?? This makes me think of the books that have several different endings. They were called “Choose Your Own Adventure” series when my kids were younger. Here are some endings that I think would be options to have in “my book”…

– The COW ending:
She let hard circumstances “Cow” her
– A BULLISH ending:
She took the Bull by the horns, increased her life’s value, but drained all resources, dying penniless.
– The OLD GOAT ending:
She conquered life’s mountains as God gave her sure footing

I choose to pray for the OLD GOAT ending. I do want to be fearless and bold. I know I can indeed be as I trust God for that promised “sure footing” on the precipices of my life. I am grateful for Verna’s example, not being “cowed” by the circumstances she found herself in. Using her resources wisely, she was able to raise Wilbur’s four children, even putting them through college during the Great Depression. I have learned so much from thinking through Verna’s story, desiring to emulate her boldness and perseverance…but all the while knowing God “has my back” as I go forward, as I intentionally put my hand in His. I don’t want to do this life without Him.

I may look a little worse for the wear, but I’m not falling off this life circumstance cliff!

2 thoughts on “What Will Life Look Like…Because of Verna?”

  1. I guess now we can call you an old goat and you’ll be pleased! 🙂
    I’ll have to think about what others might title an article about my life and what I would want it to be called. Interesting idea.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe

Sign up to be notified when there is a new post