Here’s Mom, still a teenager, painted from one of Dad’s old black and white photos, which he took himself when he was young and in love (which he still is). Click for larger view, and again for larger yet.
My mother is in the hospital. Happily they can’t find anything really wrong with her. I think it might be candles. Last birthday there were 93 of them on her cake . . . or would have been but for fire code. My dad is ahead of her, with 95.
They live in the same home I grew up in. They have full time help, which keeps them out of trouble . . . and the dreaded nursing home. The hospital, however, gets to be kind of a familiar place.
There’s a certain justice, or is it injustice, about my mother and hospitals. My mother is the most hospitable person I’ve ever known, outside of my father (by association, because he went along with it). We kids didn’t think anything of it; we thought everybody’s house was full of people every Sunday after church, or evenings of ping-pong (two tables in the patio), or new friends staying the night, or the week.
It wasn’t unusual for her to bring someone home from the supermarket who needed a place to stay. She wasn’t lacking in discernment; she just saw the needs and met them.
One family, who was remodeling their home, stayed with my folks, all four of them, some sleeping in the living room, rent free, for a year! That length was never the plan, but that’s how it worked out.
Looking back, I don’t know how my parents did it, or why. It’s a gift I didn’t inherit, not to that degree. (My sister Sue has it and is writing a book on it, and a blog. If you’re interested, it’s here.)
Another story: Once she met a missionary family in town who ended up not only staying at the house for a season, but left a trailer full of their worldly goods in the yard for the four years they were away. It was all the kind of thing Mom and Dad took joy in, and they made a lot of friends.
Once, when I was in Australia, I met a family heading for California and Disneyland. As my parents lived within an hour of Disneyland, I invited these travelers to give them a call when they arrived and see about staying with them. It was sheer audacity, but I knew Mom well enough that she’d not only rise to it but consider it a compliment. I learned later that they did call and, sure enough, were invited to stay the days they were in town.
HAHHSPITABLE. That’s Mom. So now it seems odd that the hospitality she’s receiving is at the hospital. It is the place she needs at the moment. They are welcoming, and caring. Happily she has the staff smiling with her witticism and general good temper, at least when they’ve got the pain under control.
Actually, I think the pain is mainly from that Arthur character she’s got in bed with her. (Don’t tell Dad.) Arthur-itis, she calls him, and doesn’t like him much.
One of these days, or years, the candles will take over and she’ll move on to another place. It’ll be hospitality beyond her imagination. And reward.
But she’d say she’s been rewarded right along.
_________
A NOTE ON THE BLOG: The schedule for these posts will change from three times a week to every three days.
Speaking of posts, the next topic will be about your post, and staying by it, regardless. Coming Tuesday.
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Our Lives Together
Its About Life
8:13 am
Yep! Remember the time Dad got stopped for speeding, found out the cop needed a place to stay when she worked nearby, and for several months kept her sleeping bag in the folks’ front bedroom? Oh, yeah, and Dad didn’t get a ticket…
God is the Ultimate Host and He passed His down to Mom in spades. We all benefitted and played some mean ping pong, besides. PTL.
8:26 am
I bet at this very moment someone is enjoying hospitality that is somehow related to and inspired by the hospitality your Mother showed to someone many years ago.
9:08 am
Lovely! A beautiful tribute. Blessings to your Mom and Dad and God’s comfort for that nasty Arthur!
10:28 am
Now we see where that warm hospitality comes from in the Hyatt-Anne home! The affirmation your mom brought to so many is a statement of grace and acceptance, so rare in today’s busy world. I would love to have known her.
10:55 am
Love the way you put it Hyatt. I love the fact that you experienced the hospitality all around you while you were growing up and didn’t resent it. You saw it as a positive experience.
Your parents lived a testimony with actions and compassion.
7:11 pm
What an honorable tribute to your parents. I can truly relate! It seems my parents never knew a stranger. I suppose growing up in the Great Depression Era might have attributed to some of that generosity. But mostly I think it’s because they loved God and loved life. Since my Mom “graduated” this past November it has been even more clear to me, the legacy of faith expressing itself through love that she left behind. I’m praying for your Mom’s pain according to the “incomparably great power to those who believe.” :-) Thanks, Hyatt, for providing such a great example of the 5th Commandment.
7:16 pm
Sounds like your mom is a hoot! What a beautiful compliment you gave your folks when you said, “We kids didn’t think anything of it; we thought everybody’s house was full of people every Sunday after church, or evenings of ping-pong”.
Blessings on both mom & dad.
8:45 pm
Oh Hyatt, now I know why you are so loving to everyone! Your parents showed that love to everyone and you are the same! You and Anne! Thank you for sharing your wonderful life story about being raised by such wonderful people that truly lived their faith by actions! I cannot even imagine having everything unorganized like that. My parents were always so organized but my mom especially loved to entertain and loved people. I do too. We do watch and learn the most from our parents actions. I too would have loved to have known your parents! I cannot believe they are still doing so well and in their 90’s!!!!!!! You have great great genes, Hyatt! Praise God for that! Thank you again for sharing! Love this!
4:00 pm
Thank you for your endearing sentiments about your sweet parents, Hyatt, and your Christian-based upbringing. I haven’t had the pleasure of knowing you personally throughout the years, but it is wonderful to read your postings and learn more about you and your family. You and they have truly been blessed by God in the most positive way. Your dear parents and you and yours will certainly find your way to God’s open arms when the time presents itself by Him. Bless you all.
1:26 am
Hyatt, Anne, and family,
You have summed up your parents so neatly. We love them because are so outgoing and takes everybody into their home. My youngest son has played ping pong many times with your Dad. The last time we saw your folks they kept asking about David. When we first came to CA I told her that she had a perfect family and she informed that she had one ‘rebel’ son named Hyatt. We were having a problem with Steve our oldest.
Your Mom never ran out of steam. Your Dad and Mom stayed with us during Sue’s wedding. We still makes jokes about her cooking in my kitchen and having as much on the floor as in the dishes. She doesn’t get tired—even after cooking for a bunch after Sue and Mark’s wedding, going out for dinner with the Mark’s folks, going to the rehearsal and dinner and the wedding she was still in the mood for a party. I was telling a friend about your Mom coming on one of their across the country trips and at that time we did not have a computer we had to plug her into the phone place. This lady I was talking to dropped out of the computer class that Bill and I are attending and so I told about your Mom and always being ready to use that computer any place to talk to her kids.
This is getting long. But we love your parents a lot.
Love,
Becky and Bill Jones
12:14 pm
I can’t believe how accurately you portray your precious parents. How often we were were the recipients of that Sunday-after-church experience. Being their pastor only meant they showered more love on us than we could imagine.
When Lori was taking piano lessons from me, your mom announced that she would feel much more at home in my house if she could just reach in the cupboard for a cup and get her own drink . . . just show her what I had and where to find it! So . . . after that, she told me she was very tired and would appreciate it if she could just stretch out on our son’s bed for a snooze. That marvelous lady! She put so much good old fashioned common sense into my own lifestyle. She always made us feel like we were part of the Moore family. As I’ve told you before, Ed said, “If only we had more Moores!”
My favorite “hospitality” time was when she called me one late afternoon and asked me what I was fixing for supper. I don’t remember what it was, but she said, “Bring it up and put it with ours. I’m housecleaning and everything is sitting in hallways, but if you don’t mind, neither do I.” Yes, everything was in disarray, but who even noticed? It was a love experience, and one we would always cherish.
Thank you for that great tribute!
2:14 pm
really enjoyed this one Hyatt! Carl and I volunteer weekly at an assisted living place, and the people are so gracious and sweet and full of such wonderful stories–hopefully that generation (your mom’s) leaves some of that behind for those following.