National Nurses' Week

National Nurses' Week: A Tribute

This is National Nurses' Week, and it culminates in Mother’s Day. Before all you purists freak out and inform me that Sunday is the FIRST day of the week, just go with me on this one. These two special days together stir feelings of extreme nostalgia in me… you see my mom was a nurse of the very best caliber. She received her training in the hospital --- City Memorial Hospital in Winston-Salem to be exact. Her dream was to complete nurse’s training and then go to Bible College – all in preparation for the mission field. However, that dream would be dashed in the dust when a doctor looked at the chest x-ray required of all student nurses entering the program and brusquely said, “Miriam, with this heart you’ll never make it through nurse’s training.”

Yet Mom persevered through the intense training, receiving her pin and her cap. She graduated with her heart intact –physically and emotionally. Yet deep with was the stir to answer a call, and yet she knew it was not in the best interest of the mission board who would spend a vast sum of money to get her to the field --- perhaps for one term? It really was not in her own best interest; for climate and hardship would likely break her health. She knew that God had other plans.  So she stayed and waited on God’s best.  Meanwhile, God was turning the heart of a young man in her direction.  At that time her family was in turmoil, because her brother was terminally ill.  That same young began to court her while at the same time offer encouragement to a young man who was losing his battle with illness.  To the chagrin of those who were championing the entrance of mom to the ranks of missionary service, Mom and Dad were married on December 25, 1957.

Two hearts became one … one in service for the Savior. I write of them both here …in addition, this weekend is the second anniversary of Daddy’s home going. For the first 10 years of their marriage, Mom worked part time in various nursing venues. Then when I was nine, she returned to work fulltime as an occupational health nurse.  She was beloved by all – she knew she was the hands of Christ ministering to those who needed a kind and gentle touch.  She was the family medical expert; everyone leaned heavily on Miriam for advice and help in times of crisis.  In my elementary years, our home served as a site for a Bible Club for children on the way home from school.  In my younger years our car was filled with children going to Sunday school and other children’s programs at our little Alliance church. We entertained numerous missionaries and guest speakers in connection with with the church. They modeled for me lives where Christ was unquestionably and irrevocably number one.  Life has not been the same without her (or my dad) … since their home goings in 2001 and 2012, respectively.  They each had a badly diseased physical heart, but their hearts toward God told a different story. They weren’t perfect, but they were holy and wholly … His. That’s a legacy to which I cling on this special weekend. May Jesus Christ be Praised!