By Brenda Cannon Henley

“Remember His marvelous works that He hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth.” (1 Chronicles 16:12)

My friend, Dr. Ron English, a man of God with whom I worked for many years, sent this thought to me today and it is fitting because another friend asked me this week what got me through the really rough spots of life. Ron had the brilliant mind to choose, fall in love with, and marry a sweetheart also named Brenda, and they have a beautiful family and now live in Oklahoma. Their lives have not been without heartache and pain, but they are vibrant witnesses to others about the love and tender care of God.

I well remember when their firstborn son was killed while serving in the US Navy. He died in Mexico and later, Ron and Brenda, and some members of the family, went to the very spot where Jim fell down a mountainside and ultimately died. I cannot imagine the pain of that journey, but Ron said it was one they needed to take in order to help bring closure. I have traveled to some places in my own life to find closure, and thank God, for the most part, it has worked for me as well.

Ron reminded me in his note that memory is a wonderful thing. I have thought on occasion since my husband died that perhaps there are times when memory is not such a great thing to have in abundance. I have wondered if I would have been better off not to remember things so clearly and vividly and long for them to be that very same way again. Friends tell me I have the memory of an elephant and I think it comes from many years of writing and interviewing folks to learn their stories. Now, with the passing of time, I am still learning to try to focus on the good times, wonderful friends, exciting places, and the pleasant days of Ted’s journey and mine long before cancer reared its beastly head and took his life. I now know I will never get over losing him, but I have also learned that life goes on and we can find peace and joy as we travel down the path God has for us.

Please do not misunderstand. I am grateful for the mind I have and the memories stored there. I don’t sit and dwell on sad things too often and I try to be positive and uplifting to all those I meet. However, if I am honest with you, I must say that some times the old Devil gets on my shoulder and helps me to remember how happy I was to be Ted’s wife, all of the plans we had made, and how much I miss him every single day of my life. The secret for me is not to stay in that place, but to get up, get dressed, get out, and get busy. I am grateful that I still have work to do and am allowed to do it. I am blessed to have family and friends nearby that love me dearly. I am extremely happy to be in good health and able to go and do whatever I want.

I try to train my heart and mind to focus on the good memories, the happy times, and to remember that God has blessed me many times in the past, and He is the same God today that He was yesterday, so we can look forward to His continued blessing. He hath indeed done many marvelous works for all of us. We, as human beings, simply lose sight of that fact in the busyness of our everyday lives. Let’s vow to take time to stroll back through good memories and to thank God for His daily care, for His protection, for His love, and for His eternal promises. If we are living our lives in attitudes of gratitude, we will likely find ourselves rejoicing rather than complaining.

Cherish the memories God has given to us and use them to remember His goodness to us.
[6-20-2016]

Brenda Cannon Henley can be reached at (409) 781-8788, or
[email protected].