On Saturday, the final day of Lydia’s four-day spiritual care plan leading up to the day of her brain tumor operation, I saw the Holy Spirit at work.

“Lydia, tell me about your other failures?” I asked

She replied, “My marriage, I stayed in my marriage too long.  I should have left when he started wearing my mother’s clothes and became violent…he was having an affair with another man.”  

This was new information for me and I assume for her daughter as well.  I responded, “That must have been very painful for you?”  

“Yes, I…”  This was followed by silence, but no outward emotion.  

The daughter left at this point and Lydia and I talked about the marriage and other possible failures but nothing of additional significance came up – the daughter returned.

I said to Lydia, “How do you feel now?”  

She responded, “OK,” but started backing her wheelchair away. 

“I’ve been pushing you pretty hard for the last few days, I am surprised that you are not angry with me?”  

Lydia said, “I shouldn’t be angry with you, you are trying to help me.”  

“Do you know that you are disconnecting from me?”  

“Yes, I am tired and just want to lay down. I wish the operation were over.”  

“We are almost done, can you stay with me five or ten more minutes?”  

“Yes,” moving her chair forward but with her head still down.

“Lydia, your daughter is going to be leaving tomorrow, the day before the operation.  How do you feel about that?”  

She responded, “I feel bad about keeping her here, but I am totally dependent on her.”  Cynthia, touching her arm said, “I have to leave, Mom.”  

Lydia, still not making eye contact, said, “I am weak and just don’t have the strength to go through this.” 

 I asked, “Where are you going to get the strength?”  

“I don’t know.”  

I suggested, “Let’s go to your reading.”  

Cynthia pulled the reading out.  “Lydia, can you read it?”

After a long pause, Lydia read, 

“You must lay aside your former way of life and the old self which deteriorates through illusion and desire and acquire a fresh spiritual way of thinking.  You must put on the new person created in God’s image, whose justice and holiness are born of truth.”  

“So Lydia,” I asked, “where are you going to get your strength?”  

After a long pause and more encouragement, she said, “God.”  

I then asked, “Do you want to say anything to your daughter?”

With the first visible sign of emotion, lifting her head and reaching out to Cynthia, she said, “You are very dear to me!”  

Cynthia hugged Lydia and said, “I love you, Mom!”  

We finished with a prayer for the mother, the upcoming operation, in thanksgiving for the daughter’s help and her safe trip home, and for healing for the father, Lydia’s own mother, and the family.