“Mother's Letters” by Doug Fincher

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God." Romans 8:28

May 3, 2022 - My brother Bill enlisted in the Navy when we graduated from High School in 1950 and soon afterwards, I hitch-hiked to Springfield, Missouri and enrolled in The Baptist Bible College with dollars in my pocket and joined a number of other "pore" young preachers. My parents didn't have a phone, so Mother often wrote letters to keep me in touch with the family.

Even though postage stamps were only 3 cents back then, eight children were still at home and even a stamp was hard to come by at times. Each of Mother's letters were enclosed in a small "lick to seal" envelope and she faithfully wrote on the back of them, "All things work together for good to them who love the Lord...” "Romans 8:28." "Hen Doug, all things that happen to us won't be good,” she used to say… "but they will all work together for our good.”

On February 25, 1999 our saddened family gathered around Mother's casket for her burial in the cemetery at Center, Texas. As I stood reminiscing, I envisioned Mother's hands, her letters, and her special left-handed handwriting. And I recalled her saying to me, "Remember, Hen Doug… 'All things.' " And under my breath I whispered, "I know, Mother." "I do remember.”

"I always will.”