Ambivalence is a curious emotion. I am sitting today with my mother and sister in a beautiful hospital room listening to her reminisce about her 79 years on this journey called life.  While we are cherishing the memories, two thousand miles away my daughter Julee is giving birth to her first child and Jill and my sixth grandchild.

Ambivalence is experiencing two conflicting emotions concurrently.  Sitting here observing the devastation of cancer mom is disguising the dark side of ambivalence with the confidence of hope in her coming death.  She is recounting her life and providing peace and comfort for both herself and my sister and I.  In Arizona Julee is experiencing physical pain to share the feelings of joy in the miracle of new birth. Both mom and Julee are shattering the dark side of life and the confusion of ambivalence with the gift of joy our Savior promises in him.

As one life enters into the joy of communion with our Savior another enters this world to carry on the legacy of faith.  Mom has been a stalwart example of faith in her Savior and we will instill in Noah her commitment to our Lord.  “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away”, Job said, “blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Joy…peace…grace…love…destroy the conflict, sorrow, and confusion of ambivalence. Mom and Julee are both experiencing and demonstrating for all of us the grace, and love of our Lord in tenderly destroying the darkness of sin.  Thanks mom for being a shining example and a legacy for all of us to cherish.