Being still and knowing that God is God

Life can be so funny, yet so fragile. It’s certainly something we should never take for granted.

And, when push comes to shove, life is more important than just about anything else, including almost all of the things we put into it. …

Think about that for a second. …

Earlier this week, I lost my mother. It wasn’t a shock or surprise as we all knew it was coming. She was 94 years old and in failing health. A significant push around Thanksgiving forewarned us. The final push around Christmas prepared us.

Just over a year and a half ago, I lost my dad. He was in declining health at the time, too. I’m still getting used to the idea of no longer having any parents. The numbness continues.

We lost Nancy’s parents well before mine. Her dad was beaten by cancer in 2007. Her mom passed in 2018. They both were exceptional people in every way, as were my folks. I’ve been truly blessed.

During the course of my career, I’ve written several columns about my dad. After all, I was his only son and in many ways I regarded him as one of my true heroes. We were buddies, golfing partners and a pretty good father-son combination, and all of those things made their way from my brain to my fingers to newsprint.

One of the columns I wrote about my dad a long time ago I had made into a plaque and gave it to him as a gift. That plaque now hangs in my bedroom in my home.

Anyway, I never remember writing a column focusing solely on my mom. Oh, there were some that included her and dad, her and family and all that good stuff.

But mom never ran solo in my written words of life.

It’s not that she wasn’t deserving. It’s not that I didn’t think about it, or her. It was, I guess, because she was … well … mom.

Maybe that doesn’t make sense to you, but it does to me.

Marcie Domke was, indeed, “mom” in every sense of the word.

While I was growing up, my dad worked shiftwork in the Northwest Indiana steel mills and was at the job a lot of the time during the days and evenings when I was home. There were days at a time I didn’t get to see him.

So, mom had a little extra responsibility raising my three older sisters and me. She was a housewife for most of her life – only taking a parttime job when I was old enough to care for myself after school.

She always was there – and was the cook, the nurse, the cop, the chauffer, the cheerleader and the angel always watching out for us … without complaint.

I was heavily involved in sports through high school. I never, ever remember mom missing a game – and there were hundreds of them. Football, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, track … she was there cheering on her son and his teams.

And then there were the theater productions and other performances I was involved in when I was younger. Yep, she was there for all of those, too.

Every single one.

So despite my dad being one of my heroes, if I ever would have received the opportunity to do so after doing something noteworthy, I would have looked right into that television camera, smiled, waved and said, “Hi Mom!”

Again, that’s because my mom was just always being my mom. That was always more than good enough for her and for me, and in my book she was the best one ever. …

Like my dad, my mom had a strong faith, and she was more than ready to go.

In somewhat of a coincidence, both my mom’s and my favorite Bible verses are found in the same chapter of the Good Book.

Psalm 46.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

“Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

“Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.

“There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.

“God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

“The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

“The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

“Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth.

“He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

“The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.” …

My life verse is the very first one in this great psalm. My mom’s verse is the 10th one: “Be still and know that I am God.”

And in my book, this is a pretty good time to combine those two beautiful verses and ponder on their true meaning.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Yep, kind of a troubling time here, even though my mom is now in a much better place. It’s good to know, and to be reminded, that God, my God, our God, is our refuge and strength – always and especially during times like these.

And, also …

“Be still … and know … that I … am God.”

Shhhhhh. …

Yes. Amen.

I love you, Mom! Thank you for being my mom 24/7 for 60-plus years. No one could have done it better! You’re the best!

And, to all of you, thanks for caring, praying … and, of course, for reading.