Dementia - Seeing through a glass darkly....

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

~1Corinthians 13.12 KJV

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I came across this article by Dr. Barry York written in 2014 and posted at Gentle Reformation, which I never read until today. If you have a parent/spouse/friend etc. with dementia and you aren't certain of their salvation, please read this. I think you will find it encouraging. It gives me great hope as my father suffered from dementia before his death earlier this year and who assured me he had asked the Lord for forgiveness while being ill.

Salvation in a Dementia Ward

Walking down the long hospital hallway, I approached the room in the emergency area where they had told me she would be found. As I came near the door, I found a security guard sitting there. He looked at me with sympathy as I identified myself and, with a warning and sad shaking of his head, gave me permission to enter.

I stepped into the room, my eyes adjusting to the dim lighting. On the bed, I began to make out the figure of a woman lying there, the loose-fitting hospital gown twisted around her. She was curled up, yet rocking and even writhing about on the bed. Groaning, she had her back to me. But the moment I spoke, she jerked up and, turning, glared at me. "I know who you are," she growled at me with eyes I could now see were wild with fear and anger. "You are Mr. Holy-Holy-Holy!"

The next moments stunned me. Despite past experiences of being near and ministering to people high on drugs, involved in the occult, or living in mental asylums, never had I witnessed anything like this. Without hyperbole, I can only describe it as demonic. Lashing out, she commanded me to leave. "Get out of here! Now! Get him away from me!" I felt hopelessness and darkness begin to cast a shadow on my soul, as if I were peering into the pit of hell. Though I tried to speak peace and gently used her name, my efforts only made the situation worse. The security guard stepped in and suggested I come out of the room. I complied. Passing through the doorway, I leaned against the wall of the hallway, scarcely believing what I had just seen.

What made this all the more awful? The woman in the room was my mother...

Please continue reading Dr. York's story of his mother's change of heart and transformation into a new creation of Christ here.

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I also want to add that looking back on Dad's journey with dementia, I can now see much clearer the Lord's Hand at work in dad's and my relationship. He had moments of clarity in which he told me family stories and reassured me that he loved me and was grateful for the care my husband and I gave him. I will always treasure that time we spent together. Thank You, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Dad's 86th Birthday Celebration - 2021

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