BOOK REPORT #1--WHAT TO DO ON THE WORST DAY OF YOUR LIFE

       For the first month after Andrew's death I read very little.  I read my Bible, a little bit.  I looked over the book True, which was one of the last books Andrew was reading.  I read The U-B, The Dayton Chronicle, and The Times.  That was it.  That was all I could put into my numb brain.  Then one day a dear friend sent me a package that started my healing process.
      Over the first month after Andrew's death, we received so many wonderful cards, but one day the USPS delivered a small package.  In it was a touching card and a book.  The title of the book...What To Do on the Worst Day of Your Life.  Okay, the title intrigued me, but I wasn't ready yet.
       I put it by my chair and went on with my daily routine that had allowed me to get up every morning...get up, walk around the block, eat breakfast, do laundry, eat lunch, vacuum, do dishes, watch mindless re-runs, make dinner, eat, go for a ride with Bill, go to bed.  That had been my routine.  Not very exciting, but it allowed me to survive.  Add coffee with dear friends, lunch with dear friends, dinner with dear friends, talking with dear friends and that was my life the first month of my new life without my son.
      One evening, I decided it was time to look at the book that had become my companion, sitting patiently on the table next to my chair, waiting for my heart to be ready to hear its words.  I was ready.
       WTDOTWDOYL was written by Brian Zahnd.  He is the founder and senior pastor of Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri.  I really didn't read his information on the back cover of the book until I was finished.  I was shocked as to what he looks like.  He looks like a "cool, hip" young pastor, yet his words are so full of age and wisdom.  It just shows me once again--God's words come through many different people.
       This book is the off-shoot of a sermon he gave addressing all the trials and tribulations he saw members of his congregation facing.  It is the story of how David dealt with adversity.  How would you deal with losing everything in your life--your family, your home, your wealth--in one fell swoop? 
       There are too many "gems" in this book to share in this one entry.  So as my day allows, I will share the ones that allowed me to begin my new life without my most precious treasure.

~Andrew's Mom