Page 38 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2017- Online Magazine

welcoming to everyone he meets. them deal with Mona’s worsening
My mom has always been loving memory problems. Don said, “What
and very approachable, too. She has Mona has at age 66 is something
served alongside my dad her entire you’re not supposed to have until
life with a willingness you don’t see age 86.” As Mona’s Alzheimer’s
every day.” became more pronounced, Don
Once the three kids were grown, decided to retire from ministry and
the Kinders again pursued full-time take care of her.
ministry. “Our first church was in He’s grateful for help from the
Tuscola, south of Abilene. We were Treasured Times program at
there for three years and then went Lubbock’s First United Methodist
to Miami, Texas, in the Panhandle Church and the staff of Home pitch remains perfect.
for three years. Then we came to St. Instead Senior Care. Dealing with Daughter Krista says music is so
Luke’s Methodist here in Lubbock Alzheimer’s on a daily basis has also integral in her parents’ lives, she
as an associate.” reminded Don of the power of the can’t imagine them and music not

Don says they come from the gospel music that first brought him being part of the same sentence.
“shouting Methodist” tradition, and Mona together. “Many times, as young children,
leaning on the Word of God, “I used to go into hospital rooms my sister and I would sing with
prayer, and the leading of the Holy and pray with people and then my parents at church or at a service
Spirit. “We’ve committed our lives share Jesus through song,” he said. where they were ministering. My
completely to Jesus,” he said. “There’d be two or three people dad played his accordion, and we
all sang at home. My sister and I
That commitment was unshaken standing at the door saying, ‘Can were in choir all through school, and
by Mona’s diagnosis of emerging you come and pray and sing with we all took piano lessons. In short,
dementia several years ago. He us, too?’ We need music. Before we music was a constant. “
said, “The truth is that all creation were born, music was encoded into
is broken. Jesus said we will have every part of our brain because of She clarified that it was never just
tribulation. Not that we might have our mothers’ heartbeats.” music for music’s sake. “The content
tribulation, but we will. But because Don finds that music works of that music was mostly worship.
he loves us, God has launched a wonders in bringing back memories My parents still sing at anything
rescue mission into a rebellious otherwise apparently lost. Though to which they are invited, even if
world. We need Jesus. We want to many other parts of her memory are that means getting up at the crack
share Jesus with others who need gone, Mona still recalls most of the of dawn so my dad can fix my
him, and that’s everybody.” choruses she and Don have sung mom’s hair and make-up and go
sing at a prayer breakfast of some
That understanding of the through the years. Others, he said, sort. It’s actually pretty amazing
brokenness of our world has helped she needs some help on. But her how much my mom can still sing
and remember songs. She might
not know what a toothbrush is for,
but she can sing a crazy, amazing,
difficult song in front of 400 people!”
Don said, “People ask, ‘Why did this
Alzheimer’s happen?’ or ‘Why did
God allow that?’ The fact is that we
were born into a rebellion against
God. But we’re all also choosing to
sin against him. We’re part of the
rebellion, too. Then we ask, ‘Why
did he let this happen?’ We have to
realize that God is the answer, not
the problem.”

38 Lubbock Senior Link