A Grandma Story and Comforting Words from Jesus
My mother was a beautiful woman whose hair began turning salt and pepper gray when she was in her 40s. In time it became a beautiful white. When I was with her in public, complete strangers would sometimes stop to compliment Mother’s beautiful hair. Below is a photo of my parents Charles Leland (Daddy went by both his first and middle names) and Evelyn Boyd at the celebration of their golden wedding anniversary.
This is a closeup of Mother that day.
Recently one of our grandchildren saw a photograph of Mother and asked his daddy, “Is that the Queen?”
As you can imagine, that is one of my favorite grandchild stories. I am using our grandson’s adorable remark to introduce my topic today which concerns two once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
As you have probably seen or read in the news, the United Kingdom has a new prime minister. Outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss served only 44 days, but she gained two once-in-a-lifetime opportunities during her short time in office.
The United Kingdom does not elect a prime minister in the same way that the U.S. elects a president. The leading political party in Parliament elects a leader for the party. Then the British monarch appoints that leader as the new prime minister, inviting him or her to form a new government.
Liz Truss Meets with Queen Elizabeth II for the Queen’s Last Official Duty
Liz Truss was elected leader of the UK’s Conservative Party on Monday, September 5. Her first once-in-a-lifetime opportunity occurred on Tuesday, September 6, when Truss traveled to Balmoral Castle to meet with Queen Elizabeth.
By this time, Queen Elizabeth had appointed 14 prime ministers. The first was Sir Winston Churchill. Queen Elizabeth was only 25 years old when she appointed Churchill. At first he thought she was too young and inexperienced for the job. Later, he said that no filmmaker could have found anyone so suited to the part. After Churchill left office, Queen Elizabeth wrote to him, telling him that she would miss him and that no one would ever hold the place of her first prime minister.
Under normal circumstances the Queen would have appointed the prime minister at Buckingham Palace, but the Queen, then 71 years older than when she appointed Winston Churchill, requested that Truss travel to Balmoral Castle in Scotland due to the Queen’s state of health.
English photographer Jane Barlow took official photographs of the meeting between the Queen and Truss. Barlow has commented on the Queen’s good spirits that day. She said that the Queen greeted Truss with a big smile. I imagine that Truss will always cherish the memory of that smile. Appointing Truss as her 15th prime minister was the Queen’s last official duty before she passed away.
Liz Truss Reads Scripture at the Funeral Service for Queen Elizabeth II
On September 19, then-Prime Minister Truss received another once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when she read from God’s Word during the Queen’s funeral. Her reading of Jesus’ words in John 14:1-9 comforted mourners that day. As I watched, I was deeply grateful that people around the world were hearing them. I quoted a portion of her reading soon after the funeral. Today I am sharing the entire passage.
Thank you for sharing Jesus’ words with your children and for encouraging them to take these precious words deeply into their hearts. I have copied the passage here in the beautiful King James Version which is what Truss read at the funeral.
Let not your heart be troubled:
ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father’s house are many mansions:
if it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again, and receive you unto myself;
that where I am, there ye may be also.
And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Thomas saith unto him,
Lord, we know not whither thou goest;
and how can we know the way?
Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
If ye had known me,
ye should have known my Father also:
and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Philip saith unto him,
Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Jesus saith unto him,
Have I been so long time with you,
and yet hast thou not known me, Philip?
he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.
John 14:1-9a KJV