Mom was . . . three years old when the Great Depression descended on her community and, like a broken water pipe, leaked away life's precious necessities. But it was more than that. Families that are held together by strong love can weather such rough times. But the family into which she was born was led by my grandmother, a woman who spent her days ineffectually battling her husband's obsession with alcohol. Lazy in work but diligent in the craft of drinking, his habit fueled his days with inconsistencies, unreasonableness, and searing anger that left his family bleeding long after he was gone.

Lisa Marie Crogan's quirky mother, Lucy, shaped Lisa's worldview and her concept of herself, her family, and God. Then Alzheimer's disease made Lucy forget who she was, leaving only a silhouette of her life's journey. But no matter what parts of her slipped away, she remained a feisty fighter, and her childlike faith in a loving and gentle God endured.

This is her story.