Mother’s Day – May 10, 2015
The date; a reminder of the day. I will be blessed to celebrate for the 30th time as a mother, and another first; the first time in 55 years that I will not have a mother to send a card to. I no longer have a mother-in-law or grandmother either.
Don’t worry, this is not going to be one of those sorrowful posts that say poor me. I know that there are many who have lost their mother, many who never knew their mother, and some who have challenged relationships with their mother. I know that I am no worse off than many others.
As a matter of fact, I feel that I am one of the lucky ones. I celebrate this mother’s day for myself knowing that I will see her again. I know that my mother is able to do the things that she had trouble doing on earth. Things like reaching up, or any arm movement for that matter. She could be picking dandelions to bring in to have Jesus put in a small glass on the windowsill, the way we used to do as children – for her.
I was at a funeral of a dear friend last Sunday. Her son gave the sermon. He almost laughed as he said, “Mom would never want to return here, even if she could. Heaven in all it’s glory could never be matched.” He sang a duet with his daughter, Colette, called Mercy Tree by Lacey Sturm, which was fantastic and gave me chills.
My Mother is doing what she always did best. She always prepared excitement for our joy and I am thrilled to see what she and Jesus plan. She is seeing the place that He is preparing for our arrival. She could be asking Jesus for a French horn (my favorite) to be put in the corner, or a picture and composition by one of my sister’s favorite composers on the wall. She is helping to set the stage for my other sister’s performance or the gifts that my brother enjoyed to be available.
She had a way of making things extra special. She went to each performance that her children were in.
Starting with her first born, Michael, she went to piano lessons with him, recitals, solo and ensemble competitions; she went to plays, speech meets, and Musicals that my sister Suzan was usually a lead in the cast. My younger sister, Nancy did the solo and ensemble, every year with her Oboe and Piano. I played flute at first, but switched to my much beloved French Horn. Mom and Dad were always encouraging.
My mother is going to celebrate the best Mother’s day with our Heavenly Father.
When she was still on this earth, and feeling so much pain, she told my dad that she was ready to go home with Jesus, and that he should come soon too. She didn’t want him to have to be alone here on earth. She knew the best place was waiting for our arrival. Such love was shared in that moment.
This is taken from something I wrote right after she died:
My mother stood in my hospital room and told me every day, even before I was conscious, that God had saved me for a purpose. This truth is what I continue to cling to every day of my life. God can use me for His plan. • I believe that I am better able to see the blessings in life. I will always feel a terrific gratitude for the way my parents raised me –twice - both before and after the accident, to love Jesus.
This is a tribute to the life of my mom. Vignette's of a life.
A memory of her final days, from my perspective:
She called me, right after she fell in the bathroom, to ask for prayer. She knew she could count on me for prayer, just like my sisters. I call on both of them when I need it.
To have a family that can turn to each other for love and prayer is the most important connection we can have.
The last time I talked to her, she answered the phone so happy. I said, “Oh you sound good.” It was a short conversation that ended with my usual comment, I said “God bless your day”.
She said, as she always did “And yours.”
God did bless her. He gave her peace in perfection.
A story in the book of Matthew tells of someone suffering that claimed our Lord could heal him if it was His will. Jesus reached out His hand and said “I will, be clean” (Matthew 8:3)
Aha. . . mom reached out her hand and grasped onto the hand of Jesus. She told my dad that she was ready to leave this shell of a body and go home to be with Jesus. Then she said the thing that will forever be on my dad’s heart as she expressed her forever love for him. She told my dad how she wanted him not to wait too long; and he should come when he is ready. She was saying that she loved dad and that she knew they could live forever with Jesus. What a wonderful way to express love and loyalty. The love they shared was mentioned at my daughter, Angela's wedding dinner, as an example.
My father showed her the best gift of love by letting her go. He knows he will see her again.
What an expression of faith. She loved my dad, through trials and through joys. She loves her Jesus. Always has. She knew that as Jesus called her she would be going to see her mom and dad again. She was blessed to have parents that brought her up in the church and taught her the love of Christ.
She would be with dad’s parents also. Mom is with God waiting to greet me when I come. I know I will see her again, too.
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She told me that I was saved for a purpose and I believe that God can use me to fulfill that purpose. God can use you, too, to fulfill His purpose.
We may never know the purpose that we each have; we may never know the impact of our words or actions; and we may never understand why some things happen, but we can trust that God can take what we give to His glory. And that, my friends is what we can see. We will one day see the full glory of God
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I believe in Prayer and I believe that mom is sending me Prayers of Love still.
May 10, 2015 A reminder of another first. ~ Happy Mother’s Day ~ Whatever your situation, God loves you.
GBYD ~ God Bless Your Day
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