My Mother

Memories of my sweet mother are so dear, I treasure them all. I have written about her several times. Today I am just remembering that on August 30, 1987, she was called to her heavenly home. We loved her, we lost her, but there will be a day we will see her again. She is in eternal, blissful joy now and, as much as she loved all of us, she would not want to return. 

She suffered for several years with cancer, but never let it steal her joy, cause her to be bitter, or even be grumpy with anybody. She was such a trooper through the hardest circumstances. 

Betty Jean was truly the lady with that gentle and quiet spirit and friendly to all. She never lacked for company during her sickness and everybody would gather in her room to be with her.

Sister Roberta on upper right and
Mom with Aunt Gerry in bottom pic.

As I mentioned several days ago, the presence of children during difficult times bring joy and laughter into the suffering. I know it was true for my mom to be able to enjoy her grandbabies.

In searching recently for photos, I found an album that my Aunt Gerry made for Mom's birthday in 1985. Gerry had gathered together photos from their childhood and copied them to make a special album for Mom to enjoy. 

Sonny, Gerry and Mom

Baby sister, Nancy

She listed in the back of the album names of their childhood friends, places they liked to go, favorite foods, neighbors they liked to bug, teachers, and things they liked to do. She wrote a poem about their growing up years which I am sharing here for my photo journal. 

Happy Birthday, Betty!!!

Didn't we love our childhood days,

whiling away the hours

be-bopping all over our end of town,

always picking bouquets of flowers;

lilacs, flags, poppies, and roses ...

I can almost smell them now.

(Then there was Mom's old red sweater 

she wore when milking the cow) whew!

We had Sonny to tease us and make us laugh,

and didn't we tease him, too?

Weren't we proud of our baby? (Nancy)

and the cute things she'd say and do.

Dear Grandmas Sanders and Upjohn,

and all our other kin

are just as dear to us now,

as they were a way back then.

Our cousin Merle was lots of fun!

Remember "Muhz Muhz" stick out your tongue"?

We loved our home and Mother and Dad,

and recall all the fun and good times we had.

Time went by swiftly, and we each went our way,

but thank God we're all here and can laugh and say,

"Those days are past, but sure not gone!

Cause in our memory they still live on!"

Like jewels in a treasure chest,

we relive them, then put them back to rest.

More special than the album she made, Aunt Gerry actually quit her job and left her home in Colorado to come stay with my mom in Oklahoma. What a precious gift!

Mom and Gerry about 15 years before

It was heartbreaking that I could not be with my mom as she left this earth. Good-byes are hard, but at least they do provide closure. That is something that, due to circumstances or distance beyond my control, I have never experienced with loved ones who have passed. I have envied those who get to experience the sweet bedside good-byes as their loved one leaves this life, but my heart is comforted knowing my mother was not alone as she went through the valley of the shadow of death.

A few years ago, the Lord brought to my mind something after visiting an old friend at the hospital. At 95, he was tired and weary and wanted to go home to be with the Lord. He was ready. As I left the hospital, I noticed a woman seated in a wheelchair surrounded by a group of people. A closer look revealed that she was cradling a newborn child in her arms.Those around her were hovering and fussing over the two of them with excitement about the new addition to their family.

All of a sudden, a thought occurred to me about the similarity of the futures for the newborn and my friend. This baby was going to its new home where the welcome would be warm and the love would be great. The family would now have this child with them in their home.

My friend was also going to be welcomed to his new Home soon. As this Scripture from Psalms came to my mind, I loved the thought of it. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints."

Think of it! Death is not mourned in heaven when God's kids are coming home to be with Him forever! How awesome is that? Heaven is rejoicing and it is precious to our Father when His kids are finally with Him in the place He has prepared for them.