Mother's Heart Beat

2024-05-12T08:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day in heaven dear mom,

It's been 21 years since you left this earth for your eternal home with God and the family in heaven but I never stop missing you as much as that graduation day. You were with us on that Mother's Day but it was a hard day for you being sick and knowing you were going to leave us soon. We gathered at home with you and sat at the dining room table together to eat, watching you try to eat one piece of food but you couldn't swallow it and broke into tears. Heartbreak doesn't take a holiday and that day was truly a heartbreak day for you and all of us kids and extended family that were there that day.

You sat helplessly in your chair by the big picture window, looking outside as tears flowed down your cheeks. You had faced many hard trials in life but leaving your kids and family behind was the biggest one and earth shattering. Everything we had done for years as tradition was changing and the unknown of that all disappearing was very unsettling. As I sat at your side crying with you, holding your hand and hugging you with assurance you weren't alone, you grasped my hand tightly to say thanks. All the years of learning I had being with you and watching you face the ups and downs of life were now a tangible crimson red lesson in my mind. Even though you couldn't speak well at this point, the lessons of mom etched in my heart were echoing throughout my being. "God loves you and so do I...forgive others when they hurt you as they may have had a hard life...be good to others in their pain..pray for them and always follow the golden rule. 💔🖤

It was a mountain too high for me to climb at that point emotionally and I just clung to your side from that day May 20, 2003 to the day you peacefully left before the break of dawn on May 25, 2003. You woke from the coma the night before to whisper with eyes fixed upward, to tell of your glorious visit to heaven, the party there, the kind of music you liked, the people dancing, how beautiful it is and mustered great strength to say "you kids need to come there but not too soon!" I reluctantly whispered in your ear late at night to let go and fly home to Jesus. Your two children in heaven that you never got to meet, were also waiting for you, dad and God. That we would be OK and I would be sure to let the others know about the party and to make sure they get their ticket there, which is Jesus. You nodded and closed your eyes only to open them again in heaven at 5 am with the birds on earth singing outside in the dark and supernatural heavenly smells in her living room that only a couple family members could smell. God surely left his mark with us as His heavenly angels ushered you home.

It's been a turbulent road on earth with many turns, mountains and joy but I've held close to my heart all that you showed and told me about love and forgiveness. I have the great and blessed hope of being with you again and that sustains me in every dark night of my life! You loved Jesus and clung tight to Him and God during your life and I so appreciate that you gave me that example. I'm so glad you're my mother forever! I wouldn't want any other mom, you are my mom and I love you so much!

I will celebrate this mother's day with worship to God and Jesus, my first love and complete strength in every step of life. I will give thanks for the gift of my husband, bless him and the gifts of children God gave me, pray for them and continue to grow in His grace to be a wife and a nurturing mom to my children till I leave this earth. I can only hope that my legacy I leave will be love, just as yours is. Enjoy the party dear mother and give everyone there my love! I miss you all so very much! xxxxxxxx

The Family Circle Now in Heaven

2021-11-13T00:05:00.022-08:00

It's hard to believe that my last post here was in 2019....wow. It seems like the whole world turned upside down with the arrival of covid 19, it affected holidays, gatherings, workplaces, weddings, funerals, family events and life just changed drastically. In my own family as well, many have joined the family circle in heaven. Mom, are you watching occasionally from heaven?... I tend to think so. But, you're not worried or fretting over any of it as you live in paradise with Jesus and He makes everything ALRIGHT! 💜

It started in my family with the sudden and unexpected death of my beloved brother, Rog, on a Saturday afternoon, January of 2020. Little did I know the large, transparent shadow of an angel standing briefly by my bedside that same morning, was a loving preparation for the shock. Also, the cell phone call sister Karen answered from Rog's number, no voice speaking, AFTER he was gone. We were also told that there was an excited outburst from Rog, "Oh honey!" right before he slumped to the floor. Was it God's beautiful creation, the frequent deer in the backyard that he marveled at, or did he see something else? We will find out someday but I hold steadfast to this truth... God is love. 💙

We were told it was his heart and yes, he had a long history of blood clots but nothing medical proved that, so I guess his body just wore out. I'm so very glad we were allowed to spend our last family Christmas together before his graduation day to heaven.

We didn't get to prepare or say, "See you in the morning" but perhaps that's ok as he was very ready, didn't suffer in his passing, and he had talked often of his expectation of seeing Jesus!

To gain balance and perspective, I choose to look through two windows. The earthly window showed that our family was grieving and sad; reeling from the shock of it. His deeply moving and honorable military funeral exemplified his many, faithful years in the Navy. The celestial window scene was our mother watching from heaven, and the absolute excitement and joy unspeakable of knowing her oldest son was coming home. Wow..🙌 I'm sure the first person He saw was his beloved savior, Jesus and Father God. But, oh how mom must have run to him with dad and other family members, to greet him!

February 2020, brought us another surprise as my oldest sister, Lyn had a serious winter car accident that resulted in a broken neck, broken ribs and an arm and hand injury. It could have been much worse but she sensed YOU with her oh blessed Savior, and as the song goes "Jesus take the wheel" became her prayer, literally! He did and she felt a peace and supernatural intervention. Thankfully, her children and some grandchildren live close by, making it a blessing to recover with plenty of support.

Yes, it shook her up and she had a long, long arduous recovery. God never promised us a smooth ride, but did promise to never leave us, nor forsake us. Neck surgery is no picnic for an 83 year old, plus her sodium levels were vacillating which can be deadly, so I am so very thankful for God's grace and providence! 🙏🙌

She is still with us, even after a 2021 heart stent procedure to give her tired heart a boost and more time on earth with us. She is a tough older, but beautiful bird, and says she wants to be here another 20 years, go Lyn! She loves the Lord as well and is watching over all of us and praying for each one of us, as the matriarch of the family, now.

Our oldest patriarch of the family, beloved Art, Lyn's husband, had been struggling with various health issues for the past few years when all of this happened and he was shaken a lot himself, by the family trials. He fought hard in-spite of several close calls almost landing him in heaven, and continued to to try and regain some ability to function, to our amazement, as the hard working gardener, country loving, fisherman, hunter & lover of his family that he was. With Lyn recovering from her accident and his frequent hospital visits, life was quite the storm for a while in theirs and the rest of our family.

In April of 2020, our beloved Art finally laid down his fishing pole, garden rake, gathering wood for the stove and many other passions of this life, to peacefully enter his flight to glory where I know he is now fishing with the Master fisherman! Art truly left a unique legacy that will follow his life forever. 🎣 On a beautiful spring day, his ashes were gently spread on the very ground he, as a young boy, planted every tree in. We will see you again, dear brother-in-law. I want some of your scrumptious, heavenly garden tomatoes when I get home! 🍅💚

The prayer wheel was turning and Father God was at work in many hearts during that time, which is now evident, as all of Art and Lyn's kids and several grandkids, serve the Lord or have since come to Jesus as their Savior.

More will come. Satan lost! 👏💓 Dad was adamant on his deathbed in 1984, that he had prophetically seen the family circle, tight in Jesus' love, and it is truly becoming a reality.

We bonded even more after Art left and we started having outdoor picnics for holidays at Lyn's request, and in January 2021, we started a monthly family luncheon and prayer meeting.

We all love to eat and share each other's fav foods or the recipes our ancestors left with us, like "Grandma's Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake" 🥮 and that in itself triggers a cherished memory.

It has been a warm, rich and memorable time of seeing that life is truly ALL about love and relationships. The family circle won't be broken, there's better home a waiting in the sky

Lord, in the sky!🎶

After a brief pause and breather, we had yet another shock as my second to-the-oldest sister Sandi, left us suddenly and graduated to heaven in February 2021! She just went to sleep in her chair and gloriously went home to her long-time Savior and lover of her soul.💖

She had shared her testimony with us at the previous family lunch & prayer meetings, of getting saved at a young age, her favorite scripture and her most earnest prayers for her children and grandchildren. Little did we know, we were making some final earth memories with her.

Every moment we spend together with our loved ones, memories are being made and we don't know what tomorrow holds, so I've learned to hold today as very precious and close to my heart. I don't want regrets that my pride kept me from sharing my heart, as this may be my last day on earth. Life here is a brief vapor.💙

She is another legacy, as she had lived her life centered around her Lord since her teen years and I, along with many others, are the product of her faithful witness. She had taken me to church many, many times in my younger days and the impact had a lasting effect on me. We had so many times of talking about God and especially shared the love of the Gaither Homecoming music. She could hardly wait for Jesus to come, and is now living with Him, mom & dad, other family and friends she so missed! See you in the morning sis! Won't it be wonderful there?! 🙌💞🎵🎵

The month of October 2021, brings our family yet another massive shock, the sudden departure of Sandi's daughter, Jodi and a young age of 52. We have not heard the autopsy report but it is medically speculated that it was her heart.

We all felt quite broadsided and still do, especially her husband, adult children, one that found her and the rest of our family. I am no doubt, "funeraled" out but we press through it, together, knowing that God is faithful, and the reality that life can be tough with many trials"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." God is love and this life is just a brief moment in the light of eternity.🙌💜

The three sisters had just spent their annual time at a northern cabin together, adjusting to the fact, it was their first time without mom. They also had a weekly bible study together, which is the fruit of mom's seed of faith. 💞

Jodi loved the Lord and lived her life just as that. I'm sure her mother was overjoyed from heaven, awaiting her arrival, as she already has a brother there who left after his birth into this world. She no doubt is geeked to be there with Jesus, God and family, but those of us on earth are human and naturally feeling this earthquake. We press on and know that each time our heart breaks, God has given His spirit of comfort and wraps His blanket of love around us and reminds us of the blessed hope for tomorrow.

This is my memoir & how I process my thoughts of pain, my grief, my joy, my journey and move forward. See you in the morning, sweetie! 🤗😘

Christmas Long Ago Memories

2019-12-06T12:04:00.003-08:00

Mother's Day 2019 Memories and Tunes

2019-05-11T18:59:00.000-07:00

Dear mother, it's been 16 long years since you left this earth for your eternal home in heaven with Jesus and all the saved family from eons back in time, plus the ones that have now also graduated to heaven. I miss you fiercely, but I won't feel too sorry for me as you are happy and I know the "living" you, is not in my past but you are in my future! You're more alive now than ever.

You must be enjoying every moment and waiting dearly & patiently for us kids to arrive. But, I remember you telling us, "not too soon." 💜 So, we do our best to occupy our time here, enjoying the love and relationships that Father God designed us earthlings to have. I know you're not an angel as the Bible doesn't teach that. I do l know you are still you as the Bible clearly says, but you are young and happy, no more suffering, sickness or sadness of all the trials you suffered in this world.

What a joy unspeakable to finally be with Father and Jesus! Of course, you won't look old anymore, but you'll be young and still look like you, thankfully!

And I bet you're still dancing cause you sure did it enough in your early life, and you talked about the dancing in heaven with a smile on your face, on your deathbed. 😊

Mom and I Christmas 2012, doing the hokey pokey with
the kids. You left us in 2003, after playing a winning
round of tiddlywinks. 💘

There are days I can just feel you checking in on me for a moment from your heavenly home, and it feels so very secure but I know you are not grieving my absence as there is no sadness in heaven. Plus, you know I love Jesus and will come there in God's time, never to be apart again.

I think often of how you are immensely enjoying a literal, indescribable paradise with all of the family and animals there in heaven. That truth helps me to focus more on my family and life here as it is precious and goes by so fast, as you well know.

You always taught me the golden rule and now you are talking with and hugging our Lord Himself!

ALL TO MYSELF I find the way

Back to each golden yesterday,

Faring in fancy until I stand

Clasping your ready, friendly hand;

The picture seems half true, half dream,

And I keep its color and its gleam

All to myself.

All to myself I hum again

Fragments of some old-time refrain,

Something that comes at fancy's choice,

And I hear the cadence of your voice:

Sometimes 'tis dim, sometimes 'tis clear,

But I keep the music that I hear

All to myself.

All to myself I hold and know

All of the days of long ago—

Wonderful days when you and I

Owned all the sunshine in the sky:

The days come back as the old days will,

And I keep their tingle and their thrill

All to myself.

All to myself! My friend, do you

Count all the memories softly, too?

Summer and Autumn, Winter, Spring,

The hopes we cherish, and everything?

They course my veins as a draft divine,

And I keep them wholly, solely mine—

All to myself.

All to myself I think of you,

Think of the things we used to do,

Think of the things we used to say,

Think of each happy, bygone day;

Sometimes I sigh and sometimes I smile,

But I keep each olden, golden while

All to myself.

"You are my sunshine"

Dear Mom

2018-02-01T19:48:00.004-08:00

Dear mom, I still remember the warm breeze that gently blew on my face as we hung the clean laundry out to dry so many, many times. You would whistle "Red River Valley" or "You Are My Sunshine" which gave me a feeling of comfort and contentment I can't explain. You were so patient with my little hands grasping the clothes pins and handing them to you and then as I got older, you made sure to instruct me so they didn't get too much of the clothes in them and cause dirt on the ends. Such endless, precious memories. 💙

We would finish up and go in for lunch and talk, then do some more housework, and take the fresh smelling clothes off the line. I loved rubbing my face in the towels and quilts to smell the crisp air fragrance on them. We folded them as we took them down as a time-saver and to this day, I'm still that way. You taught me. Your afternoon cup of coffee was a time I looked forward to as well, cause you gave me windmill cookies to dunk in your coffee and I felt quite grown-up having a little coffee on my cookie. 😊

Well, here it is 15 years since you left this earth for heaven and the days go by but it gets sweeter cause I know I'm going to see you again. Such a wonderful thought but I'm not going to rush this time here as you told me not to come there too soon. Writing my feelings about you just seems to bring me a little closer to you again and reminds me of how you loved my writing and poems. Hope you can see this blog, Mom, and smile a little on me. I can see it in my mind. Love and miss you...💓

2016-04-20T01:21:00.000-07:00

I can't sleep and realize that the month of May is just ahead and memories of you flood my mind. The years have flown by and I think about you daily my precious mother. A song comes to me in that you used to whistle often throughout my childhood and now when I hear you whistling it in my head, it brings comfort to my longing heart to be with you once again. That day will come and as you said on your death bed, "you have to come here but not too soon" and I have not forgotten you saying that to me. I need to live in the now, let God heal the trauma of my past and bring Him glory all the days of my life here on earth. Someday, I will be there with Jesus and you, mom. What a day that will be! I know that this song meant a lot to you and I understand why now. Love for your children is the closest thing to God's love and so unconditional. Life is all about love and relationship. Thank you for teaching me that so deeply, mom. See you soon..xoxo

You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are grey
You'll never know, dear
How much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away

The other night, dear
As I lay sleeping
I dreamt I held you in my arms
When I awoke, dear
I was mistaken
So I hung my head and cried

You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are grey
You'll never know, dear
How much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away
Please don't take my sunshine away

A Tribute to My Beloved Mother in Heaven

2015-05-09T16:42:00.000-07:00

Dear mother,

I think of you daily and so many things that I do remind me of you. The smell of bacon and eggs cooking on a Saturday morning or the lilacs and lily of the valley blooming remind me of you picking some for the kitchen table from your own yard. The silly things I laugh at and how hard I love my children and grandchildren, all remind me of you. The way you took care of dad and fixed him meals when he came home from work is instilled in me as I embrace my married life once again. You are here in my heart and there in heaven and someday I will laugh with you again and hug you like there is no tomorrow. Your absence makes me grow fonder each year more and more. Thank you for the beautiful lessons of being a loving mother, wife and caring for your fellow man. I am inspired to be what you were by the grace of God. <3 nbsp="" p="">

Each mother's day is a reminder but really, every day is mother's day in my heart as you never died, you just moved to another country to live with the Lord and our family in heaven. More have joined you since that beautiful May morning in 2003 and more will join you in Jesus' heaven, but until then I will write about you, sing about you and teach my children and grandchildren about their wonderful grandmother who left us with a great legacy of life, love and laughter. Till we meet again...your daughter. xoxoxo

Happy Easter!

2015-03-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

Long time of not posting here!

It's funny how time slips away from you when life is going good and you can stay busy! My health is better now and I have 14 grandchildren so that alone is enough to keep me busy. Ha ha..I love them dearly and feel very blessed. I now know what my mother felt having all those precious children come over on a Sunday or holiday.

The fond memories of mom come back to me each holiday and Easter is just around the corner so it floods my mind of the happy days when mom would take time time to cut up pieces of paper and write little rhymes of where to find the candy eggs. I could hardly stand to go to bed on the Eve of Easter because of those handwritten notes that mom made for us. How she must have laughed along with my dad when coming up with them!

"There is something pink, hiding under the sink, Go look for the candy green by the washing machine and it's all white sitting by something bright."

My mother loves games, played them with us kids and the grand-kids all of her days on earth and this was right up her alley. I miss you mom and a day does not go by that something reminds me of you!

The Easter food was awesome as well because I could smell it cooking from my bedroom and after the candy hunt, we would dig into it with joy. Our basket was always at the end of the hunt and the big trophy with lots of neat things in it. Baked ham smells wafted through the house and if the weather was nice, we would go outside for a hunt so the other fragrance of my moms beloved hyacinths would consume us with heavenly outside fragrances.

My kids got to do their candy egg hunt after church and often times they had an egg hunt at church too so that was just about as good as Christmas to them.

Now I spend the day with my wonderful hubby in church and then out to dinner since we make Sunday our go out to eat time. I love seeing all the kids enjoying this day but most of all I enjoy what my Lord and mother did for me to make it so special! Now she is with Him in heaven and I will someday join that party which I can only imagine how it is on the special day of First Fruits, the true meaning of Easter. Enjoy the season everyone, He is risen!

Holiday Memories of Mom

2012-11-24T21:11:00.003-08:00

Dear Mom, it is two days past Thanksgiving and 26 months of this skin affliction that is taking its toll on me mentally, emotionally and physically. I just want it to stop and go away forever as I had eczema as a child and now this?

Life seems to hard at times and I so miss you up there in heaven at the party you described to me so well as you were leaving this world. Holidays are hard..I love being with my kids and we reminisce about Grandma's peanut butter balls, pecan fingers, chocolate covered cherries and your happy spirit that cheered everyone up.

I sooo miss you mom...so much. I remember how sad you were when dad when home to Jesus and you lost the joy of the holidays and didn't care if you put up the Christmas tree. I ended up talking you into it when the boys and I lived with you. We enjoyed that Christmas and you were not sick and actually had family living in the home to enjoy again.

Mom, I am now living that lonely life and have little desire to put up the tree, and you know what a decorating person I am for the holidays. I did find a little tree for my bedroom and put lights all around the bottom of the dresser with candles and garland. It is pretty and makes me think about the light of Jesus and how wonderful heaven must be.

I love the meaning of Christmas and focus on that and just worship my King whom you are in the presence of every day.

Wow.... I will do my best to die to self-pity and enjoy the days I am here with this skin hell and would you just peek in on me now and then, or better yet, just sit by me like you used to when I was sick? I know you can't come to earth, but somehow maybe an angel can come in your place and bring your love with?

I love you mom and will see you soon, but I have my wonderful children and 12 grandchildren now. You said not to come there too soon and once I am healed, I will be back to the hospital and nursing homes and wherever the Good Lord leads me to sing and minister out of my own brokenness to the broken people of this world. Enjoy the party mom and save me some chocolate cause in heaven..I won't have a reaction to it! :) xoxoxoxo

P.S. Do they do the Hokey Pokey in heaven? You probably are the queen of it! xoxoxo

Mother's Day 2012

2012-05-15T18:14:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother's Day mom. I know you enjoyed it much more in heaven than I have on earth this past year. I've been sick and really missing you and just homesick for heaven. I have to trust God to heal me and keep me here until my time comes. You said not to come there too soon,so I will hold to your words and try to praise God through it all. Love and miss you!

Update

2012-02-16T01:34:00.000-08:00

My life took a sharp turn since August, as I had stopped using topical steroid cream for my eczema as of April 2011 and by September 2011, my body got very sick from the addiction of using it for 40 years on my hands, never realizing I was poisoning my body so much.

I am now in my 11th month of the withdrawals and have been too sick to do much of anything but lay in my bed, scratch terribly and have insomnia for months. I've had to use medications almost daily since September for the itching and pins and needles from my nerves waking up in my skin. I cannot even describe this whole journey and hope that I turn a corner soon and feel good enough to go without daily medication and the itching stops.

I so miss my mother during this time as she would have helped to take care of me, but I would not have wanted her to see me cry so much and itch like this. She is in heaven, praying for me and I do believe that I will recover sooner than the 1-3 years predicted. Please say a prayer for me and thank you for visiting my blog about my precious mother. God bless everyone! ~Joey

Autumn Memories of Mother

2011-08-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

My life is so busy with writing these days, as I try to build up my online residual income between my website and three writing sites. Not a day goes by that I do not have some precious memory of my dear mother. I am finding more and more things about myself that show me that she lives in me for sure. My grandmother used to say "absence makes the heart grow fonder" and that is the very truth of it all! The thought of a reunion with my mother and loved ones in heaven becomes more precious every day.

The fall season in my favorite and runs a close race with summer, except summer has more bugs, so fall seems to be perfect to me. Mother always stayed busy and fall was no exception. She did her usual fall cleaning, which was less intense than the spring cleaning, but still thorough. She would clean one room at a time in our suburban ranch home, with my help. I always remember it being a nice sunny, fall day so she could have all the windows open and throw all the rugs out to be shaken later.

As we would clean each room, I distinctly remember her familiar whistling and how it gave me a feeling of contentment. Mother loved music and certain artists like Eddy Arnold, Floyd Kramer, Boots Randolph, Roy Clark, Glen Campbell, Marty Robbins and too many to mention. Saxophone and harmonica were two of her favorite instruments and she would sing along of dance to her favorite stuff. She loved nostalgic songs like barbershop and folk music and one she whistled often was "Red River Valley." To this day when I hear that song, my mind drifts back to mother whistling that song while she cooked, cleaned or played card games with me. She was a very mellow and content woman who made everyone around her feel at home.

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While we cleaned, mom had a nutritious dinner cooking for supper. I can still smell the aroma of a chicken casserole or big pot of ham and bean soup coming from the kitchen while we cleaned. After the all day cleaning was done, we would hop in the car and go to pick up dad from work as we only had once car. Mom always got up with dad, drove him to work at 6:30 a.m. every day for years and then picked him up every day. Supper was always a sit-down event after everyone washed their hands first. I always had the choice of setting the table or helping get the food ready and then dishes or drying and putting them away. There was no such thing as leaving the table and dishes for later, mom was a neat and tidy housewife.

Other fall memories of mother are so many and so treasured, but these stand out the most today. I will post more of my fall memories with mom as they come to me. Remember to tell your mom that you love her today and cherish each day that you have with her.

From Mother's Day to Mother Goes Home

2011-05-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

Here I am reminiscing back to 2003 and the rough Mother's Day mom had and her decline in health to the day of her graduation home to heaven on May 20, 2003. Time slips by so fast and I miss her as much now as then. The comfort of the Lord is what gets me through these lonesome times when I just want to go home and have supper with mom or call her and tell her everything like I used to. God never said this life would be easy and we know that death is the last enemy. I'm glad she is home with Jesus, dad and a whole slew of family and friends. She said we need to come to the "party" and I plan on being there when my name is called. Miss and love you, mom.

A Special Post For Caregivers of Aging Parents

2011-05-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

My writer friend, gottaloveit, is her 94 year old mother's caregiver and wrote a beautiful tribute and informational article about it for others to have some very helpful information about this subject. Click here to see this wonderful article! She included pictures of her lovely mother as well as different products that aid you in taking care of your aging parent.

Things like a pill box for every day of the week so you don't forget any of their pills, a raised commode seat with handles, to avoid falls in the bathroom, which is a common problem and helpful accessories to add to your parent's walker.

I love this lens because I was my aging mother's caregiver for the last year and a half of her life as I went to live with her after my divorce. It was a divine appointment from God and she and I both knew it. When she became to ill to do many things, I was very humbled and honored to give back to her what she had given me for 48 years. Total love and always a helping hand at anything I needed. My mom in her glory holding my first granddaughter. :)

Not everyone can care for their aging parent due to work, living space, their own condition and other factors, but if you are able to give them those last days with you, God bless you and I can say this without a doubt, I will never regret it! I cherish every moment I had with mom and miss her everyday. God bless all of the caregivers out there, even the gentle angels in assisted living homes and nursing homes like this one giving someone's mother tender loving care. Bless them, too!

A Nurse in a Nursing Home Talking Affectionately to a Senior Woman

Favorite Mother's Day Poems

2011-05-02T21:46:00.000-07:00

As Mother's Day draws near, I can't help but remember how sick my mother was on that special day 8 years ago. The month of May was her home-going and I will be posting some favorite poems about mothers. Here is my favorite by Erma Bombeck:

When God created Mothers

When the good Lord was creating mothers, he was into his sixth day of overtime, when an angel appeared and said, "You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one."
And the Lord said, "Have you read the spec on this one? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic; have 180 moveable parts, all replaceable;run on black coffee and leftovers; have a lap that disappears when she stands up, a kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair, and six pair of hands.
"The angel shook her head slowly and said,"Six pairs of hands...no way."
"It's not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord."It's the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have."
"That's on the standard model?" asked the angel.
The Lord nodded. "One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, "What are you kids doing in there?" when she already knows. Another here, in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn't, but what she has to know, and of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say, "I understand and I love you," without so much as uttering a word."
"Lord,"said the angel, touching his sleeve gently, "Rest for now. Tomorrow..."
"I can't," said the Lord. "I'm so close to creating something close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick, can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger and can get a nine year old to stand under a shower.
"The angel circled the model of the mother very slowly."She's too soft," she sighed.
"But tough!" said the Lord excitedly. "You cannot imagine what the mother can do or endure."
"Can she think?"
"Not only think, but she can reason and compromise,"said the Creator. Finally the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek.
"There's a leak," she pronounced. "I told you, you were trying to put too much into this model."
"It's not a leak," said the Lord. "It's a tear."
"What's it for?"
"It's for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness and pride."
"You're a genius," said the angel. The Lord looked somber, "I didn't put it there."

Erma Bombeck

Mother and Child

Bouguereau,...

Mother's Favorite Hymn "Just As I Am"

2011-04-23T00:49:00.002-07:00

This was my mother's favorite hymn as it reminded her of the day she walked down the aisle at church to receive Jesus as her Savior and Lord. She cried whenever I sang this beautiful song or heard it on the radio or TV. I'm so glad that she made that decision and is living in heaven today because of it.

May you find Yeshua as your Savior and Lord this day if you have not already done so. He went to the horrible, rugged cross for you and me and rose again to live forever more! Just as I am I come to Him each day with my burdens and find peace and comfort through the blessed cross and blood He shed. Happy Easter, He is ALIVE!

Mother's Day Memories

2011-04-15T12:07:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is a very special day to me because mom went home to heaven two weeks after that memorable day. It wasn't her best Mother's Day because she was too sick to eat and felt bad that we all were there to eat with her and she couldn't. We did our best to cheer her up and not be too sad, but I did sit with her in the living room and hold her hand and cry with her. Sometimes, that's all you can do and crying with someone is okay, it's a God given release valve for us to let out some of the pressures that build up on the inside. Don't ever fear your tears and embrace the emotions God gave you. Just make sure that you don't stay in the grief mode too long because that is not healthy.

She went home to Jesus and made it clear to me that it was beyond describable and was seeing her mom, which put her into a fixed trance for a while before she left her body. She shared a lot with me while in that fixed stare to heaven and even chuckled with us when we laughed about the music and food being what she liked.

Mom did have many happy Mother's Day events and one I remember well is when my dad, brother, sister and I made her breakfast and brought it to her in bed. Boy, was she surprised and happy! She was the queen of serving and helping everyone else, so this really touched her and meant a lot. I will cherish those Mother's Day memories and rejoice in the day I see her again! I hope you enjoy it and have a special memory of a Mother's Day with your mom.

Praise God, she's home free!

Mother's Lilacs

2011-04-14T20:55:00.002-07:00

Mom loved her lilacs and made sure dad brought cuttings off the lilacs from our old house to the new one when we moved. I was ten years old and very sad to leave our grand old house with the big front porch and swing where I spent many days swinging with my big sisters. It was our favorite place to go when we heard a thunderstorm coming in off the lake, which was only about five minutes from our house.

Now, we were moving to a city just seven minutes away into a brand new house that mom and dad just loved the thought of after fixing so many things at our old one. But, sentiment ran high and the lilacs were going with us, which made me glad to have the familiar, fragrant flowering bushes come with us to our new home.

Dad planted then in the corner of the backyard so they would provide somewhat of a hedge and look pretty all bunched together. Through the years they grew big and beautiful and spring always seemed like a familiar homecoming when our lilacs would bloom and spread their sweet aroma throughout the yard and into the house.

Mom always had a bouquet of them sitting on the dining room table and that is one of my fondest memories of her and the lovely lilacs. She would whistle all the time while she worked and the lilacs just seemed to perk up more when she did. They were one of her passions and were with her until she took her last breath as the family picked some off her own bushes at her request, so she could view the bouquet from her hospital bed in the living room.

They are now my favorite flower and a most sentimental fragrance for me. I even wrote a whole article dedicated to the beautiful and fragrant flowers in memory of mom and know that she is beholding the most magnificent lilacs in heaven at this very moment! You can read the article here and learn about the divine flowers and see some awesome pics of them as well. I love you lilacs and thanks for the memories of mom!

Flowering Lilac Tree

February Has One Good Thing About It! Valentine's Day!

2011-02-07T12:41:00.000-08:00

February is my least favorite month of the year and I know it was my mother's, too. I guess when you are a social butterfly like her and I, the dreary, cold winter weather cramps your flying style too much. But, I do try to find the good in everything, as mom would say "You have to be thankful for something every day."

True words and helpful to keep a positive attitude. Attitude is a big part of our happiness and I sure don't like the unhappy feeling at all. God gave us so many things to be thankful for, that I just have to find things on a daily basis to remind my soul that life is good.

Valentine's day has happy memories for me as a child, because of the fun I had getting those cute little cards and candy hearts for my class-mates. Of course, the best and biggest valentines were reserved for the cutest boys in my class. Then I added my special candy hearts with those "you're cute" phrases on them.

Mom made Valentine's day a special day with her heart shaped cakes and chocolate heart gifts. And, I always looked forward to coming home and dumping out my homemade valentine's box of cards and goodies to share with mom.

The links in this post will take you to my articles I have written about missing a loved one or being single and lonely on Valentine's day and how to cope with it, hope they help you in some way. If you find yourself sad on Valentine's day because you're missing your mother or are single, widowed or in place where you don't enjoy this holiday? Do look up and reflect on the goodness of God and His love for you. You are His valentine and He has given that valentine's card for eternity by sending His Son to take our place on the cross. A personal relationship with God will help you face any bad day and give you the blessed hope of seeing your deceased loved one that went home to heaven. Happy Valentine's day, my friends!

To My Valentine, Victorian Mother and Child as Cupid

12.5 in. x 18 in.

Grace and Mother

2010-10-03T16:34:00.000-07:00

My friend posted about grace on her blog called "Quivering Daughters" and it blesses me every time I read her blog because of the grace that is on her and the site when I read it. My favorite pastor once said~"Grace is something we don't deserve and mercy keeps us from getting what we do deserve." There is a link to his message on her site and it's a worthy and powerful message to hear for sure.

http://www.quiveringdaughters.com/

The closest thing to Jesus and His grace that I've ever known was my mother. She was the most loving and forgiving person and always taught me to forgive others. Many people considered mom to be too merciful and would try to correct her on all that kindness she would show to those the most undeserving of it. It seems to me that Jesus lived very strong in her, yet she did not bible thump or even attend church regularly. Her motto was the golden rule and ten commandments for all and to show grace cause we all have been shown God's grace. Wow, how much of an impact she left on me and how much I am repelled by anything not liked mom or grace or~~grace or mom? The two go together either way, which brings me to that going home feeling of being close to Jesus. He is grace and no one loves us like Jesus~not even mom and that is too hard for me to even comprehend.

A Mother's Love is Just a Sample of God's Love for Us All

Giclee Print

Fall and Mother

2010-09-25T11:16:00.000-07:00

Mom made autumn such a wonderful and memorable time of the year for us kids. She always did some fall cleaning, although it wasn't as intense as spring cleaning. I would help her pull furniture out and clean in places that didn't get the weekly once over. Certain foods that she made in the fall trigger a happy, nostalgic thought when I smell them. I can even now visualize and smell the bread pudding, rice pudding, homemade beef stew, chili, chicken and dumplings, chicken casserole, tater tot casserole, goulash and oh my gosh~ hot tapioca pudding! She always had the canned whipped cream so we could deck our pudding with an extra treat. I sure would love to take a ride over to mom's this Sunday afternoon for some of her fall goodies~sigh~someday I will.

Kinkade, Thomas

Mom's Favorite Night Show~Johnny Carson

2010-09-11T00:14:00.000-07:00

Mom watched Johnny Carson every night and I suspect that it kept her laughing during the down times. I can still hear and see her laughing at Johnny~

Summer with Mother

2010-08-05T01:10:00.001-07:00

Today I went to the beach with a friend and we ate ice cream flurries, walked in the water and swung on the swings while watching the sunset. There was an older woman parked in front of our car that got out and set up a lawn chair to sit and read her book. It was beautiful and peaceful and brought back vivid memories of the many times my mother took us to the beach and sat in her lawn-chair while us kids enjoyed the beach and swings. What a comforting feeling to remember mother and her desire to let us kids enjoy the beach even though she had a fear of the water since her childhood. Her older brother threw her in and she almost drowned, never forgetting the terror of it. Too bad people have to do this to others, but it did not stop her from letting us enjoy every beautiful moment of the beach. Bless you mom~~

Mother's Cooking

2010-06-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

I have so many good memories of mom's good cooking and the foods that she made for picnics and family get togethers. She always made enough and fixed everything ahead of time, there was no being late with mom. I need that quality more, lol. :)
Some of the foods that I remember and like a lot, coleslaw, big, fat burgers with all the fixings, potato salad, baked beans, cream cheese graham cracker dessert with blueberry or cherry topping, yum! And her wonderful jello combinations of marshmallows, pineapple, cherries, cottage cheese and whipped cream. Thanks again, mom, for the memory.

In His Arms Now

2010-05-20T00:03:00.000-07:00

Dear Mother,

Seven years ago this day, you took your heavenly flight home at 5:15 a.m. while I stood at your side for one last time. It was your graduation day into the arms of Jesus and my dark soul of the night. I will never forget. You struggled but gave me hope with the words, "SEE YOU AT THE PARTY." You told me to tell the others that they must come there, but not too soon. What you described will stay with me and carry me through until we meet again. I did not say goodbye as I held your baby soft hand and kissed your precious cheek, but I did say, "see you in the morning" and I will, mom, I will. Until then, keep the party going and tell Dad we are coming there, too. The circle will not be broken. Love you so much~your daughter.