May 9, 2005 - MOTHER

Linda's Thoughts from Duluth

My Mother passed away in the early morning hours of May 9, 2005. It was the morning after Mother’s Day. When I called her Mother’s Day to talk with her, she was too ill to talk with me. She had congestive heart failure and had recently been hospitalized for an intestinal infection. She was not well after returning from the hospital. You will remember me writing about her 80th Birthday party in February, and how good she seemed to be at that time. It was soon after her birthday celebration that she started to take a turn. It was just like with Daddy, it seemed after she came back from the hospital, her health just wasn’t the same. She had trouble breathing and her heart was giving out.

This coming Sunday will be Mother’s Day. It will be hard. I know I’m a Mother, but really, each Mother’s Day. it’s your own Mother that you concentrate on celebrating on Mother’s Day, not yourself. Now I don’t have my Mother or my Mother in Law to physically be with this Mother’s Day. I will instead, be thinking of each of them and wishing that they were here.

The pastor at Mother’s funeral service was my Uncle Gilbert, a retired pastor. He is my Mother’s brother. She had three brothers, and Uncle Gilbert is the only brother she had left. She asked him to do her service when her time came. He reminded her that he is two years older than she, but she was confident that he would be there for her. We children were honored that he did both our parents service. How nice that a brother, who has known you all your life can give your eulogy!

He spoke about how God used her, even as a child, as a companion to her mother when she experienced the death of her husband, and her father, in the prime of his life. (Mom was 9 years old when she lost her Dad). She had been used of God, as a nurse to comfort and be a part of the healing of many, many people (she was a nurse). He used her to be a wife and companion to our Dad, Gerald, for many years. God used her to bring into the world 6 wonderful children. She was as an example to grandchildren and great grandchildren. God used her to be an example spoken of by Solomon in Proverbs 31, of what a mother should be. My mother showed evidence of her response to the Spirit of God by the fruits of the Spirit displayed in her life, even to the very end. Anyone could see love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control in my Mother’s life, no matter what the circumstances she was experiencing at the moment. This was because she was comforted by the Holy Spirit with the revelation that although she die, yet shall she live.

Because her brother knew her so well, he was able to choose the scripture that really fit her. Proverbs 31:0-31. He compared her life to that of the “good wife” spoken about in Proverbs 31:
--If you can find a truly good wife, she is worth more than precious gems!
--Her husband can trust her, and she will richly satisfy his needs. She will not hinder him but help him all her life
--She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plans the day’s work
--She is energetic, a hard worker, and watchs for bargains.
--She works far into the night! She sews for the poor and generously helps those in need. --She is a woman of strength and dignity and has no fear of old age.
--When she speaks, her words are wise, and kindness is the rule for everything she says.
-- She watches carefully all that goes on throughout her household and is never lazy.
-- Her children stand and bless her; so does her husband.
-- God praises her with these words: There are many fine women in the world, but you are the best of them al!” Charm can be deceptive and beauty doesn’t last, but a woman who fears and reverences God shall be greatly praised. Praise her for the many fine things she does. These good deeds of hers shall bring her honor and recognition from people of importance.

Mother, your children couldn’t have said it better. You were a shining example for us. You were a good wife and a good Mother. We thank you for everything you did for us, and we thank The Lord for giving you to us.

We think of you everyday, we miss you and we love you! - --Your children