When I read Joe Pryor's tribute to his Mom, I was struck by the similarities of our experience. Just before his Mother's passing, he came to Houston to see his Mom in the hosptal. I live near The Woodlands, just north of Houston, and was in Oklahoma City at the time he visited here.
You see, my Mom passed on December 24, 2008 and her funeral was on the 27th - the day that Joe lost his Mom. The serendipity was so remarkable, it prompted me to share something with my Active Rain family that is deeply personal and is a tribute to my own Mother.
God Grant Us Peace
The time for transition is near.
Soon, Mom will pass through the veil to join Dad and so many other loved ones.
Her time of peace will be welcomed. She will finally relax, let go and enjoy her spirit.
What are we to do to honor her life when she is no longer among us?
What would she want for us? What will be her legacy in our lives?
Her legacy can be summed up in one four-letter word - LOVE!
From the time she was a young child, she slipped easily into the role of service.
She cared for her little sisters. She cooked, cleaned and cared for all those around her.
She was cherished by her three older brothers. She was admired by her wise father and mother.
As the oldest daughter, she was willing to take on responsibility early in her childhood.
With six children, the farm and the depression, her contribution was vital to the family survival.
She continued to express love through service for the rest of her life.
God blessed three children with her mother love.
Through many childhood illnesses, chronic health challenges and other struggles,
Her unwavering faith in God provided the strength to get through each day.
At no time did she stop loving with her whole heart.
She was a human-doing.
Doing everything she could to make the lives of others better.
She sewed wedding dresses, decorated cakes for anniversaries, organized Sunday School classes.
She provided food for funerals, covered dish suppers, family events, children and grandchildren.
Each activity was an active expression of her total love.
In her final months, she has slipped into inactivity.
As her body is starved for oxygen, she is unable to perform even the simplest activities.
Yet still, her love is active and touching the lives of those that surround her.
Her physical decline has provided opportunity to collect more people who benefit from her love.
The caregivers are blessed by her spirit, just like those who have known her for years.
So how do we honor the passing of a woman like this?
How can we live our lives in a way that honors the lessons she taught by example?
Actually, the question seems a little silly, because the answer is so obvious.
She would only want us to follow her lead by expressing love every day of our lives.
She wants us to know the joy she experienced in collecting loving relationships.
Each time we do something for someone else we will honor her contribution.
When we prepare a dish to share with others, we can remember her love of feeding others.
When we volunteer to be a greeter at church, work in a food bank, or visit a sick friend,
Her life and love will be like a pebble dropped into the water.
Let us find peace in our role of continuing the ‘ripples' of her love until eternity.
God grant us peace!
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