The call came early in the morning that her mother was fading and she was told to get there as soon as possible.
On the trip to her mother’s home, the phone call came; and when her daughter pulled off on the side of the road, she knew that her mother was gone from this earth.
She had often told others who were grieving that their loved one was not gone – just gone before. But somehow she could not reconcile that for herself – it was her Mama who would no longer be there for her as she had been for over 70 years.
Her mother had lived a most extraordinary life. She was one of ten children born during the dreadful years of the depression; also one in two sets of twins.
She packed parachutes and supplies for the Army during World War II. She was an excellent seamstress and had many talents using a sewing machine. She could make stuffed animals, slip covers, draperies, women’s dresses and men’s shirts. She worked long hours for little pay in order to help her husband feed and clothe their children.
She learned to sew on an old treadle sewing machine which is still in the family. She worked in various factories over the years where women were treated more like slaves than employees.
She was married to the same man for 41 years and never left his bedside for over eight weeks as he lay dying. Married at age 16, a new mother at 17 – with four more babies to come. Starting out as just a couple, she would see her family grow in numbers to fifty.
She was raised in a Christian home that endured many tragic deaths and events over the years. When she was but five years old she was awaken in the night by the smell of kerosene oil in a burning lamp; only to find her 16 month old baby brother had died with the measles. She awoke to see him in the room on what was called a “cooling board” back in 1926. She said he lay there like a big Christmas doll with a net draped over him.
She would lose another brother at 19 to cancer – another at age 21 to TB – she would lose both parents and all nine of her siblings. After the birth of her fourth child, she hemorrhaged and died. She had an after death experience and was revived by the doctors – but she never forgot what she had experienced; and never feared dying after then. She was thankful for everyday God had given her to raise her children. She lived to see many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and even 7 great-great grandchildren.
She out lived all of her family. She had always said that she would live to be 93. Both her mother and grandmother died at that age. She lived 90 years and eight months dying on October 3, 2011.
She was part of only nine people who got together and decided that their little community needed a Christ-centered church. They first met in a skating rink and later bought a 100 year old church that only had two elderly members left. They completely refurbished it and it was here at Cedar Rock Church that her funeral was held.
She owned and operated her own garden shop for 43 years selling plants, pots, hanging baskets, and various concrete items such as birth baths, tables, benches, and cement ornamental yard items like ducks, rabbits, frogs, and such.
It was said of her that she could stick a twig in the ground and it would bloom. She had a great gift at getting things to grow – both in the plant and human kingdom.
At her funeral, in that little country church she helped to organize, her second eldest daughter went to the podium with a heart so filled with grief she had to be helped up on the platform.
Her opening words were, “How is your Bible?” “Stop for a moment and ask yourself, where is your Bible?” “Do you know where it is right this minute? “ “Does it have dust on it?” Then she did an unusual thing – she said, “I want to show you my Mama’s Bible.” She held it up for all to see; and then gently tilted it to one side. The entire insides fell out on the pulpit.
While her mother had worn several Bibles down to the bare threads over the years, this one was very special to her. She had given it to her mother for her 69th birthday – twenty-one years before. It was the King James Version with a Dusty Rose cover – large print edition.
Her daughter wanted those who came to say their final good-byes to know that her mother did not just own – a Bible; or just read her Bible - but that she was her Bible.
Known throughout the county as “Miss Mac,” people watched and admired her life; for she lived what she believed. She shared Christ with anyone who would listen.
When times were hard – which was often – she would say, “Let not your heart be troubled and let it not be afraid," from John 14:1. Her favorite chapter in the Bible was the Twenty-Third Psalm; and while she loved all hymns she had a favorite one, “Mansion on the Hilltop!” Her children grew up listening to her sing that song. She had been to heaven and looked forward to being there again.
But there was another special hymn that became a sort of mantra for her – “Til the Storm Passes by!” When life dealt her hard blows which had been often in her 90 years, she would say, “Why worry when you can pray?” She would say that worrying and praying didn’t match.
She trusted and depended on God for everything. Driving a truck load of concrete through Atlanta traffic, she would pray before her need to change lanes and exit. Each time, the way would be clear. When she needed things she didn’t have, she didn’t ask others – she asked God.
Whether it was a tornado overhead, news that another of her family members had died, or that one of her children was ill or in need, she took it to the Lord in Prayer!
When she had enemies who persecuted her for righteousness, she would ask God to put love in their hearts; and ask God to bring them to the knowledge of Salvation.
When the soloist stood to sing a song she had requested (among several to be sung at her funeral), he said. “I am here today because my name was written down.”
She had written his name down on a little slip of paper and put it in her Bible requesting that he sing. She had only heard him sing once – at her granddaughter’s wedding.
He said, “I am here because my name was written down – and if you ever want to see this godly woman again, you had better make sure that you name is written down.” Meaning that their name should be written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life!
During the service, the congregation was given the opportunity to stand and share anything they desired about her. As they jumped up like pop corn on a griddle, there was laughter, tears, and applause. One lady said she had never laughed so hard at a funeral. Another said that he had never seen so much love in all of his 80 some odd years.
Several times over the years she had told this daughter that when she died, the kids would be surprised at all the paper notes she had left behind and since no one would want them, she said they could just take them out back and burn them. This daughter told her that she wanted them.
Much to her great surprise some few weeks after her mother’s death, there arrived to her home six huge moving boxes and suitcases (and other boxes), filled to capacity with thousands and thousands of notes written on various pieces of slips of paper.
These prayers, poems, and scriptures were written on the backs of envelopes, deposit slips, slivers of notebook paper and even on napkins and paper towels. Some of these notes dating back 40 years or more.
Her daughter had found a lot of these in that old Bible and read some of them to the congregation. One was, ‘If you want to make footprints on the sands of times, you had better wear work boots!” She knew what it was like to work extremely hard; but when times were lean, she trusted Jesus.
She often wrote down scriptures of promise – and scriptures that she claimed for someone she prayed for and loved. It soon became apparent that if she knew you, at some time in your life, she had prayed for you. She had marked and underlined scripture after scripture in this old Bible or drew a star besides those that were really special to her. It was her practice to draw a Happy Face on the backs of her letters and cards that she sent. And then she would write the word, “smile!” She was noted for her beautiful smile.
Grief stricken beyond words, this daughter could not bear to read them - it would take at least a year to go through them – so she stored them in permanent plastic containers.
She took her Mother’s Bible and put it beside her bed. She often looked at it caressed it and opened to read some of the many, many underlined scriptures her mother had marked.
As the days and the weeks passed, her grief grew even more profound. Then one day she prayed and asked God to speak to her through her Mama’s Bible. When she reached to pick it up, there was a little piece of white paper sticking out the edge. She pulled it out; and written in her mother’s hand was, “Let not your heart be troubled and let it not be afraid!”
Another time she picked it up with tears of sorrow running down her face; and began to look up the scriptures her mother had posted in spaces all through the Bible; and a yellow piece of paper fell out which said, “Let not your heart be troubled; and do not let it be afraid!”
Then Looking up one of the many scripture references written throughout her Bible, She found John 14:27. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
You see, this was my Mama.
My mother continues to give me wise counsel and encouragement through the messages she wrote so many years ago. God was speaking to my heart as if my Mother were speaking to me – she was telling me that she was giving me her peace – not as the world understands peace – but only the peace that God can give to a wounded, grieving heart. That day I went on Facebook and there at the top of the posts was where a lady has posted, "Let not your heart be troubled!"
I had been praying about God’s will for my life concerning the direction I needed with my writing; which took up so much of my time. Sometimes I would feel that all I did was useless and not important to anyone. I wondered if anyone really wanted to read anything that I wrote.
And then among these little snippets of paper, I found a note addressed directly to me by name written in my Mama’s hand. “Don’t look back – only good thoughts.” And along side of that she had written, “Love you, Pat – keep up the good work; have a blessed day. One thing we go through makes us strong to face another!”
My mother was comforting me with the Word of God in my grieving for her. God has continued to speak to me through her Bible – not from her grave like some kind of ghost – but through God’s Word. It is as if she is reading and repeating words to me that I have read and heard all of my life; but in her own handwriting, she made it personal. As I read these little messages, I can hear her voice speaking directly to my heart.
I have often heard, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:21
I have a treasure that could not be bought for all the gold in the world – a mother who will continue to speak to me for as long as I live; and have access to these little snippets of paper written by my Mama.
She didn’t have a lot of this world’s treasures – but she left behind something more precious than rubies, diamonds, or property. She left behind a legacy of faith, love, and trust that no man can buy; but is freely given by God. She left a legacy of not just reading your Bible; but living your Bible.
During the coming year as I go through this mountain of notes, albums, notebooks, and journals – I will separate them and make sure that all in the family receives her messages from heaven – written to them so long ago. Is there a book somewhere in here? Ain’t God good? Hmmm – maybe a good title would be – “My Mama's Prayers!”
Comments