Greetings from Howe, Texas

Blessed Sunday to you all.

Tonight at the Howe Methodist church we gathered together with family, friends and church family to celebrate Mom’s life and to glorify God. The service was really wonderful. There was lots of congregational singing, my cousin Tony absolutely torched the house with this beautiful gospel song titled, “I Can Never Walk Without You Holding My Hand.” Mom and Daddy held hands all of the time and this piece was at Daddy’s request. One of the beautiful lines in the song said, “It was not until I was on my knees that I learned to stand.” I closed the service by singing The Lord’s Prayer” (also at Dad’s request). The pastor of the church then pronounced the benediction and directed everyone to the Family Life Center for a wonderful fried chicken and pot luck dinner.

In our looking through different boxes and searching for memorabilia of Mom we found her high school diploma and some report cards, but the greatest treasure was found inside the diploma. Mom was the salutatorian of her graduating class. Located inside her diploma was the speech she gave at her commencement exercises. It was typed on six 3 x 5” note cards. If you looked at the cards you could see where she edited her writing. She titled her speech Yesterday’s Dream. My brilliant and eloquent brother took parts of that speech and spoke of Mom. Her opening lines were about women and men, which was pretty gutsy of her during a time when women were not supposed to have dreams. She spoke of the extraordinary value of education. How profound when her two children have been lifetime educators and five of her grandchildren are serving as professional educators. She also spoke of the value of hard work by saying that “no achievement was ever attained in haste and without consistent hard work”. Our Mom was one of a kind and, at times was far ahead of her time. We were gifted by this tiny woman who was the rock of our home, who loved us with a passion and knew if we could dream it, we could achieve it. Her faith never waivered and she and God were on a first name basis.

Just prior to singing “The Lord’s Prayer” I shared the events of her last 24 hours. What I did not share was this bit of prophetic knowledge. My brother and I are five years and eight days apart in age. After we got older we began to celebrate our birthdays together at Thanksgiving because our birthdays are both in November. Shortly before our birthdays this year Mom asked me to find a picture (representation) of Jesus for Ken for his birthday gift. She asked Sheena (my sister-in-law) to aid in the search. Sheena found a picture of Jesus she thought Mom would like. After showing the picture to Mom, Mom said, “That’s not what He looks like.” Now I have to tell you, we have laughed hysterically over this response. That was just this past November and on January 20 Mom met Jesus face to face. Maybe…just maybe she was given some special knowledge not meant for us and she really did know what Jesus looks like.

I heard in a movie one time that a lady knows when it is time to leave. I have shared Mom’s last 24 hours with you in an earlier writing. Dad said when she died she had the most pleasant, peaceful look on her face. (Now, if I had gone to meet God with my hair done, I would have a pleasant look also!) I am pretty sure that the conversation between Mom and God went something like this, God: “Nita, your hair is done. Are you ready now?” And Mom’s little heart stopped and no amount of man’s efforts or abilities would restore her to this earth. I am positive the next sentence as she was welcomed into the citizenship of heaven was, “Nita, your hair looks great! Welcome, good and faithful servant.”

Take joy in the journey, Mom. We love you so much and will miss you until we are joined with you in eternity.

May we all find ways to take joy in the journey. Count your blessings and say your prayers. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am only moved by what I believe and I believe God.