Monday, January 23, 2012

Greetings from Howe, Texas.

Blessed Sunday to you all!

First let me say a heartfelt thanks to each of you who have sent your love and prayers of comfort to our family. They mean so much and you are so caring and kind. Bruce, Geni and Travis all made it home safely today and it is just Dad and me.

Today, we cleaned out a few things and are preparing to return some of the special equipment Mom required for therapy and mobility. Other things are going to go to the church and see if the pastor knows of someone who needs these items. We looked through picture books to find pictures for the picture table that will be a part of the memorial event. There was a small write up in the Sherman paper today announcing her death and pending arrangements. Dad was on the phone most of the morning fielding calls from friends, family and acquaintances. I spent some time this evening beginning to compose the obituary that should be in the paper on Wednesday or Thursday.

When we arrived at the house on Friday evening, it was just Daddy, Bruce and me. Dad went over to the desk and pulled out a small pink tissue-wrapped object. It was Mom’s wedding ring. He handed this treasure to me with the words that “your Mama wanted you to have it.” I am pretty sure I cratered just a bit. It is not the original setting, but contains the same stones. The story goes that the original setting finally wore through and could no longer be soldered back together. The stones sparkle like stars in the night sky no matter the setting.

I was talking to Geni today while we ran a couple of errands and shared this bit of wisdom with her. I looked at my hands and now they contain three weddings bands. My grandmother’s band (Mamo’s), which was the “something old” I wore at our wedding, my own wedding band and now my Mom’s wedding band. Collectively there are over a hundred years of marriage represented on my fingers. Each woman was married to only one man and just as the vows said, they were faithful until death parted them. That is over a hundred years of faithfulness and love given from one earthly person to another. I told Geni the monetary value of these pieces does not begin to match the value of the lives of faithful love they represent.

The legacy Mom leaves behind is this; she knew that when she married she was not making those most excellent promises to Daddy. She knew she was making those vows to God. In those vows to God she promised to “love and to cherish until death do they part, forsaking all others and to keep him only unto herself.” She promised to love Daddy with an everlasting, unconditional love that would only be surpassed by her love of God and God’s love for her. The really good news is she learned this lesson so well that there was enough of that extravagant love to encompass me, my brother and our families. Mom and Dad were unified in three things; their faith, their love for each other and their love for us. How blessed we have all been to have been witness to and participate in a love such as this.

Take joy in the journey even when the road is difficult. Always wear comfortable shoes. Say your prayers and count your blessings. Love you all so very much, 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.

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