Goodbye to my precious, little Mother

My Mother is no longer frail and sickly...

Mother died on Thursday Morning, 052710, @ 3:15a.m.  Her "closing" was actually very smooth and easy.  She did have 1 seizure for about 15 seconds, then for about 25 minutes, she just slowly stopped living .  No more struggles.  No gasp.  No gurgles.  ...just peace.

I sat beside her, along with my sisters: Beth & Patsy, talking to her, singing her favorite hymns, crying, loving her.  She wasn't alone....one of her fears.

I kept thinking and wondering...what was she seeing.  Did she see our Lord?  Did she see those who had gone on before her...my Dad?...her parents?...her brothers & sisters? 

It has now been 5 days.  I've come back home, about 4 hours from Mother's.  My husband asked me if I had read 90 minutes in heaven by Don Piper.  We've had a copy at our house for some time now.  I hadn't.  That's what I've been doing today.  Amazing.

According to this author's death experience, you do see people you know.  He names one after another of people that lead him into faith with our Lord that were there greeting him in heaven.  Childhood friends that died early on...family and others.  He describes bliss, peace and unbelievable joy.  He even went so far as to describe his Grandmother who was "humped" over with osteoporosis (like Mother) and how she was standing straight and tall and beaming with happiness.  That soothed my soul! 

I'm so excited for her.  She was very conscious of how her body was failing.  Weighing only about 95 pounds now, Mother had always been so elegant, classy, respectable.  See, mother was aways the ultimate in a proper lady.  She would "hand-sew" the alterations of her clothing, in more recent years,  to make it hang right due to her mishapened posture from her osteo.  She very seldom wore pants b/c she felt a LADY wore skirts/dresses!  Funny!  And ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS had lipstick on!  I know it may sound morbid, but even in her casket, she was elegant, "together" and cultured!  She would have been thrilled....trust me!  That made us all feel good.

She had picked out her coffin some 15 years ago and paid for it and her outfit to wear was pre-chosen by her to blend the colors!  Seriously.  It was all about the look.  And she definitely looked the part of a southern lady.  She would have been proud...right down to the lacy hanky placed in her hand to cover the discoloration.  Even though I've said through the years how crazy people are to take pictures of those in coffins...I did!!!.....but only b/c I felt like Mother would have wanted it!  I know our Mother!!!

Her service was just as she wanted.  And the people that came for her visitation/funeral was about 350 in number.  A very proper showing. 

People have said some very special things to us about Mother.  We knew...so it was no surprise to us, nevertheless it was nice to hear.  She was a giver, well respected and a mighty woman of God.   She was a Proverbs 31 woman without a doubt.  If only I can be a little like her myself.

Never again will I hear her little voice.  She would refer to me as "Baby Sue" or "Susie~Q" or "Sue Ellen" She called me a couple of weeks ago"".  She only talked about 30 seconds but said she called to tell me she loved me and that I should know that she always had....I did indeed.  I never felt unloved.  Never.  Mother was a wonderful mother who gave so her children could have things important.  Never were we rich monetarily, but we were in love, family and the heritage of Christian parents.  We were blessed beyond measure.

Goodbye Mother....you taught me much and I love you more than you will ever know.  Go be with Jesus...you have done well "thy good and faithful servant".

With love, Baby Sue