Sunday, December 23, 2007

Mom's Best Christmas Ever


I just walked away from the piano in our church's sanctuary, my eyes damp. I'm stunned I didn't lose it all together. The last chorus I led for our worship service was "Agnus Dei." The chorus says "Holy are you Lord God Almighty, worthy is the Lamb..." The book of Revelation tells us these are words that are coming from heavenly beings in praise to God even as I type this. I can only imagine the actual, glorious sound of those words being proclaimed in heaven, but Mom is experiencing them first-hand. As I was leading the song, I thought of Mom, in heaven, relieved from her cancer-ridden body, graduated from this world, promoted to the presence of Almighty God and in the company of her Savior. Today, Mom and I were praising the Lord at the same time, just in different places. And I thought, this will be Mom's best Christmas ever. The day before she died, I told her I was going to miss her this Thanksgiving and Christmas. And her being Mom 'til the end said to me, "I'm sorry about that," to which I responded through tears, "Don't apologize, you're going to be having a great time!" And she is, right now. She gets to party with the Birthday Boy. She also told me before she died, "Remember the good times." This being Christmas time, there's a lot to choose from, like when we were younger, she'd put numbers on our presents instead of our names to keep us from figuring who's were who's, or when she outlined a Christmas tree shape out of gold garland over our fire place, and that was our tree that year. Her cooking the Christmas dinner with that incessant towel over her shoulder, contorting her body to get just the right camera angle, and her crying last year when I gave her a framed black and white picture of me kissing my son Max. Cards and letters made her cry a lot the last year she was here. But no more. God has wiped every tear from her eyes and she is about to have her best Christmas ever. I still can't believe she's gone, don't know when and if that feeling will ever leave me, but this morning, December 23 2007, I had no doubt where she had gone to and what she's doing right now. The merriest of Christmases to you, Mom, and that's not just a wish, for it is your reality.

6 comments:

ronda said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ronda said...

I just got home from church and read your posting. What a wonderful expression of love, your mom's, your's and God's.

Don Huffman said...

Thank you for sharing this...
This is God's plan of love, and even sorrow - to trust Him, always.

Bob Mincy said...

I just got home from a another funeral right before Christmas, it was a very good friend of mines mother. She was 86, and served God from what I could tell her whole life.

As I have now been through two very recent funerals, both for moms of very good friends, I couldn't help but think of my own mom and dad. For I had witnessed the love of a son for his mom, and the love of a daughter for her mom, and in both cases they had not only loved there mom's, but shown great honor to them while alive, and especially in their passing.

Shane, you always model for the sheep the way we ought to live out our lives in the Lord. I remember your wife several months after being married standing up in a prayer meeting and testifying of her husbands walk in Christ, and how he loved as Christ loved, and now Pastor Shane in the passing of your Mother, you are modeling for all of us how to love and honor our parents, and no doubt, you will receive the promise in this life for the obedience and honor shown to your parents. The Bible says "it will be well with you", and "you shall live long in the earth"!

Thank you Pastor Shane for modeling for each one of us, your love for Christ, your love for your parents, your spouse, your children, and the body of Christ.

May He shower you with good things from above, and add to you many souls in the work of the Lord.

John Abels said...

I felt like I was reading one of your journals. Thanks for sharing your person thoughts with us.

Unknown said...

Dear Pastor Shane,
I am both sad and rejoicing with you on the loss of your mother. She was an amazing woman. Her smile was so bright and sincere. Frances Roberts writes God's own words given to her in "Come away my beloved."
"No darkness shall hide the shining of My face for I shall be to you as a bright star in the night sky. Reach out your hand, and you shall touch the hem of My garment. Walk on with Me. I shall be very near to give you support and encouragement. Draw upon the resources of My grace, and so shall you be equipped to communicate peace and confidence to your dear ones. Heaven rejoices when you go through trials with a singing spirit. Stay beneath My wings, and I shall make you a tower of strength to which the fearful may run and find safety.My presence stands round about you, and nothing can harm you so long as you are in My care, and that is forever..."
Your mother was very fortunate to have such a devoted son.
Love,
Debbie