My good friend Linda - at A La Carte - decided to start a Sunday post on being grateful.
The very first thing that came to my mind is that I'm grateful for God and that I'm a Christian. I know where I'm going. I know that when things seem not okay - things really are okay - no matter how I feel.
I have have had many tests in my life when things were not going okay - and I've had to learn to have faith and trust in those times and I'm sure that I'll have many more 'tests' in my life.
I was blessed both my parents were Christian. My mom never missed church. I was raised since the day I was born as a Christian. She would sing Christian songs when I was little (sometimes it would make me crazy) and she would recite Bible verses (which would drive me crazy some times too). Now I do it!!! Go figure and I drive my kids/grand kids a little crazy. My mom used to say there is a song and a verse for everything?
When my mother was in hospice the last week of her life - I bunked out with her. Her/our family and friends came - one with a guitar - and we sang Christian songs to her every night. Then when they would leave - I would read to her from the Bible until I fell asleep. So she was serenaded into Heaven. Now she was in a coma that last week. Right before she died the afternoon of January 30th, 2003 - she opened her eyes - she looked at me, my daughter, and my niece - she lifted her right hand up as to take someone's hand - and Jesus came and got her. I know it. I just know it. The day before she had seen her mother and sister and talked to them. She was ready to go to a better place. And that was a gift she gave me.
Rosemary - she did those ceramic praying hands. She had so much artistic talent.
Love, Chatty
“It
should be your care, therefore, and mine, to elevate the minds of our children
and exalt their courage; to accelerate and animate their industry and activity;
to excite in them an habitual contempt of meanness, abhorrence of injustice and
inhumanity, and an ambition to excel in every capacity, faculty, and
virtue.”
John
Adams (1735-1826);
2nd
U.S. President
I think my mom did just that!
55 comments:
Sandie that is such a moving story about your Mom. I too am so grateful for my faith. Thank you for joining my first Gratitude Sunday!
Big Hugs, Linda
Oh, Sandie, that was a very touching story about your Mom and I'll stop there, before I get all teary.
What a wonderful tribute to a beautiful lady. Yes she would be so proud for a grateful daughter, who remembers so much, but most of all remembers to be grateful.
I love the way you express being grateful when things are apparently going wrong that they are going right. Neat and good philosophy.
Love and ((HUGS)) from the Peace.
HI Sandy!!!
I think being Grateful and having a spirit of gratitude is the BEST gift one can possess. I think teaching our children to be grateful for what they have is one of the best lessons a Parent can teach.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
hugs,
jamie
Your mom was very, very beautiful, and I know that she must have been beautiful inside, too. What a wonderful comfort to know that a loved one was a Christian when they passed.
Gratitude is such a good virtue to have. May you have a wonderful Sunday!!!
That is beautiful. What a wonderful memory and I can tell she was a wonderful lady. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Sandie .. lovely memory and I'm sure that's exactly what happened - what a blissful and satisfying lasting thought re your mother.
Thanks so much for sharing with us ... Hilary
Sweet post about your mom.I got to spend the days before their deaths with my mom and dad, too. That is something I am very grateful for!
What a pretty lady your mom was. Sweet story too
Sweet, sweet tribute to your mom, and I am so glad you were there at the end. So many don't get that comfort and blessing.
Hi there Sandie, thanks for stopping by for a visit! What a sweet post about your precious Mama! I was raised in a Christian home and I am ever SO thankful for that! Have a blessed day dear friend, HUGS!
What a blessing your Mom was to you and you to her too. Good memories like that are the best. Being thankful is something we all need to do more often. Life is such a gift and know that there is life after death is a blessing too. I'm sure your Mom was lifted up into the loving arms of our Lord.
i love "gratitude" ... finding & feeling it. is so awesome!! sunday is a great day to find it & remember it. so important.
beautiful pic of your Mom. so lovely. ( :
I am taking a deep breath and collecting myself. This was so moving and beautiful. Thank you, dear Sandie.
thanks for sharing this life experience. your mother was a beautiful woman and you are blessed to be raised in a Christian home. i was to and it does make a big difference.
"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Your mother sure knew that bible verse to be true. God bless faithful parents and their children. Thank you for this lovely post!
Big lump in my throat- so moving! Your mom was, as you are, a beautiful person!
From one generation to the next... beautiful, Sandie. Just beautiful. xoxo ~ tanna
how beautiful.
That was nice, Sandie. Very, very nice. Your Mama was a good woman who gave you priceless gifts.
I know someone came for my Mama, too, at the very last moment of life. It was amazing to see.
Take care and have a beautiful Sunday. Susan
Sandie what a beautiful tribute to your mom. Posts like this really put everything in perspective. SO beautiful.
A lovely tribute to you mom, Sandie. We did the same for my father - three years ago, when he was dying. We surrounded him with love.
Your mom sounds like a wonderful person! You are indeed lucky to have known her and to be a part of her...which reminds me of how grateful I am to know YOU - even if only thru cyberspace. =)
hugZ,
annie
Your Mother is beautiful!!
Love what you shared about your parents and your faith and your Mother. Dad was in hospice for 6 weeks as well! Can not speak more highly of those last 6 weeks. there was a harpest who would go around weekly and play. We bought a CD and played that for Dad nonstop!! Being able to be with a loved one in their passing is monumental to your faith and the living!! I'll also cherish that time.
HI Sandie, Loved this post about your Mom. I too was fortunate to have been raised by Christian parents... I have tried to do the same thing for my sons. I feel so sorry for people who don't have a faith. How can they get through the heartaches in life? I guess they just stay bitter all of their lives. Kinda sad, isn't it?
Hugs,
Betsy
Your mother was a beautiful lady Sandie. Your post is a lovely tribute to her.
Thank you for sharing that beautiful moment. We had signs from heaven after my mother passed.
I just know it too! xoxo
This was a wonderful post Chatty. My dad was in hospice for 10 days last Aug before he passed on. I couldn't be there. I don't know that I could have handled it if I was. Such a hard thing for children to bear - but such a neat story you have here.
I 'm glad you think about gratitude as I do, Sandie...it comes in all shapes and sizes...even when death happens....:)JP
Lovely post, Sandie. I'm not sure where I'd be without faith.
What a beautiful post, mentioning your mum. It sounds like a wonderful way for her to go to heaven, with that singing and bible reading. They say that we all 'pass over' with someone that has come to meet us, and I firmly believe that. Certainly, it happened with my mum.We really do have so much to be grateful for, don't we my friend. Take care.
Sandie such a beautiful and moving story. My daughter Noelle tells a similar one of her friend Jackie that went to be with the Lord way too early, at age 49! She was a life long alcoholic but a really good lady with a kind heart. It still makes me so sad to think he is gone. She was quite beautiful and very funny to be around. I never really knew she was an alcoholic until she passed and my daughter shared her final days at the hospice. Jackie was an emotional lady and when she got so ill so quickly she told my daughter "Don't you dare cry! I know where I am going and I want you to be happy for me! recently at my son-in-laws birthday their friend Melissa sort of took over Jackie's role! Jackie would zip around the house picking up plates and cups and refilling glasses etc. She was a genuine lady and I am very sad to have lost a friend.
I am grateful to have my faith. I am grateful to have friends and phamily and I cherish knowing you as one. God Bless You Sandie!
What a beautiful tribute to your very beautiful mother! Having gratitude and finding something to be grateful for in everything is a very special thing. Have a wonderful New year!
My eyes filled with tears, all I can say is beautiful..
shug
What a beautiful post, my friend. And lovely memories. It's hard to lose someone that gave so much of herself in life. Sweet hugs.
Your mother was a beautiful woman, Sandie. I like her name too. What a wonderful memory you shared with us of her faith, the faith she imparted to you and her final days; I too believe Jesus took her home.
betty
A very beautiful tribute to your mother Sandie. She sounds like a wonderful person.
This is just a wonderful and beautiful tribute to your mom and to God also.
I am grateful to be getting to know such wonderful people as you!!
Blessings of peace to you my new friend!!:-)
Sandie that was so touching. I am glad you had this time with your mom and you will carry these memories for always. Yes, I too believe I know right where your mom is.
Oh, but God has been so good in your life. Your Mother is beautiful and your remembrance of her is so sincere, I can feel your closeness even now that she has passed to Jesus. My Dad passed away with the same kind of Christian heart. Me too, I'm so happy to know I'm a Christian and where I'm headed someday. Thanks for sharing such love for your Mom, Sandie. You were a blessing to her.
BlessYourGenerousHeart
What an uplifting post about your Mom. To know that you read to her from the Bible and serenaded her...and that Jesus came to get her brings tears of happiness to my eyes.
I look forward to seeing my loved ones again in Heaven with our Lord.
Love to you,
J.
Thanks for visiting my blog. It's a small world. We just moved to AR with hubby's job three yrs ago from Cartersville, GA (right down the road). And we both go by Sandy (even though my name is Saundra). Very nice to meet you!
A beautiful tribute to your Mom, Sandie.
May this be an extra special year for you and your loved ones.
A beautiful post Sandie!
This was wonderful, Sandie. Your mom sounded like she was the best! Isn't it wonderful that when we say good-bye to loved ones here on earth, we know that they are with the Lord, and that we will see them again some day?!
THAT is one thing I'm grateful for!
GOD BLESS!
Sandie! Such a nice post. You are a blessed person. Very blessed. Thank you for your fun chocolate compliment.
Beautiful tribute for your lovely Mother.
It brings tears to my eyes, readying how you read from the bible. a very peaceful entrance in to heaven.
Hugs, Linda
A truly precious post, my sweet friend. Having lost my own mother when I was 3 months pregnant with Johnny's and my son was so hard. Miss her still. She never went to church but got her enormous faith form somewhere- some place I am unaware of. Her strength rubbed off on me...her courage too. You were blessed indeed to have been raised a Christian, to have known about God for your entire life.
Hoping all is well in your corner of the world. It is still painful in mine but God is good, as always, keeping me strong, steady, and comforted. Love you and miss you. Hope to be a little more on top of things soon. take care. I think of you often, always with deep affection.
What a beautiful testimony!!! I was raised the same way and I know that right before my dad died he was sleeping and dreaming and had a huge smile on his face. I told my mother he must have seen heaven in his dream. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for the beautiful post. You brought back some memories for me of the last days I spent withmy mother.
This moved me so much. Thank you for sharing about your mom. It is a great blessing to have a Christian mother. My mom is one too and I am so grateful for that.
Beautiful post....
how BEAUTIFUL!!
big hugs~
What a lovely story.
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