Two months ago I bought my mom this angel. It’s over a foot high and sits on top of a clothes closet in her room. The head of her bed is right across from it. When I brought it in and turned it on she put her hand on her chest, smiled wide and gasped, “Ohhh, You found my angel! I was hoping you would find her for me. She is beautiful ! Thank you for finding my angel !” She has spent a lot of time talking about and looking at her beautiful angel.
For the last three years while mom lived in the home, I would end my visits by praying with her. Every prayer included this phrase, “Dear God I ask you now to let your Holy Angels sit in the four corners of her room and watch over her. May they protect her and give her peace.”
Mom was 91, used a wheelchair but loved to roll around the home and pray for people. Nurses, Aids, Administration and other patients constantly tell me how much they love her and how much she has meant to them.
Unfortunately, last Sunday her life changed. She fell, had a gash on her head and a huge bruise on her hip. Monday x-rays revealed she had broken her hip. She was confined to bed and given medication for the pain. Our family decided she should not be alone. I stayed with her during the day and Amie slept in a recliner beside her at night. The guys filled in when they could.
Mom’s pain continued to increase and so did the medications. We sang the songs she loved, prayed with her and told her how very much she meant to all of us. A constant stream of employees dropped by to kiss her and tell her how very much she was loved.
Friday, November 1, 2019 we began to see changes. She seemed to be looking away. Looking toward something we couldn’t see. She would stare at her angel as if she thought she might fly away.
All day we sang to her, held her hand and prayed with her. Ron came in and we sang choruses and songs we knew she loved. Jamie came in to talk and sing with her. Each of us had quiet moments to be alone with her.
Jamie left to take care of some work and Ron had some obligations as well. Amie and I talked quietly by the window until we heard her breathing change. We sat on either side of her bed. We cried and prayed with her. Amie said later that the Holy Spirit seemed to prompt her to suggest we sing “When we all get to Heaven”. We remembered the chorus but couldn’t get any of the verses right.
I smiled and kind of giggled, “Just wait and let me look it up. If I don’t mom is going to sit straight up and point her finger at me, “Debbie don’t you mess this song up – get the words right!”
I looked it up and we sang all three verses and choruses. Even though mom’s tear ducts had dried up years ago…When we started singing the last verse we saw a tear form in mom’s eye.
Onward to the Prize before us!
Soon his beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of Gold.
Chorus:
When we all get to Heaven
What a day of rejoicing that will be
When we all see Jesus
We’ll sing and shout the victory!
Amie and I were crying when we finished that song. We watched mom’s tears slowly slide down her face. She took three or four more breaths and then she was gone.
Amie and I melted into tears. Then Amie began to smile. “Mom, we sang her into Heaven!”
I felt the Holy Spirit filling the room with peace and comfort. My grief and pain turned into excitement as I saw those Holy Angels who had been watching over her – usher her up and away to those pearly gates. “Amie, I can see mom marching into Heaven and right up to Jesus.”
I will never sing the song “When we all get to Heaven” again without remembering the great love and legacy of my precious mom and the sweet way she passed into heaven. She lived her life with one goal in mind – to be the most loving, faithful Christ follower she could be. Jesus was first and foremost in her life. She meant it when she wrote the song, “I don’t want nothin’ down here to hinder me”….and nothing ever did hinder her from serving her precious Savior!
I do wonder who planned the beautiful timing? Mom left us as 11:30 pm November 1, 2019. She was reunited with Jesus, all her friends and especially Daddy.
She was in Heaven in time for November 2, 2019 and their 69th Wedding Anniversary.
Happy homecoming mom. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad. We love you both very much!