Today Mike and I drove up to Warner Robins to spend some time with Mike's grandmother, Mema. For the past year Mema has battled lung cancer. She has walked a road that has been tough and a grueling process on her body, yet in this road Mema has praised the Lord for his faithfulness in her life. For even in the midst of our despair He is still faithful and good to us.
Mema has been a special lady in my life. I first met her about a month after Mike and I started dating. We went to Macon on a date and I asked him to take me to meet his grandmother. We first stopped at a christian book store and we picked out a little table block calendar to give her as a gift. There was something about Mema and from that first time we met we just clicked - the Lord has been so sweet to me to give me such a special and sweet relationship with her. (btw, that block calendar still sits on her counter today - it brings my heart joy every time I see it!)
When Mike and I moved to seminary I received a letter from Mema. She is always so sweet in her writings talking about how proud she is of Mike and how handsome he is and how much she prays for us. So, I wrote her back telling her things that we happening in our lives in seminary. I then got a letter back and there it started. Through the next 3 years we spent in seminary we wrote letters back and forth. If it was my turn to send a letter and I hadn't done it yet the next time we would talk on the phone she was say "It's your turn!"
Every time we would come home Mike would preach at his dad's church and Mema would make the 3 hour trip to come see him - she was so proud of Mike and the Godly man he had become. She was so proud that he had obeyed God's calling in his life and followed his dad in going into full-time ministry. We cherished those mornings that she would come to hear him.
In July, Mema took a turn for the worse and was admitted into the hospital. We were told that those were going to be her final days and we made the trip to Macon to spend some time with her and speak things to her that was on our hearts. I was in a bit of a shock and didn't expect it to be happening so quickly - the Lord took me to Psalm 118:1 "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." My heart was so thankful to the Lord that Mema knew Him! So thankful to the Lord that He is good and that He has been good to Mema - that while she was a sinner, Christ died for her and that she had accepted that gift and accepted Lord has her Savior! That despite the cancer that stricken her body, He was good. That despite that hardships she may have experienced in her life that He was good and gracious to her. And that He loved her. And that she would be able to endure His love forever - that she would be walking into eternity with the one that made her, loved her and died for her! So thankful for that!
We were able to spend that time with Mema back in July and the Lord gave us a very sweet moment with her - a moment that will be a memory in my mind that I will cherish forever. We just love that little lady so much!
After the bout in July, the Lord restored her strength and she was able to come home! We were all so thankful for that. We have visited her several times since then and I always thought she looked great! She hasn't always felt well but she always seemed to have joy (that comes from the Lord). The past few weeks, however, she has taken a turn for the worse and things don't look good. She has become weak and burdened with pain. We went up there today and was able to spend some time with her. She was tired and wasn't able to communicate much with us, but that was fine! She knows we love her immensely. When a loved one passes we tend to discuss much about their life - how they loved and respected others well. My hope is that when a loved one passes that we have no regrets about how WE loved and respected THEM well! The Lord has given us a sweet relationship with Mema - one that has been filled with joy, love, respect and true unity. So thankful for that!
Her body is failing her, but we know that the Lord never fails!
Death will not get a victory, for the victory has already been won on our behalf! So thankful that when the Lord does call Mema home that she will be Home - free from cancer, free from pain and dancing and leaping in front of the Savior!
We love Mema and continue to pray that the Lord restore health to her, and if he chooses not to, He is still good - always will be.
Malissa kept the boys for us while we went today and then Mike had a Wild Game Supper to go to when we got home. The boys were already in bed when he made it home and he went in to check on them. I heard some commotion and when I went in there this is what I saw. He had gotten them out to play! ha!
1 comment:
Precious post-hope she is well, but I loved your reminders about her hope being found in Christ-praise the Lord! :)
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