For Mom: My Homegoing Tribute Expanded

Proverbs 22:6, King James Version says:

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Whenever I read this verse, all I can do is thank God for parents who raised me to know him as well as I do. For the duration of my Christian walk, Psalm 27 has been among my favorite scriptures. Verse ten states that “if my father and mother leave me, then the Lord will take me in.” That hadn’t applied to me before now, yet it’s become a source of comfort at this time. But without my mom’s obedience in training me up, I would be without that comfort. Throughout my mom’s illness, I experienced so many emotions! I’d feared she would pass before being able to share my joy in experiencing marriage, the possibility of motherhood, or even fully coming into my own as an individual. At those times, God would speak to me unexpectedly, often leaving me with what man may now see as false hope. But through the Holy Spirit, I realize it was the provision of strength by any means necessary.

In order for my mom to share a few final moments with her family, she needed to live until it was God’s time for her to move on. I realize now that the strength God gave during her last days helped add something special to those moments. In the midst of her battle with Leukemia, we shared so many blessings. We shared 5 years with her beautiful grandson, my nephew KJ. We discussed my aspirations & pursuits, which would not exist without her. And we even talked about the man destined to be my life partner, whom I wouldn’t even know without her! There have been so many blessings in the midst of the storm. I realize now that it was not God’s plan for my mom to recover. Instead, his plan was for those blessings to become my peace. Many of you look at me and say you’re amazed by my strength. But please understand the strength you see is not my own.

Psalms 27:1 King James Version says:

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid.”

And just as my mom wasn’t afraid to go home, I’m not afraid because I know she’s resting with the Lord, and that he will take me in. While mom was in the hospital, I sang to her in hopes that it would help her fight for restoration. During this time, a song kept popping up in my mind, but I refused to sing it. Now that I look back, I believe it was the song my mom had in her heart as she longed to be without suffering. She longed to see her savior. With that said, I’ll proceed to share the song. As I do, I pray no one is saddened. Rather than be saddened, I pray that this song confirms she is in a better place, and that she was ready to go home. She was ready to be drawn nearer to the Lord.

Song: “Nearer Blessed Lord (I Am Thine O Lord)”

Missing Verse:
“There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.”

To those grieving over the passing of loved ones, be comforted in knowing that they are in a better place so long as they were right with the Lord. And whether or not they were, please understand the importance of making sure that you are right with God. In doing so, your life will be a lesson to others, and even in your passing, there will be joy in knowing where you have gone. This is my overdue word.

Your sis in Christ for life…

KLC

Copyright ©2011 Keisha L. Clarke

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~ by Keisha L. Clarke on March 2, 2011.