Mom's Funeral
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
My mom was one of a kind. She was by no means perfect but she was pretty close. I have done a lot of funerals and no matter how bad a person lives a funeral will often bring out the best in people. For my mom, she lived the best.
Day in and day her character sought to bring Glory and Honor to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is who she was in public and who she was at home. She was special.
So many scriptures came to mind when I thought about my mother. She lived out so many of them but I chose to settle on Proverbs 31.
I am confident if my mom and I would have talked about this she would have said there is no way I measured up to that. My mom never thought of herself.
I read through this chapter and I witnessed her live this out in her life.
10 Who can find a capable wife? She is far more precious than jewels.
Capable: some translations have of noble character. You will see today that my mother was capable and a women of noble character.
Proverbs says who can find? This suggest that such a women is rare. This does not mean that they are non existent but that they should be cherished because it is not common to find such a person.
My mom was unique. She was one of a kind. She was far more precious than jewels.
I must say that as my mother battled the disease of dementia and also fought breast cancer. All of us as kids got a front row seat to watching my father treat her as more precious than anything this world has to offer.
Her Husband
Her Husband
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will not lack anything good.
12 She rewards him with good, not evil, all the days of her life.
Dad, mom loved you dearly. We saw it, we heard it, and I remember the many times she would step in front of you to get a hug from you.
You were her man and she would claim it. That’s my man.
Mom was trustworthy as a wife. She was committed to her marriage and she worked hard to manage the home as dad was running the business.
I watched as dad would come home late from work and she would make him food, fix him something to drink and make sure his needs were met. This was always along side of raising us as kids.
She would often then sit with him as he ate. Because of moms love, dad lacked nothing of value in our home.
Mom was an asset to dad and never was she a liability. Dad experienced good in his life because of my mother.
My mother was committed to my dad all the days of her life.
23 Her husband is known at the city gates, where he sits among the elders of the land.
My mom supported my dad. I remember them talking about confident or sensitive issues related to my dad being a deacon. She supported him in his decisions and she also showed great respect when he was not allowed to talk about something that took place in the meeting.
My mother’s character and action helped to build the great reputation my parents have in this community.
28 Her sons rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her:
My siblings and I have been so blessed by my parents. My mothers life blessed us so much. Again she was something very special.
My dad loved my mom so well. I wish so many people could have experienced what I witnessed and learned from my parents. Dad cared really well for my mother and as a son I could not have been more proud for how well he treated her.
Dad you are the only person I know who a week before your daughters wedding in El Salvador was able to get a passport for yourself and your wife who was battling dementia, get plane tickets, and fly out of country for the first time in your life. You know how many people have waited months to get a passport? I still ask myself, Did my dad really pull that one off?
Dad was proud of mom and loved her. They were friends. A Biblical marriage reflects a Christian relationship between us a people and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am thankful I got to witness this in my life. Their marriage reflected Jesus. Their marriage reflected the fathers love for us. Through the good and through the bad they remained faithful.
Her Work
Her Work
13 She selects wool and flax and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from far away.
15 She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household and portions for her female servants.
18 She sees that her profits are good, and her lamp never goes out at night.
My mother loved her job. She was an X-ray tech. I had the joy of walking from junior high school to the hospital and waiting for her to finish work. I observed her and she loved her job.
She was a hard worker. She loved her co-workers, she loved her patients, and she had compassion for everyone in her workplace.
She worked at Phelps County regional medical center. She drove to Rolla every day for work. She was faithful to show up. If weather was bad, then she would leave very early to be on time to work. Her bosses would say that people across town would call in for work but not my mom who drove an hour. She was there all the time.
My mom did not sleep much. She would stay up late hanging out with us and then rise early in the morning to go to work. I remember times her doing laundry at 1 am and getting up for work at 4 am.
She loved her job and she did not want to miss out on family time so she would do both. She rose early in the morning and her lamp did not go out at night. She would outlast us all.
One night my daughter Macy spent the night with Nana and my mom would not shut off the tv because Macy would start crying so they just stayed up all night long with no sleep.
Her Children
Her Children
21 She is not afraid for her household when it snows, for all in her household are doubly clothed.
My mom loved her children. My mom loved all children. It was my mother who taught me how to love kids as she modeled it serving in the church nursery.
Mom loved Chris, Jinger, myself, JoHana and Josh well in her life. She was so much fun! She liked having a good time. I will remember the Sunday afternoon lunches she made (It was an amazing spread), I will remember the Saturday morning breakfast waffles. I love what Chris’s wife Gina wrote about mom delaying making waffles so that if our families were leaving she would delay it as long as possible so our families would not leave.
She loved buying gifts. Christmas was always a last minute adventure with my mother. My mom and dad would normally wait until Christmas Eve to start Christmas shopping. The stores would typically close before they were done. They would then come home and spend the rest of the night wrapping. It was really fun when she had grandkids. It was like never ending wrapping and never ending gift giving. The mothers of her grandchildren loved birthdays for their children because my mom would find a huge gift back and fill it with so many outfits for their kids. She would buy a nice big gift for the kids and then fill the bag full of clothes for the kids. The kids were not always excited about the clothes but the joy on the parents face was priceless.
She loved her kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, and all children.
She lived out
5 And whoever welcomes one child like this in My name welcomes Me.
She constantly welcomed children in the name of Jesus.
Her Strength
Her Strength
17 She draws on her strength and reveals that her arms are strong.
My mom had polio as a child. Her left arm was not normal because of the polio. I almost said her left arm was disabled because of the polio but let me tell you it was far from disabled.
She never complained about this arm and she never let is stop her. I remember there were a few times in my moms life when she would have someone tell her she was not able to do something because of her arm and I could hear her say, “Well buddy you just stand back and watch me”. She would do it too.
Jinger shared with us a time when a friend said to her Jinger what is wrong with your moms arm and Jinger’s response was what do you mean? To Jinger there was nothing wrong with mom’s arm because it did not stop her from anything.
As I viewed her body in the casket, I looked at her left arm there and thought to myself I am so thankful for that arm. That arm has taught me so much. That arm taught me how to overcome, patience, determination, perseverance, fun, and in my mind I will forever see it propped up on the side of the window in the white bomb scratching her face as she drove.
She would often use that arm to entertain. She would dance with that arm. I loved it when Isaiah started mocking that arm and she thought it was the greatest thing ever and they bonded over that moment.
My mother was so strong and she drew on her strength and her arms were strong.
Her Love for Others
Her Love for Others
20 Her hands reach out to the poor, and she extends her hands to the needy.
My mothers hands reached out to everyone. She extended her hands to anyone in need. This was a personal favorite of my moms traits. My mom did not see classes of people. My mom did not think of people in upper, middle or lower class. She did not know how wealthy some people really were nor did she know how poor some people were. She did not see people in classes. She saw people as people.
Those who had less than her she never viewed them as a charity case. They were friends to her and she never placed herself above them but viewed them just as valuable as her.
She loved those who had little and she loved those who had a lot. It did not matter to her. She was never envious of other peoples things.
My mom did not care about stuff or things. She cared about people. Our home was never full of expensive furniture or fine china, but our home was so rich because of the love of my parents.
My parents always think of others. My mom always put others before herself. It is remarkable how much they think of others. They loved others so well.
Her Love for her Savior
Her Love for her Savior
29 “Many women are capable, but you surpass them all!”
30 Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.
31 Give her the reward of her labor, and let her works praise her at the city gates.
My mom was beautiful. In the last days, we would come into the room there at the nursing home and we would tell her how pretty she really was. She never believed us.
You can see in the pics my mom was a pretty woman.
Let me tell you what made her beautiful. My mom loved her Lord and Savior. Mom loved Jesus.
Her love for her Savior was genuine. It was real. She always wanted to bring Glory and Honor to her Savior everywhere she went. My mom was a Christ follower every day of her life. She did not live one way on Sunday and the a different way the other six days. She loved Jesus everyday.
She wore out Bibles. She loved Jesus.
She lived a life surrendered to her Lord and Savior and if you have not surrendered you life to Jesus then let the life my mom lived lead you to her greatest treasure her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
Conclusion
My mom was one of a kind. She was far more precious than jewels.
I am sure many of you in this room and watching online are saying there is no way I could ever live up to who your mother is.
Let this challenge you. Understand that Jesus came and Jesus died to give us life.
As we surrender our lives to Jesus, Jesus sends the Spirit to dwell inside of you. Your body is the Earthly Temple of the Holy Spirit.
Your life exist for eternity. You are designed to expand His Kingdom and bring Glory to Him.
How in the world do we live without my mom? The mission does not change. She modeled very well for us.
We push forward seeking to Love our Savior, Love our spouses, love children, and love others growing the kingdom and bringing Glory to our Lord and Savior.