Toward the Gates of Heaven
by Karen Hailstones

Toward the gates of heaven
until I see the light
Along a path of gold I walk
It is such a beautiful sight

In front of me are two shadows
For whom could they be
Within my heart I know
it is my family waiting for me

Over to my sister, Jean I run
Next to my mother I stand
For I have been waiting for this moment
to hold each of their hands

From my eyes come tears
Since I know I cannot stay
for my family still needs me
but we will be together someday...

A MOTHER'S MESSAGE
FROM HEAVEN


I see you, darling, all the time,
I know everything you do,
Would you believe, my dearest child
I'm even closer now to you.

For I can see inside your mind,
Indeed, inside your heart,
I even know you better now,
Than I did before, sweetheart.

I've always loved you - you know that,
But maybe now I love you more,
I love the adult that you've become,
Just as I loved the child before.

I know how much you miss me, honey,
Well, I miss you, too,
I miss our talking and our laughing,
And all we used to do.

Whether you are six or sixty,
You'll always be my precious child,
You're the baby that I carried,
And the adult that's helped me smile.

What you need to understand,
Though death has taken me away,
Is that I've not left you, darling,
I am still with you today.

Honey, I could never leave you,
God, of course, would not want that,
Physically, we are apart,
But our hearts are still attached.

I love you all the time,
You cannot get away from me,
That's the way a Mother is,
Right into eternity.

Every day I'm with you
I see you from above,
And I want for you to know
How very much you're loved.



written by Virginia (Ginny) Ellis

My mom gave me this clipping from the newspaper years ago:  It was printed from Ann Landers.  I guess I told her a time or two she was so mean!  

     I had the meanest mother in the world.  While other kids had candy for breakfast, I had to eat cereal, eggs and toast.  While other kids had cokes and candy for lunch, I had a sandwich.  As you can guess, my dinner was different from other kids' dinners, too. 

     My mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times.  You'd think we were on a chain gang or something.  She had to know who our friends were and what we were doing.  

     I am ashamed to admit it, but she actually had the nerve to break the child labor law.  She made us work.  We had to wash dishes, make the beds, and learn how to cook.  The woman must have stayed awake nights thinking up things for us kids to do.  And, she always insisted that we tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  

     By the time we were teenagers, she was much wiser and our life became even more unbearable.  None of the tooting the car horn for us to come running; she embarrassed us no end by insisting that the boys come to the door to get us.  

     I forgot to mention that most of our friends were allowed to date at the mature are of 12 or 13.  She really raised a bunch of squares.  None of us was ever arrested for shoplifting or busted for dope.  And who do we thank for this?  You're right, our mean mother.  

     I am trying to raise my children to stand a little straighter and taller and I am secretly tickled to pieces when my children call me mean.  I thank God for giving me the meanest mother in the world.  Our country doesn't need a good five cent cigar.  It needs more mean mothers like mine - Blessings on that Wonderful Woman. 

     Are we ever prepared for the death of someone we love? I thought I was until my mother's death drew near. Although I'd watched her waste away, as I looked at her frail body, I struggled for words to express my thoughts. How could I tell her how much she meant to me? I closed my eyes, hoping to think of something to say that would comfort her. Instead, my mind filled with good memories from the past. I smiled, opened my eyes, and began to tell my mom why her life was special to me. My mom smiled, laughed, at some of the things I said. For a moment, we clung to the good times of the past despite the bleakness of the present.

     Celebrating the life of those we love is God's special gift to us. God allowed Elisha to walk and talk with Elijah before a chariot of fire separated them. Saying the final goodbye is painful, yet all who die in Christ are only temporarily separated from those they love. Because Christ lives, so will we. That is the believer's hope in time of death.

Prayer: Lord, help us to release those we love into your loving arms. Give us strength and faith to believe we will see them again. Amen.

Thought for the Day: Love is stronger than Death...

If we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

Love you and miss you mom!!!!

  
   The Broken Chain

We little knew that morning that God was going to call your name,
In life we loved you dearly,in death we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you, you did not go alone.
For part of us went with you, the day God called you home.
You left us peaceful memories, your love is still our guide,
And though we cannot see you, you are always at our side.
Our family chain is broken, and nothing seems the same,
But as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.



--Author Unknown--

THIS WAS OUR LAST FAMILY REUNION BEFORE AUNT JEAN (CHARLOTTE'S SISTER) PASSED AWAY FROM PARKINSON'S.  IT WAS JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER THAT MOM WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LUNG CANCER. 

Nanna we wondered
where you keep your wings.

Are they hung in your closet
with the rest of your things?

Do you put them away
and just use them at night

or give them to Jesus
to polish up bright. 

We know you have wings,
for this must be true,

'cause God always gives
them to Angels just like you.

We Love and miss you Nanna!
Cheyenne, Sydney, Bryce, Dylan, Cody, Sarah and Shane