Wednesday, December 16, 2020
by Ray Coombes

In this season, and with this Advent booklet’s theme of “Hope for the Future,” my mom comes to mind. This will be the first Christmas without her as she passed away in March.

Her favorite part of the season was the singing of carols as a family when we gathered. As a young boy I can remember feeling almost embarrassment while in church, listening to her sing loud and clear, in what I later recognized as her harmonious alto voice, over the other voices. She couldn’t read a note, but she loved her Lord and her family.

With four children and seven grandchildren and spouses, we were quite a group when we gathered. It brought her great joy to sing with all of us as my sister played and the four-part harmony flowed.

The day of her death, she was still on course with her God. She shared with the nurse that morning that she knew she was dying and was alright with it. She was most concerned with how it would affect her family. That afternoon, eighteen of us, including the nurse, surrounded her with song, prayer, and family love. It was a long six hours, but it passed so fast.

Mom, Grandma, and Great-grandma had gone to be with their Lord, but I think we all became stronger, with a greater “Hope for the Future.”

 

Dear Lord, As we go through life, help us to not spend time worrying about those things we cannot control, but bring to light the things we can change. Amen.