My Mother

Her children rise up and call her blessed....Proverbs 31:28


This is the eulogy I wrote for my beloved mother.

To tell you the truth I had a hard time putting what my mom has meant to me into writing.  How can I confine a lifetime of such selfless love and devotion to her family to a piece of paper?  My mom is part of me, she is the one who showed me what love really is, what it means to be a wife, mother, sister and a friend. What it means to love and be loved.
We shared so much together as a family, but also as mother and daughter we shared the simple things. Things like shopping, lunches, school activities, trips to the ocean, all centered on her love and dreams for us. She was our biggest cheerleader.
One word that comes to mind is "fierce". My mother was fiercely loyal and she cared about anything we cared about. One of my friends from 35 years ago, who was without her mom at the time and spent the night with us, still remembers her kindness and the pancakes she made for us for breakfast.Her love and devotion has touched many lives.
I will cherish our memories and will honor her love and life by carrying her spirit in my heart as I live the life she gave to me to the fullest, sharing the beauty of her memory always.

Grandma

"One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts." Psalm 145:4 NIV

My maternal grandmother, Dorothy was such a fun-loving, vivacious and lovely woman. My earliest memories of her are of her vibrant red hair and playing with her jewelry, which she would wrap around my head and call me "The Queen of Sheba" Grandma owned her own home and lived as a 'single working Mom" in a time when it still raised eyebrows.  I was in awe of her thick all white shag rug and her elephant collection. My Grandmother was an award winning ballroom dancer, but she also listened to Jim Croce and Pat Travers! Grandma was always up for trying something new, be it a restaurant, music or a movie, she was at the gate and ready! Whenever I came to stay with Grandma she always had all my favorite foods in this mini refrigerator she had in her spare room. As far as I was concerned this was the coolest thing ever! My mother told me stories how Grandma would hand sew beautiful party and church dresses when money was tight. I remember wearing "Maxi" dresses (like most little girls in the 1970s) Grandma made for me. As I grew up, we did things together. When I was in my 20s we still rented Disney movies to watch and oh my how she loved shopping! Mom and I clearly came by our love of shopping honestly! More importantly, it was from Grandma that the legacy of love for God and family was instilled in my mother which was passed down to her children. Grandma had the gift of encouragement. Nowhere was this was more evident then at her memorial. According to my mother, the day of the services the weather was bitter cold and snowing, she was surprised at the outpouring of people who still came forward to share the impact she had made on their lives. Grandma has been gone for over 14 years and I still talk to her and the sight of an elephant will sometimes make me tear up.  I have a new understanding of the heartbreak my mother experienced when we lost Grandma. I know they are safe with the Lord Jesus and are free of their earthly pain and struggles. I will see them both again.