Elsie Annabelle Ladd

"For to me,

to live is Christ,

and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:21 (NASB)

My Mom went home to be with Jesus on January 5th.
Yesterday, I went to her funeral and spoke through my tears.

My most cherished memories of Mom are of when she use to read every night to me and my twin brother, Stephen, a chapter or two from a ten volume set of Bible stories written for children.

I remember each page was beautifully illustrated and I would listen intently to the words Mom read, as I gazed in wonder and amazement at each Bible picture. My Mom may have not realized it, but she instilled in me a great love for God's Word.

Then when I graduated from High School, I was thrilled to be able to enroll in Bible College to study further this treasured book.

After I graduated from Bible College, my greatest delight was teaching these Bible stories not only to my own children, but to hundreds of other children through means of puppets, dramas, crafts, music and summer camps.

My Mom gave me the greatest gift she could ever give me. She gave me God.

Then nine months ago, when I flew down to visit Mom, I knew beforehand her memory was gone, so I didn't expect much. However, with God I should have known to expect the unexpected. The God of wonder of those beloved Bible stories, is also the God of wonder today

When I nervously knocked on Mom's door of her Retirement Home that early morning, to my surprise, Mom opened the door immediately, as if she had been standing there waiting for me. She was fully dressed and her hair was freshly brushed with soft delicate curls. She even had this cool white streak in her hair that I was envious of. She looked beautiful!

Mom invited me in and I followed. When she sat in her chair in the living room, I sat in the ottoman across from her.

I began to ask her some questions, to see how much she remembered, but to my sadness, she couldn't remember anything. As I looked into her blank eyes, I asked her the dreaded question, "Do you know who I am? I am Sandra, your daughter."

And just ever so slightly annoyed, she responded, "Of course, I know who you are? But your hair is different." I laughed to myself, because that was true. I have changed my hair style.

I paused for a second, as I pondered the question: How could she remember who I was, but nothing else we talked about.

Then all of a sudden, I heard a still small voice, "Speak to her heart, not to her mind for it is in her heart I still reside." So I began talking to Mom about heaven and the things of God. This is when her eyes lit up. She couldn't remember where she was born or raised, but she remembered where she was going to---her eternal home in heaven. She couldn't remember I was married and had four sons, but when I told her the names of my sons, she responded ecstatically, "Those are names in the Bible!"

When the conversation steered back to the topic of Heaven, Mom began to list the names of the people who were waiting for her there. Afterwards she looked sadly down at her hands with her thumbs circulating each other and said, "I wish everyone would be there."

"Oh, the heart of God!" The Bible is true when God says, "I will put My Spirit in those whose hearts belong to me". The Bible is true when God says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." The Bible is true when God says, "My love for you surpasses all understanding."

The rest of the visit with Mom was fun. She excitedly modeled the new clothes I bought for her and even did a little dance for me. She was really cute!

When it was time to leave, I wrapped my arms around her and told her, I loved her. This is when she released me, firmly cupped my face in her hands, looked me directly in the eyes, and said, "Remember, I will always love you."

At that moment, I wept because I knew those words did not come from her mind, but from within her heart---the place where God still remained.

My brother Don told me later, that when he visited Mom only a half an hour after I left, Mom couldn't remember anything about my visit with her or who gave her the gifts.

But that's OK. God was there right with her and was right there with her when she took her last breath. Mom is in Heaven now with the God who loves her and with the God she shared with, to so many others.