Safe in Jesus's Arms - Lucille D. Straughn 8/28/27-8/23-/2008

For the past 4 years I have taken care of my Precious Mother, off and on through her failing health after a fall and she developed severe spinal stenosis that crippled her and she never really learned to walk again with out a walker, and then she continued to fail in health each year till 2008 and she became bedridden. The last 3 months of her life she asked me to take care of her. It was and honor to be with her daily for the last 3 months of her life. See you would have had to know this extra ordinary God fearing mother of mine, Extra Ordinary strong woman that was my Mother. Through her illness and severe debilitation she didn't focus on herself, she was always trying to care for me or my Father. Lying in her bed she would always each morning greet me with a big smile and say I love you a world full Lucy! Then we would pucker up at each other and throw kisses to each other. She would do this several times a day to me and my father. I could always make her laugh. For that gift, I thank God for. For I loved to hear my Precious mother belt out a hearty bold laugh. My Father and I could always tickle her. If you asked my mother if she was okay or in pain, most often she would say I am fine. But, I knew different, I knew she hurt immensely, she would cry when we turned her side to side. So often she would have to have pain med's prior to these turns, so she could endure them.

I knew my mothers health was fragile, as in the end of June this year she cheated death once again, she had pneumonia and it did not look good. But, once again this strong willed mother of mine was not ready to leave her family. She pulled through! It was amazing. Slowly she began to eat better and better over a period of time. So when she started to fail again in Aug. around on my birthday I was trying to figure out what was going on. I knew My mother had said many times to me and Daddy that she didn't want to leave us but she did want Jesus to take her home for a new body and to rid her of the pain she endured each day.

When I say there is a lot to be learned from watching a loved one die. My mother was tough, she put up a fight to live. She died just as she lived. STRONG! She was in a coma for 5 days. She breathed a hard labored breathing, a sound that I have never heard, nor seen. I thought to myself she is dying just as she lived. STRONG! Till that last breath she exhaled into my fathers mouth, as he kissed the last breathes out of her. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed. I cried for the loss of my precious Angel mother, but I got to witness a powerful love, a love so deep between my parents, they were married 58 years. I have never saw my father cry but one time in my lifetime and I caused that cry, this time he cried for his beloved precious wife, as she slipped from his arms into the arms of her heavenly fathers. My father then slumped into his recliner and weeped like a baby. It's now been 14 days since our precious went to live in her many mansions with the Lord. We miss her so very much, but we rejoice in Faith and stand on the promise from our Lord and Savior that we will all be together in paradise when the Lord calls us home one by one in his timing.

What I have learned:

Every moment is precious
Ego and materialism are insignificant in the face of death
Question the meaning of your life
As long as you have one more moment, you can make a difference
This isn't about me, it’s about all the people I touch along the way
The faith and courage with which some people face death is a testimony to the human spirit
9/7/2008 Lucy Franklin