MOTHERS LAST LAUGH... (our Mom would have got a kick out of it, for sure).. but NO, it's not about her.. I just thought you would enjoy it also! ... LOL (and NO, she wasn't drinking milk.. I don't know why that white showed up on her lip??) "it really wasn' there!"
Consumed by my loss, I didn't notice the hardness of the pew where I sat. I was at the funeral of my dearest friend - my mother. She finally had lost her long battle with cancer. The hurt was so intense, I found it hard to breathe at times. Always supportive, Mother clapped loudest at my school plays, held a box of tissues while listening to my first heartbreak, comforted me at my father's death, encouraged me in college, and prayed for me my entire life. When Mother's illness was diagnosed, my sister had a new baby and my brother had recently married his childhood sweetheart, so it fell on me, the 27-year-old middle child without entanglements, to take care of her. I counted it an honor.
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"What now, Lord?" I asked sitting in church. My life stretched out before me as an empty abyss. My brother sat stoically with his face toward the cross while clutching his wife's hand. My sister sat slumped against her husband's shoulder, his arms around her as she cradled their child. All so deeply grieving, no one noticed I sat alone. My place had been with our mother, preparing her meals, helping her walk, taking her to the doctor, seeing to her medication, reading the Bible together. Now she was with the Lord. My work was finished, and I was alone.
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I heard a door open and slam shut at the back of the church. Quick footsteps hurried along the carpeted floor. An exasperated young man looked around briefly and then sat next to me. He folded his hands and placed them on his lap. His eyes were brimming with tears. He began to sniffle. "I'm late," he explained, though no explanation was necessary. After several eulogies, he leaned over and commented, "Why do they keep calling Mary by the name of 'Margaret'?" "Because that was her name, Margaret. Never Mary. No one called her 'Mary,'" I whispered. I wondered why this person couldn't have sat on the other side of the church. He interrupted my grieving with his tears and fidgeting. Who was this stranger anyway?
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"No, that isn't correct," he insisted, as several people glanced over at us whispering, "Her name is Mary, Mary Peters."
"That isn't who this is."
"Isn't this the Lutheran church?"
"No, the Lutheran church is across the street."
"Oh." " I believe you're at the wrong funeral, Sir."
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The solemnness of the occasion mixed with the realization of the man's mistake bubbled up inside me and came out as laughter. I cupped my hands over my face, hoping it would be interpreted as sobs. The creaking pew gave me away. Sharp looks from other mourners only made the situation seem more hilarious. I peeked at the bewildered, I could see the man was laughing, too, as he glanced around, deciding it was too late for an uneventful exit. I imagined Mother laughing. At the final "Amen," we darted out a door and into the parking lot. "I do believe we'll be the talk of the town," he smiled. He said his name was Rick and since he had missed his aunt's funeral, asked me out for a cup of coffee. That afternoon began a lifelong journey for me with this man who attended the wrong funeral, but was in the right place. A year after our meeting, we were married at a country church where he was the assistant pastor. This time we both arrived at the same church, right on time.
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~By Robin Lee Shope~
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MOM AND DAD LOVED ROSES.. HER FAVORITE WAS RED AND HIS WAS YELLOW... HOWEVER, HE ALWAYS SAID IF HE WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO SEE A ROSE, IT WOULD REACH OUT AND SCRATCH HIM.. LOL
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VERY SPECIAL PRAYERS ASK TONIGHT FOR JAKE AND FRANCES.. THEY BOTH NEED TO FEEL GOD'S LOVING ARMS AROUND THEM AND HIS AWESOME HEALING POWERS.
His eye is on the sparrow lyrics - YouTube
PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOURS TONIGHT AND NIGHTLY.. PRAYING FOR EVAN AND ALL THE CHILDREN WITH EB, CANCER AND EVERY OTHER DREADFUL DISEASES.. AND THEIR FAMILIES...PRAYING FOR EVERYONE WITH NASTY OLE CANCER.. SUCH A DREADFUL THING.. GOD COMFORT, HEAL AND BLESS EACH AND GRANT INNER PEACE TO THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS.. PRAYING FOR EVERYONE NEEDING A JOB AND (OR) THE WANT AND WILL TO WORK! PRAYING FOR OUR COUNTRY AND GOD'S GUIDANCE UPON IT.. PRAYING FOR ALL OF OUR SOLDIERS AND THEIR SAFE AND QUICK RETURN HOME AND THEIR PEACE OF MINDS AND SOULS AND THAT OF THEIR FAMILIES.. PRAYING FOR CHRIS AND ALL THE TRAVELING HE HAS TO DO FOR WORK.. THANKING YOU FOR JEFF AND NORMAN JR'S JOBS, AS WELL AS FOR MINE.. PRAYING FOR ALL THE "UNSPOKEN REQUEST, AND NEEDS" .. (and asking that you'll pray with us about ours) AND THANKING GOD FOR ALL HIS GOODNESS, HIS LOVE, GRACE, MERCIES, GUIDANCE, AND BLESSINGS.. THANK YOU GOD IN ALL THINGS IN JESUS HOLY NAME, AMEN..
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