August 28th.

What is the importance of August 28th you may be asking yourself. Well, to most people probably nothing, but to me and my family it is my mom's birthday. She would have been 77 this year. She passed away last December, a little more than 3 months after her 76th birthday.

This year is her first birthday without her being here, and it is hard. Hard not to pick up the phone to call and wish her a happy birthday. Hard not to go and visit her, hug her and give her a kiss. Let's just face it. The last almost 9 months since she passed have been hard. Still can't believe she is gone.

But, I have my LORD & Savior to lean on during difficult times thinking about her.

Philippians 4:7 New Living Translation

⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

 

I'm so grateful for His peace!

 

I felt more of that peace when I found out that she accepted Jesus as her Lord & Savior the night before a surgery she was about to have. She wanted to know what she had to do to make sure that if she did not survive the surgery that she would go to heaven. A visiting pastor friend explained to her what she had to do and she did it. The difference from the night before the surgery to the day of the surgery was amazing. From being super anxious to being super calm. She had called on the name of Jesus and He gave her His peace.

 

Acts 2:21 Amplified Bible

²¹ ‘And it shall be that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [invoking, adoring, and worshiping the Lord Jesus] shall be saved (rescued spiritually).

 

Fast forward to that fateful night in December. I got the call around 1:30ish A.M. I was told that she thought that she was not going to make it much longer. So I head to the hospital, praying that isn't true. I thought that we have plenty of time left with her. Turns out, it was only a few hours. As I was sitting next to her bed holding her hand, I heard The Lord speak to me. "Do you trust me if I take her?" I'm like "of course I trust You." "She has been my mom for 52 years, but she has been Your daughter for 76 years." "She is Yours, she was only on loan to me and my brothers."

 

So The Lord took her home to be with Him for eternity and we were left with memories.

 

Matthew 5:4 New Living Translation

⁴ God blesses those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.

 

Wow. How The Lord really blessed me and comforted me since that day. How you may ask? He blessed me with an abundance of family time with my Aunts, Cousin and brother that we wouldn't have normally had. We spent so much time together from the day that she passed until her funeral. It was definitely a blessing. Mom had a way of bringing family together.

 

I miss you Mom, today on your birthday and everyday in between. But I know that I/we will get to see you again someday!

 

Love your son, Keven