Remembering Mama Today

Thinking back over my life, I had the best Christian mother that a child could ever dream of having.....what a blessing. My mother taught me so many life lessons. One, was unconditionally loving every one. She loved to help people less fortunate. She taught school so her biggest ministry was children. Poor children. Back in the day......children would come to school dirty, she would give them a bath, children had lice in their hair, she would wash their hair and treat them for lice. Teachers now could not dream of doing such things but back in those days, it was allowed. She would gather clothes for them. She loved them all and they felt her love. At the time, I did not get it, what was all the big fuss about with all these children and I didn't care much for sharing her around, after all she was mine.
Mama had the ability of making everyone feel that they where the special one. I remember when mama died that one of the teachers she taught with at school said he was disappointed to hear that other people felt the same as him, "that they were the special one", he thought he was unique. She had the ability to make everyone feel special.
Mama was known for her corny jokes, her laugh and her funny sense of humor. But most of all, she was known for her Birthday Songs. She remembered everyone on their birthdays. She remembered everyone at church, relatives and friends with a birthday song. At her funeral, the minister asked if you where remembered by Mary on your birthday raise your hand. Three fourths of the people there raised their hands. She was amazing.
She was a lover of God, a wonderful Christian example of kindness, faith, obedience,dedication, dependability, patience and love.
For those of you who do not know, I lost my mother tragically 4 years ago. She was in great health, life was good and she was taking water aerobics at the YMCA 3 times a week. One Wednesday she was pulling out of the YMCA in Columbia and pulled out in front of an ambulance. She was life flighted to Vanderbilt. I was in Nashville showing houses and my Aunt Nellie Rummage called me and said your mom has been in an accident, they are life flighting her to Vandy. What? was this a bad dream, no this could not be my sweet mother, this must be a mistake. I called Steve, Adam and Allison. The whole family was called in and we all where there with her. All my brothers, aunts, uncles everyone was gathered with her. She knew we where all there. My daughter Allison spoke that day and said Grandmother is leaving and going to a better place. She is happy and I think she would want us to sing for her. So we all gathered in a circle (about 20 of us) and we sung some of her favorite spiritual songs. She left us, feeling all of our love. The Doctors and nurses stood there watching us, they were amazed and said they had never seen a family like our family.
When she left me I cannot explain the pain, the emptiness that I felt. I knew she was in a better place but I was selfish, I did not want to give that precious woman up. How would I survive without her love, her support. I wish I could tell you that I was really strong and that I did not let it drag me down but it did. For two years, I could not seem to shake the deep depression. I knew mama would not want me to be mourning over her but I was..........The big turn around in my life was when my minister Russ announced that our church was building our first Habitat house. He asked for Volunteers to be in charge over the project. Steve and I were new members there and really did not know anybody at church but we signed up. Steve signed up to be Co-builder in charge and I signed up to be the Volunteer Coordinator. We got promoted for the jobs. Yay. Whoa.... what have I done? I have never been in charge over such a huge project before, I thought what have I done and can I possibly pull this off and get it done? I thought yes I can! I threw myself into the project and it was the best thing that ever happen to me. It was the most rewarding job, I was very busy recruiting & coordinating the work. It brought me out of my two year depression~helping others. I loved it. My volunteering and my focus on other people and not myself.
After that project was over, Chris (our worship leader) called me. He said I was at McDonald's today and ran into another member from MH. I said Suzy, what you doing today. She said I am helping a friend that is having a hard time, her roof is leaking, carpet needs taking up and a lot of work to be done. Chris said I am not busy today, I will go help you. Then Chris called me and asked me if I thought I might gather up some help for this woman. I talked to our minister Russ and he asked me to go look at the house and see what it needed. I went to see her and my heart sunk. She needed help and she needed hope. Long story short, with Russ' help and our church's help we repaired this lady's house to make it dry and safe. We showed pictures of the house to our church, her roof was leaking and at the end of church we raised $3000 that day to repair her house. We finished her house, we loved it and decided we wanted to do another one and this is how I got started in "People Helping People Together." I would say that I do this ministry in memory of my mom and dad. Both my parents loved to help people. My dad's motto was"Help Someone Today, help the friendless."
So with love, I remember my precious mama on this mother's day. To the woman that made me what I am today, that loved me unconditionally, always loving and giving to others. Happy Mother's Day.