Mother Ruth and the River

image courtesy photobucket.com

I picked up the telephone and a husky voice on the other end of the line identified himself as Kurt, the owner of the Care Home where my 100 year old mother resides in body. He continued, "Hazel, you need to come and visit your mother because she is soon ready to cross over that river." "Yes, I will be there shortly," I told him.

My husband Robert, offered to go with me, but I told him that I needed to go by my sister Zelma's place and see if she wanted a good bye visit with Mother. Robert begged off as he thought just the two of us girls going would be better.

Zelma and I arrived and the owner hugged me and said they were giving Mother something every 4 hours to make her comfortable, and that probably during the night she might slip away to be with Jesus.

We found Mother facing the wall, eyes closed and mouth open. As we spoke to her, she closed her mouth and moved her jaw but no other movements. I took her hand and told her who we were, and that I loved her. They I repeated the 23rd Psalm and sang “The Old Rugged Cross.

I asked Zelma to take her hand and tell Mother that she loved her and anything else she wanted to say. It was evident that Mother was comfortable, and I know in her spirit she was hearing us. We decided not to tire her and after half an hour or so we decided to leave.

As we left Kurt asked if I had a CD with Christian music, I told him I would look when I get home. As I drove Zelma back to her place, I knew I did not have anything that would be appropriate for Mom, so I stopped at Wal-Mart and purchased two CD's that contained some of the old hymns.

Then I returned to the care home and gave the CD's to the owner so they could be used now, not knowing how long Mother will stay with us.

I am not in shock, because this “passing on” process has been heading in this direction for several weeks now. Mother has not been eating much, loosing weight, and is very weak, along with some bad skin tears that are not healing.

Since I am the oldest of her three children I have been responsible for decisions that were not always easy to make.

I do not know what tomorrow will bring, but I do know who holds tomorrow.

Mother passed to the other side, at 10:30 PM, March 24, 2012 - She is safe in the arms of Jesus!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWKZVbG9egQ