Hope In The Darkness

"My Mother just died," he explained brokenly as I rolled down my car window. I wondered why a car was parked headed in the wrong direction. I couldn't pass.

"Please be patient. She's in that car and we've brought her (body) home from the hospital."

How well I remember when I heard those words. About my dear Mom.

The phone rang at 4 A.M. I knew instinctively what I'd hear, and sure enough, my oldest brother said, "Mom just passed away.

Mom had been very sick, so this came as no shock. I had even spent 3 weeks with her and in fact had been back home only a week. So it was no big deal, right?

Wrong!

After I hung up, my husband and I prayed and I fell asleep. But when I awakened at 7 o'clock, I was shocked by my feelings. I felt as though someone had grabbed a hold of my heart and twisted it into a knot. Never had I experienced anything like it. But then, never had I lost my Mother, either.

Never again would I see the light of day knowing that I had my Mom back in North Dakota. Never again would I go to sleep with the assurance of her prayers.

Still, as the day wore on, I realized that Mom was in Heaven with Jesus. Why had I felt so crushed when I first woke up? In my rational thinking I was actually glad that she had gone Home, as it could have been a long drawn out illness.

Then I understood: If I didn't have the hope of Heaven, I would indeed be hurting. But I knew where she was and where she wanted so much to go, and I was actually happy. Though I wouldn't see her again down here, there is the great hope of reunion in Heaven.

How I wish my unknown friend had this hope for his Mother.

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