Giving Thanks December 18, 2016 – Thanking God For My Mother’s Bible

Psalm 119:105 (KJV) Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

This Bible is one of my favorite treasures. I grew up not knowing that my mother had ever known or believed in Jesus. It wasn’t until I became an adult that I learned that she had been a Christian. Unfortunately after she married my father and he became very abusive, her relationship with Christ had been left behind. You cannot lose your salvation but you can turn your back on it and walk away. Finding my mothers Bible was the way I had found out about her faith. She told me when she met my father it was in her church’s rectory and she was a part of the youth missions. Unfortunately after they moved to the mainland their marriage turned to the worst and she stopped going to church and lived as if she never had attended. Yet this discussion led to others and over the years she talked more to me about praying for me. Then almost 5 years ago she died suddenly of a stroke. I was heart broken not knowing if she had repented and  returned to Jesus. It was hard enough to lose her in this life but I wondered if I ever would see her again. Then the year after she died just before Thanksgiving I received an email from my Auntie Mary who had written to tell me that my mother had received Jesus as her Savior some months before she died in her church New Hope Oahu, and then she included a clip of the praise and worship. Although I missed my mother terribly this was the best news. I watched the video with tears of joy and danced as I watched them hula as my mother used to love me to dance for her. I still cry when I watch these, but not with sadness of loss but because of the beauty of His love and mercy and the knowledge she is with Him waiting for me.

Her Bible is old and fragile but it is a map of the words she read and what ouched her heart and now these words comfort me.

I am thankful for the Word made flesh that saved my mother and for her Bible which is now mine.