May

This month has become a bit of a blurr. It is so vivid in my mind yet so bold all at the same time. My Mother, Virginia Lee Hill, went home to be with the Lord on the 24th of this month. We left to go see her after hearing that she had gone to the hospital after feeling sick. She was struggling breathing and had Dad take her in. When she got there the nurses in the ER tested her oxygen. It read (I believe) 62. They said that the machine must not have been working properly so went to get another one. It said the same thing. They could not believe that she had walked in on her own with those numbers. They just didn't know Mom. :o)

Mom always had a strong will. Mom's strong will helped her get through many things in this life that many would have just given up through. She was a fighter. It made her a trooper in the Mission field.

After being hooked up with the oxygen machine blowing into her face as high as they could get it, Mom realized she needed something more. She had time to think and I was called and told that she was considering being put on a respirator (life support). All I could think of is that my Mom has always said that life support was something she did not want want to endure. "It is hard on the family if they had to make a decision and when her time comes just let her go." That is what I remembered. It was Mom's decision to go on life support.  When I received the news of this I was floored. I couldn't help but wonder if it was just to wait for us to get there. I did not want that. I did my share of cying, pleading with God to take care of her and Dad. We left without packing much at all. It was a necessary trip to head out as soon as possible.

We headed out and drove straight through the night. When we arrived there Josh and Amy had just gotten there minutes before us. We spoke on phones to keep company and planned to meet at the hospital. Josh arrived first and went to see Mom, then I went in with him. She was sleeping, but she was there. I was so glad I had made it.

We spent lots of time with Mom. There were times she would turn her head at us to listen and once figured out that she wanted to see us, Dad lifted her eyelids for her. She was  on morphine for the pain. She was dehydrated. This sickness she had caught was a doosey. It went into her chest and caused pneumonia. We talked with her, spent hours with her, and after 8 days of fighting it, she went home to be with the Lord. In a way it is relieving to know that she will no longer be in pain. I love my Mom so much. She fought Non Hodgkins Lymphoma throughout her body for 5 or more years naturally, and when it became Leukemia 2 years ago, she still went on without the chemo. She had herbs, her diet, prayers and her Lord keeping her alive. I guess if God is ready for you, He will make a way. The nurses told me that the cancer did not kill her. She just caught something that hit her hard.

The night after Mom passed away, we as a family sang and kept each other's spirits as up as possible. The next day we all caught this terrible virus. It was horrible and we would not be surprised if it was exactly what Mom had caught. We had pots running from one person to another. Bathroom occupied by one person, bowls and pans for the others. Most of he children and myself caught it all the same evening, it was a domino effect from there. You would have thought it was food poisoning but we had not all eaten the same foods! It was aweful. dehydration was a major fear as this sickness included the runs. Many could hardly move they ached so badly. Everyone ended up catching it, and it ended up effecting some of our chests. I can not imagine how hard it must have been on Mom in that hospital. I guess the morphine must have made it bearable.

Mom's memorial was on Saturday May 27th. The funeral directors said to me that it was the most beautiful funeral they had ever seen. I was very pleased to hear this, as we knew that is the way Mom would have wished it to be. Mom left her testamony with us all and showed a desire for the Lord that I pray we all end up with. I am glad that she is safe and we no longer have to worry about her health. I miss her terribly. It is hard when I gt the urge to talk to her and can't. When I hear my Dad's voice on the other end of the line and wish I could hear her talking in the background. I will see her some day though and know this for sure.

If any of you reading this do not know for sure you are going to heaven when you go, please feel free to email me. I would love to share with you what I know. I am not here to pressure anyone into any "beliefs" of mine. Just to share what I know. There is a peace in my soul. The Bible calls it "The Peace that passes all understanding" I can tell you it is real. It is almost unbelievably real, but it is very real. I know this peace because I believe in Christ. I trusted Him as my Saviour years ago, and since then He has been my comfort in areas you would think there is no comforting. The gift of Eternal life He gives so freely is more than just after death. In this life here on earth He is there with me. I feel His presence. If ever there are times when it seems He is far from me I find it is me who is drifting. I Can explain more of this if any would like to email and ask, but I must go for now.

My Mother was a great example in many areas. She was not from a family of Christians. She lived a life so different than that I had. She made the choice to make the change for her children. She decided that she would live for Christ and would give her all for Him as a teen. I thank God for the time we had with my Mother. She was and still is a blessing to a great many.

I love you Mom

Sarah.