Jan's Jots and Thoughts . . . : Ten Years

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Ten Years

My folks were a team --it was like you always said their names together

It was ten years yesterday since Mom joined Jesus and all the other members of our eternal family. She finally got to see her LORD about whom she'd taught children in Sunday school for thirty five years.

Over time her phrases and bits of wisdom have echoed in my brain -- but yesterday -- one thing came to mind as I was on
Facebook -- making a memorial post of the date --- I remember her saying "the computer is the work of the devil". (I think that was in reference to somebody getting on porn sites or being caught up in internet gambling.)

When my Dad retired in 1981 from Shell Oil - they were just then going to send him for training on how to use a computer. It got me to thinking how much has changed in the way we do business, connect with people and spend our time in the last 10 years.

Don't think she'd have cared much for FACEBOOK --- she LOVED people -- and could often spend a long time telling you the plight of some friend or family member -- she liked TALKING to people -- not stalking them. She didn't like to hear people brag about themselves --(but she'd have loved their pictures).

Mom wouldn't have texted or twittered --took too much time --#tooimpersonalandhardtoread.

Mom never had a cell phone. . . didn't think she needed one -- we couldn't even get her to use the emergency button necklace to call for help - like the time she fell on her head in the closet and stayed there for 2-3 hours.

Don't know how she would have done with the internet --but I'm sure she'd have NEVER trusted it to shop, do her banking or pay her bills.

With all this technology -- she'd have loved the BURPEE SEED website-- (she used to spend hours with her catalogs)
She'd have checked out PINTEREST - and loved the DIY boards -- and read through lots of recipes and even tried out a few.

I do have to say these pictures we now send in a nanosecond -- this great-grandmother would have thrilled to get the updates on her great-grandchildren (i.e. Sydney learning to crawl on yesterday or the pictures we took of Ivy and Campbell at the Aquarium).

Yes, technology has changed our lives and made us even more slaves to the computer -- but Mom's life truths still prevail --

"We're all here for a purpose" --After Dad's death, Mom used to say, "God put me here to take care of your Dad."

-- and "we don't get to leave until God takes us home." -- one of the things she would say in her last months

Taking Mom to see Christmas lights her last Christmas b/4 Heaven

Often we would hear her say in the Spring of 2003 -- "I'm stinking happy."

"Center your life around God and his people" she lived -- and loved going to Church every time the doors were open.

"You can work out a lot of your problems in the garden." I used to hear her say when she was going through a rough time.

And she showed us that your day goes better when you start it with prayer and reading the Word.

She believed wholeheartedly that being a mother was the most important career she could ever have had.