Mom Has Left for Home
Jan 24th, 2010 by timmccalmont
This past week my mother died. It is a watershed moment in the life of our family, as mom was the center of our lives for so long. My dad died some years ago, and while that is a significant event in a guy’s life, mom’s influence on us kids made her’s the end of an era in our family history. She leaves a legacy of a faithful life and of relationships all affected by her graciousness. With her kids, she was a rock of faith for her entire life, from raising her children over many years alone while our dad struggled through mental illness. When Dad returned to our family, she was the one who helped him regain order and a sense of normalcy to his life. She led from faith and that faith impacted all those around her each day no matter where she was.
As I went to college and then married and left home, mom took a position in the church working with the poor and indigent folks off the streets of Hollywood. She would come home at night and tell stories of many who had fallen on hard times and needed a helping hand. She would offer food, clothing or links to resource agencies in the community. And she always had tales of bizarre behavior too, as only the Hollywood scene could bring. But her response was always the same, the compassion of her Lord, in whose name she served.
Without sounding malancholy, there is a part of us who is now gone, left for the home where she longed to be. She made the best out of her most recent years, yet we could tell she was looking ahead to being fully restored. Mom was a woman who lived life to the max, in a faithful sort of way. And because of that characteristic, she will be missed.
The last thing it told her was, “Goodbye mom, we’ll be along soon.” So it will be!


