My
mother wrote a song called "From the Palm of His Hand To The
Promise Land" a few weeks before she passed away. This is the
events leading to her song and in her
memory. |
Mother
had suffered from cancer several years before she became disabled
with a serious bone disease. The results of radiation
treatments among other factors, contributed to the bones in her back
breaking as well as her hip. As her condition became worse,
she was given a prophesy or word from a visiting minister which she
did not fully understand at the time. She was told that when
she became unable to walk, God would "carry her" and she would go
forth in his strength as well. For about five more years God
helped her walk, even though it was very painful for her.
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She
gradually became unable to get around and went into a Nursing Home
for assistance with her daily living. One of the saddest parts
of being there was the fact she could no longer go out and purchase
small gifts for her family on Christmas, Birthdays, or other
occasions. Her once active life of visiting with friends,
playing piano, and being with others seemed to cease.
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My
Birthday was nearing and she was sad because she could not get me a
present as she usually did, and each day she would mention this to
us. She would tell of her childhood memories and other events
in her life as she grew older. One day before my Birthday, I
told my Mom the best gift she could ever give me would be to write
down the stories of all these memories and put them together for me
as a Book of Love . This idea made her so very happy and she
started planning what she would put in it. She had always
loved to draw and make Christian crafts for the little ones in
her Sunday School Class ;and decorated the store windows with the
Christ Child at Christmas time when she was able to work.
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My
friend, Phyllis, went out the next day and bought her drawing
tablets and writing paper and I brought her folders and pens to use
in her new project. She begin to work night and day on the
many stories and memories she wanted to put in her Book for my 47th
Birthday. While writing her book, she begin to get the
words for a song, called "From the Palm of His Hand To The Promised
Land" as she would pray and God would give them to her. She
wrote these down and called Richard, her dear friend. He sit down
with his guitar beside her hospital bed and set her song to music,
adding words here and there. Together they completed the
song. Her work was finished. |
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My
cousin, Judy, and friends Phyllis & Brenda would
come also and cheer her up, and together we would try to help her
make the best of her situation. |
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When
the day of my Birthday came, she presented me with her finished
book. It was tied with a used ribbon from a gift someone had
given her, and she smiled when she handed it to me with a Happy
Birthday wish. No one could have ever given me a better
present, one that would last a lifetime. Memories and poems
filled the pages, along with drawings of her childhood home.
She had written of "A Home For the Homeless", where she was adopted
at six weeks of age when her mother passed
away. |
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One
windy March day, I went in for my daily visit and found her lying
quietly and in pain. We had the nurses call for the
Doctor and she was transferred to the hospital. Later, we
found out she had suffered a heart attack and as a result had
congestive heart failure and kidney failure. |
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Once
again, my mom called for her friend Richard, and asked him if he
would sing the song written. . Then she asked him
if he would sing it at her funeral. Of course he said yes.
Several days later, early on a Sunday morning, mother went
home to be with the Lord. Just like God had said, He
carried her; "from the palm of His hand over to the promised land;"
just like He had promised, "as on the wings of an
eagle".
In
Memory of Mother...by J. P. Kelly
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