She Wins!

Yesterday I lost my mom here on this earth and Jesus received her in heaven. It was definitely the hardest day of my life, yet mingled in the sorrow, was a great hope and peace. As the people that loved her gathered around her bed to say goodbye, we sang hymns. I am sure there were moments in that ICU when others were thinking, "What in the world are they doing?" We were doing the one thing we knew to do, allow my mom pleasure of entering into the streets of Heaven. It seemed fitting to sing songs of praise and worship here on this earth as she was ushered into the presence of the Lord. Can you imagine the singing that she must have heard when she entered Heaven? Oh, how glorious that would be!
Today we have fought back tears and had moments of calm. It struck me today that life goes on for the rest of the world, as we feel ours has stopped for awhile. It's hard to look over at her chair and not see her sitting there, or look through numbers on my phone and see her name there. But we don't want to be struck down with sorrow, we want to be reminded that "She Won". She is now in the presence of the Lord and the battle that was so difficult for her is over. She will no longer have pain or sorrow. Yet, as Debra and Dad have said so many times today, "It sucks for us". We will miss her everyday for the rest of our lives, yet we are so grateful that she knew Christ and now sits at His feet.
The verse that kept running through my head yesterday and again today is II Timothy 5:6-8, "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearing"
What a great comfort this verse has been to me. My mom fought the good fight, she finished the race and she kept the faith. She has received her crown of righteousness and will one day be with me again when I receive mine. There is no greater joy than that. My mom would tell me not to sit in my sorrow, but rejoice that I will one day join her and our Lord.
For now I am sad, and that is OK. I will miss her terribly. She was an amazing testimony of God's faithfulness and grace. I am privileged to be called her daughter.
Lisa