I will always remember Christmas of 2006 as the day that Mom Mac had her mild stroke and heart attack. (This picture was taken after Cornerstone's Christmas program that year...just days before this all transpired.) I remember Papa Mac and their son Mark called to tell us, and Taigen rushed over to SMMC to be with them. He spent a good chunk of the evening there. I remember eating Christmas dinner alone with the kids and praying for Grandma Mac.
It's been a long journey since then, hasn't it? Many of you have prayed for the McIlwaines. I got a phone call at 10:50 on Friday morning from Papa saying that Mom was gone. We will miss her desperately. My mind is flooded with so many good memories!
Of course, I cried. I stopped school and brought Marshall and Shaylen over to my chair and told them in the best way I knew. "You know how we've been praying for Grandma Mac because she is sick? You know that we have been praying that she would get some rest? Well, this morning, Jesus answered our prayer! Jesus wanted her to be in heaven with her and so we are happy that she is now there. I'm sad because I will miss her, but I know that I will see her again one day in heaven. Grandma Mac went to sleep this morning and woke up to see Jesus and all of heaven. Isn't that wonderful?"
They don't quite understand it all, but knowing that Mom Mac had Christ as her Savior and that she lived a life full of service to Him is such a tremendous testimony to them.We went up Friday after school to spend some time with Papa. Continue to pray for him please. He is doing well, but I'm sure there will be many lonely days.
The past week I've had the song Finally Home (by L.E. Singer) in my head, particularly the arrangement by The Wilds. (I've typed the lyrics below.) It was something good to meditate on as I prayed for Mom Mac. What a tremendous consolation to know that she no longer has to fight the cancer. She is free from pain and more alive today than she ever was!
When engulfed by the terror of the tempestuous sea,
Unknown waves before you roll;
At the end of doubt and peril is eternity,
Though fear and conflict seize your soul.
But just think of stepping on shore-And finding it Heaven!
Of touching a hand-And finding it God's!
Of breathing new air-And finding it celestial!
Of waking up in glory-And finding it home!
When surrounded by the blackness of the darkest night,
O how lonely death can be;
At the end of this long tunnel is a shining light,
For death is swallowed up in victory!
But just think of stepping on shore-And finding it Heaven!
Of touching a hand-And finding it God's!
Of breathing new air-And finding it celestial!
Of waking up in glory-And finding it home!
Psalm 116:15 "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."
5 comments:
What a wonderful tribute, Crystal. I know you will miss her a lot.
I know, dear sister, how much you love Mom Mac, and how much your heart is hurting and rejoicing at the same time. I will keep you in my prayers. I love you. Me.
PS What a WONDERFUL way to explain it to the kids. You are a great Mom! We'll talk soon.
I remember this picture very much. That has to be the best way I have heard to explain someone going to heaven. I would have had no idea how to explain it to Isaiah. We will be praying for you.
The explanation came out of how we were praying for her. We knew that we were personally praying for God to take her Home quickly and peacefully. How do you explain that to a child that we are praying toward this end? So we prayed for rest. For a long time when Mom Mac was at home, we prayed for her to get some good sleep (for her, but especially for Papa, who would get up with her). Then, when we knew she wasn't going to go back home, we changed our prayers to "rest". Of course, we knew that we meant eternal rest.
So, when I got off the phone I knew I could honestly tell the kids that He had answered our prayers. Plus, after meditating on this verse and song all week, it was in my mind to stress to them the joy waking up and seeing the Lord. It was only by God's grace that a clear explanation came out. Praise to Him! We are joyous that she is more alive today than she ever was. I can just hear her now discussing her passing...it would probably sound very similar to her explanation of how she did everything, "It was so simple!"
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