I was once talking with my mom about a friend of hers who was going through a tough time. She asked me: “honey how do people get through hard time without Jesus?” My mom relied on her faith to get her through the tough times in life. She relied on her faith when her husband, my stepdad, died. She trusted Jesus with many concerns.

The last time I saw my mom alive was on Mother’s Day weekend in 2021. On the encouraging of the spirit, I chose to visit mom after a meeting on the eastern end of South Dakota. I am so grateful that I ignore her telling me not to “come all that way.” I told her I was coming, and she had to deal with it.

We had a nice dinner with my brother and one of my sisters. I spent the night at her house. I said goodbye the next morning as my brother prepared to take her to a doctor for swelling in her leg. My last memory of her in person was a hug I got from her as she got into my brothers’ car.

Later that week she was hospitalized.

She went up and down over the next few weeks finally going to see Jesus on June 1st. June 1st is the birthday of her late husband Roy. She got to celebrate his birthday with him.

I miss her.