I want to be like Mrs. Jessie

Today marks the one year anniversary of the passing of a dear lady from my church. There's not been one event held in our fellowship building this past year that I haven't just had a pain in my heart that she was not there, standing at the sink cleaning up or graciously accepting compliments on one of her famous dishes. She was quiet and deeply grieved by the loss of her husband several years ago, but she was the most thoughtful, caring and generous person I've ever known.

I really don't know all that she did on her last day on earth, but I do know a few things. This is what I imagine her day was like - She woke up early and made sure her grocery list was complete and headed out to buy a few things. She had her husbands nephew's family on her mind as they were mourning his recent death. She thought about her little friend at church who sick and not at church last Sunday. She thought about the missionary family soon to be leaving for a far away place. She had these things on her heart as she prayed to God about each one. She stopped by the landfill to leave her trash and hand out a few gospel tracts in hopes the workers there might know about Jesus' love. She came home and baked a cake, wrote out a get well card and sewed awhile on some purses she was making for the missionary's daughters. That afternoon she took that cake to the grieving family. She gave them that cake she had baked with her love and care and concern all over it and then left this earth to meet her Heavenly father.

The news spread quickly throughout our church members. As a deacon's wife I had to make a lot of the calls to let people know of her passing. What a sad thing to hear so many people in shock and grieving this loss of such a dear and special person. The next day as I went out the get my mail, I saw a card with the return address-Mrs. Jessie. It was a card she bought for my daughter and had mailed the day she died. I cried and cried and hesitated as I called to tell her daughter that I had heard from Heaven. When she got on the phone and I told her about the card, I heard her cry in that way only daughters cry when they lose their mothers. She said so many people had been sharing with her about what a special person her mama was, but that made losing her even worse. It was so hard for her to know all the good that her mama had done for others and she could not understand why God would take her away from them. I don't know why, but I do know she is happy. One day I will have to delete her name off my phone, but the sweet memories of her will never be gone from my heart.

What's on your "To Do" list today?

Mine says -Be like Mrs.Jessie.