This weeks Sunday School lesson at church was about Receiving Divine Comfort. This made me think about how God comforted me on the day Mama died.

Mama was only 14 when she began smoking. She welded in the California shipyards during the war and smoking seem the thing that most of the young ladies took up to pass time. She often tried to quit but always started up again.

In 1992, I noticed when she walked just a little ways she was completely out of breath and she would hold on to something and lean over as if to muster up more air. This had been going on for awhile. I think Mama was too scared to go to the doctor, she knew what they would say. When we had all begged her to see a doctor, we got the news. The word you just don't want to hear-cancer. It had started in her lungs and spread to her brain where she developed a tumor. After months of chemotherapy, she decided it wasn't worth it, it wasn't going to extend her life any longer. She didn't want to sleep, she wanted to enjoy her last days and be awake to visit. Of course, the pain medicine kept her down most of the time. She wanted to have an early Thanksgiving, because, as she told me, "I probably won't be around for this one." Mom loved to cook, she always did the biggest part of the dinner. Turkey and dressing, carrot cake, banana nut cake, she always tried to fix something for everyone. She wanted to make sure everybody had at least one thing they loved to eat. :) That wouldn't be..... because mom couldn't get around, and the medicine or the tumor had made her like a little child. I remember her taking the handle of a hairbrush and smelling it saying that the perfume smells very good. We laughed and said Mom that's a hairbrush, and wouldn't you know she got a really good laugh out of that too. :) We didn't get to have that early Thanksgiving. Mama died November 5, about 4 months after diagnosing the cancer.

It had spread throughout her body turning her into a person who was dependent on others, whereas she was a very independent person and if she had understood, would have hated having to depend on others. She was always the strong one in the family. Now she was so bad that she had to wear an adult diaper. Thank God, she didn't realize this was happening. We would've had to tie her down otherwise. :)

Before the end, she fell into a coma. I'm not sure how long it was before she passed on, but it wasn't very long. I had taken Kristen to the doctor. I went over to see Mom and told her I loved her and that it was okay if she wanted to go home. We would take care of daddy, we would all be okay. I know my sisters did the same. While we were in the clinic, the receptionist came over to us and had told us that she had passed on.

Driving home was sad, but as I got closer to home, I saw a rainbow. I felt a big smile come over me, a joy that is hard to explain. A joy that only God can give. It was as if mama said, "Hey, I'm home!"

I knew that when she died, she would be without pain once more and in her heavenly home. She and daddy became born again Christians many many years ago. I sit here with a little sadness, but mostly a happiness and joy to know that mom made it home. It's hard on those of us left behind, but putting it into perspective brings about the thoughts of no more pain for our loved ones. Mama would see her mom and dad, and her beloved sister. She'll be waiting there to welcome us. She'll be ready to feed us again. :)

We will all probably face trials, lose a loved one, etc. But God gives us that divine comfort that only He can give. We may have had that trial so that we might help someone else through theirs. God asks us to be an encouragement to someone else. We are expected as Christians, to comfort and strengthen others through their trials. I believe we have these to make us stronger, to give us an idea of how to help that next person who is facing a loved one's terminal illness. I can say it prepared me. I had a friend who found out her mom had cancer soon after mom died and I was able to comfort and help her out throughout the ordeal. I knew what was coming and was able to help her that way.

I pray that if you ever go through a heartache, just look for that rainbow. It will be there.

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God" 2 Corinthians 1:3,4