Thursday, August 4, 2011

Holding On And Letting Go

In an old fashioned baby carriage





Mom and me. I was not happy that day, scared of the camera!




At Work

Her Church Picture




My son and my mom




Getting an infusion at the Cancer Center
My mom passed away four years ago; if she had lived she would be 84 today. At seven, she got severe asthma and had to spend a lot of her time in  hospitals and oxygen tents, nearly dying, but holding on. She was never to return to school. Yet from the age of sixteen, she worked all her life. She got many awards. For the last twenty years before she retired at sixty five, she held onto two full time jobs, working sixteen hours a day with no days off. When she was over sixty, she was mugged. She held onto her purse for dear life while the mugger dragged her. When she finally lost her battle with cancer, the doctors removed all her tubes and I.V.'s, and she held on much longer than most, almost two weeks. Her greatest lesson to me was holding on, yet this time she had to let go, and so did I. There is a time to hold on and a time to let go, and for me, letting go is the hardest.


"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."
Matthew 24:35


"By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you."
1 Cor. 15:2

36 comments:

Karin said...

Even though our loved ones are no longer with us in the physical, they do live on in our hearts! Aug. 4th is a special day - your mom is the 7th I've heard of who has/had a birthday on this day. Our son, our nephew, a niece's daughter, and several friends! Mom taught you well and as she, so you are a blessing to others. Hugs, Karin

Shanda said...

How wonderful to learn of your mother. She definitely had to hold on to endure all that. And, even at the treatment center, she was smiling. You are blessed.

Reena said...

How wonderful for her to know your love!

Joanne said...

Your Mom looks like she was a very strong and beautiful woman inside and out.
Blessings, Joanne

Jackie said...

Your Mom had an infectious smile. I can tell by the pictures that she was full of joy.
Thank you for coming by my blog.
You asked about who I am. I have a bio it is on a page link at the top entitled "Who is this?"
I am a pastors wife of 23 years. We have been in full time ministry for our entire marriage and it is a great joy in my life.
We have 3 children on earth and I have 3 children in heaven. One of my daughters died when she was 19 months old and two of my babies were not born.
I left blogger because I was tired of the limitations that came with the site. I couldn't make it look as professional as I wanted. I also have been blogging for 2 years and I needed a new challenge. The whole thing had lost a little of the fizzle. I am excited to do something new again. ") I look forward to seeing you again. I would love to have you join in my Wednesday blog hop. It is for words or pictures--or both :)

Regina said...

Wise words..this story is so touching and I love that photo of your mom at work!! The others are just so cool- thanks for sharing them with us!! Do you think she was a bit of a workaholic? She has a sweet and happy look about her. Gee, going from hospitals and oxygen tents..somehow I'm thinking she must of gotten stronger (I'm such a big baby) then the cancer..that is so nasty! The treatment must of been soo draining for her!
Now why were you afraid of those cameras? What precious photos!!

Reanaclaire said...

God bless her soul.. she sounds like a very strong lady... holding on and forward regardless of circumstances..

SquirrelQueen said...

You mother was very beautiful Ginny, I can see the resemblance. She sounds like a very strong woman. Thank you for sharing your memories of her with us.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue ι™ˆζ΄ι›ͺ said...

If my mum was alive, she would be about your mum's age. She had a very cheerful face,

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LC said...

Thank you for sharing your mother with us on your birthday through words and photos. She left a wonderful legacy of holding on and living life to the fullest even in the face of hard things. I see that in her daughter, too.
Thank you for the thoughts about holding on and letting go.

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

I love the pictures Ginny. I know you must miss her terribly. Thanks for sharing with us :-)

MadSnapper said...

a really beautiful and touching memorial to your mom. I especially like the photo of you and your mom and the one of her at work. to me you look a lot like her. i know you have lots of fond memories and these photos are now here forever.

Melanie said...

So nice to see pictures of your mom, Ginny! She looks like she was a wonderful lady. I'm sure she was...because she raised a sweet daughter like you!!
Have a great weekend!♥

From the Kitchen said...

Ginny: You and you mother have the same sweet smile and inquisitive look. I think you are probably a lot like her. I love the photo of you on her lap glaring at the camera (later to become your "friend") and the one of her at work. Thanks for sharing her with us today.

Best,
Bonnie

Deborah said...

Dear Ginny, that was a beautiful post of your Mom. You look just like her! Your lucky!!!
I loved your pictures, they must bring you much comfort. Maybe you should go do something today that you and your Mom would have done. That would be a nice way to celebrate her birthday.
xxoo
Deborah

Stephanie V said...

Your mother was a beautiful woman. I can see why you would miss her strength and determination. I loved seeing your precious photos.

Remington said...

Beth here....what a nice post....I wish I could have one more day with my mother....I miss her so much....she has been gone for 17 years....

Fred Alton said...

For those of us in the Christian Faith, the joy of letting go is in knowing that we shall meet again. Ginny, you look so much like your Mom! I'm sure others have told you that. My Dad is the one I hated to let go of more than any other person. It still pains me to think of it - but I WILL see him again after I've seen the Lord.

DawnTreader said...

A lovely memorial post and the holding on vs letting go is sometimes a big Mystery... My mum passed away very quickly, dad lingered on a lot longer than I would have thought.

aspiritofsimplicity said...

what a lovely tribute to your mum. She raised a beautiful, loving and christian daughter. Won't it be a wonderful thing when we are all in heaven together.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Happy birthday to you Mom in heaven, Ginny. Your Mom was a wonderful woman and she left you with a heart and soul filled with her love and good memories.

Anonymous said...

Hi Ginny, What a nice tribute to your late mom! She was a lot younger than my own mother who just passed away 2-1/2 years ago at 92. Have a super great day!

photowannabe said...

Letting go is definitely the hardest.
This is a beautiful tribute to your Mom and her holding on.
Blessings on this day.

Annie Jeffries said...

Oh Ginny, what an inspiration and awesome mom you had.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue ι™ˆζ΄ι›ͺ said...

Thank you Ginny, It didn't click when I read It. Elizabeth must have anticipated her own death. It is scary that people can die of cancer.I don't like her husband for what he did and had done to her. I watch in Oprah show and it was about her book.

This is my reply to your post.

S. Etole said...

What wonderful friends mothers can be ... and how deeply missed.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Letting go can be so hard.i think it is often harder for those of us left behind.Your Mother was a beautiful lady.

George said...

This is a wonderful tribute to your mother. She was quite a lady, and I think her daughter is a lot like her.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

What a neat post, Ginny. Your mother was an inspiration to all... As George said, you are like your Mom... What a great role model she was... My friend Susan held on for 3 weeks in hospice with no tubes, no food, or nothing other than pain meds to keep her comfy.... Amazing what some do!

Love all of the pictures --especially the first and 2nd ones.
Hugs,
Betsy

Bobbie said...

Oh Ginny, what a beautiful post!! You're mom was one determined woman. And you! You look the same as when you were a child. What a little doll!
Your mom has a very loving face.. I know you must miss her terribly.

Rose said...

Your mom was an amazing woman! She must have been a great inspiration to you.

Chatty Crone said...

Well there is a time to be born and a time to die - being born is easier then seeing someone you love die.

I'm so sorry about the loss of your mom.

Personalized Sketches and Sentiments said...

Beautiful photos of your mom...and you are such a beautiful child too. I also miss my mom so very much! She passed away from a brain aneurysm in 2005. I would love to just pick up the phone and talk with her. How blessed I am to know that she loved the Lord Jesus Christ and was a believer in Him...

Hugs to you!
Blessings & Aloha!

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

You said it well, letting go and holding on....My Mom passed 6 years ago. I understand the pain.

Doris Sturm said...

My mother is 84 and my father is 83! I feel blessed to have both my parents still alive, even though I can not see them...it's been about 10 years since I saw them last, but I speak with them on the phone frequently and I write.

It's nice to remember family and wence we came!

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