A Wyoming Woman's Thoughts: Remembering Mother

My mother, who never wanted to impose on or be a bother to other people, passed from this life quietly and with minimum fuss and bother two years ago. I will always miss her, but realize how blessed I was to have my mother in my life for 69.5 years. I still have those instant impulses to tell her something, ask her something, or show her something. Then, as quickly, comes the realization that I can't.

The Apostle Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, trying to explain the reality of resurrection, wrote that our body is "sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."

By the time of her death, our mother's tall, strong body had become shrunken, weak, and painful. But her spirit never faltered, her personality and mind remained strong. Up until the last day of her life she worked the Cryptoquote and Crossword puzzles in the daily newspaper. She was an avid follower of the news on television. Though she wondered why God had let her live so long, she still looked forward, thought about what she would like planted in her yard, and was making a list of who she thought might be good candidates in the next election. She was working on her Christmas cards up until the last day, and had sent many out. Even though her body was giving out, she lived life and did not just fold her hands and wait to die.

So, though I do not know the form of the spiritual body, I know our mother has one. I know it is strong and glorious as the Scripture promises. I know she is still herself. I know I will see her again.

My personal memories of my mother cover her life from age 25 to almost 95 (well, the first two years of that I "remember" from photos, being in my infancy). I see her in my mind most often in the strength of her prime.

I've started going through my personal photo books and scanning some of the photos with Mother. The old color photos lack a good deal in quality, and some have faded, so I'm doing what I can to save them. Some of them apparently were printed in sub-quality inks and have faded to purple. Those I have changed to black and white. I have a long way to go on this project, but will share some of what I have with you, hoping that you who are family will see some photos you haven't seen before.

Here are a few photos of her life.