In the years 1983-4, I met a woman, someone I did not know, but one who would become a steady constant of beauty in my life.   This person (this beautiful woman) was a larger part of something that I never intended when our relationship first began.   No, surely, that was not my intention when she and I first met one day inside her kitchen.   In fact, I pushed back (away from growing too fond of her son, of becoming too comfortable with him), but in pushing away from her son, I could have destroyed a most wonderful relationship that I now cherish.
As I reflect back today on her life, I see the steadfastness of this woman in my relationship with her son.   Even though she has been gone for so many years, she walks forevermore in heaven, and I am constantly reminded of her gifts as I live out my days on earth with her son and her granddaughter, and also with her daughter and her son Zack. 

Today would have been her birthday, a day to celebrate her life, had she not already gone home.  
As I mentioned earlier, we met in 1983-84, and I was seventeen and quite childlike in my thinking.  Yet, it is so true how a person can fall in love with someone, gradually, over time and throughout the seasons of life.  That’s the way my relationship grew with this woman.
When we first met, I did not really see her value because (as I said) she was a mom and I was just a child; however, even then, she began teaching me.  She began showing me how to love others, even when her plate was so full with her own sickness.

What did she teach me you might ask?  Seriously, I could make a list, and even though it is not an exhaustive list of her teachings, it is a great list of her lessons, just the same.
1.  Be True to Your Spouse.  Love him all the days of your life.  Do for him, even bringing him toast and coffee when he is quite capable of getting his own breakfast.   Do for him, anyway, because of the vow of marriage you shared so far, way back when.
2.  Work Hard Daily, toiling outside the home and within, for in doing so, your love for your family is revealed.  Creating relationships with those employers you work for, producing a good day’s work (working as unto the LORD), so that others speak fondly of you once you are gone.
3.  Love Hard and Love Deep those who surround you, even as she allowed her granddaughter to turn up the radio, blaring out the rap music a grandma may never appreciate.  Allowing for this constant music each school day, as she hurriedly drove Sydney to elementary school every morning at her rapid car-speed of 30-miles-per hour.
4.  Simplicity of Life  Can Be A Beautiful Life.  Even when the kidney specialist said she must stay home much of the time due to her dialysis, she did not complain but dutifully kept her meticulous records as she cared for her own body, leaving the house only to get her hair styled and gather groceries each week.
5. Be a Helpmate to the Spouse God Has Led You to Love.  Build Fences.  Ride the Ranger for Hours Just Because, counting cow after cow after cow…Daily and Without Complaint. 
6.  Be Content, even though Obstacles of Life Exist, Do Not Be Overcome by Them (the Obstacles & Struggles).
7.  Serve.
Serve Others.
Serve Others.
Serve Others.
Do unto others as though you are serving the LORD God Himself. 
This list could never reveal the beauty of this woman who has been a part of my life, for MOST of my life, but I do hope to honor her today, with this list, on her Earthly Birthday. 

During our time together on earth, Letty demonstrated for me how to LOVE, REALLY LOVE ANOTHER, a lesson Jesus Christ taught to her, and because of her relationship with Christ, she now resides at home in heaven with God.

The Word of God speaks of how we are to be Christlike as we walk throughout our days.
Do not believe me but read the Word with me.

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit; but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 
Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

(Philippians 2: 3-11)

So, on this earthly birthday of Letty, my mother-in-law, who was so beautiful (and many still agree) and who professed to be a child of the King of Kings. Even though she has already gone home to eternity with Jesus, reflective within her through her spiritual birth, we honor her life as we remember her earthly birthday.

On the day she left this world and traveled the last leg of her journey, I was gifted with the honor of standing beside her deathbed.  She was so peaceful that morning as we surrounded her. When it was time to go home, she opened her eyes SO BRIGHT, as if she could see what we could not visibly see, and then she departed this earth to go home to heaven.

Prior to that day, for so many days, we had shared so much (all of us had) as we visited each day in her hospital room.

• We had laughed together.
• We had also cried, knowing the doctors could do nothing because her kidneys were shutting down, preparing her body for the final days of her earthly life.
• We had listened to her stories of childhood, laughing as she reminisced of her boyfriend (even though Carmel, her husband, sat nearby).
• We watched her play (for hours it seemed) with a pair of reading glasses someone had brought to the hospital room.
• We cared for her body during the days in the care center, even celebrating her birthday one afternoon under the tree out front.
• We loved her with all our might, even the fateful morning Jesus came to take her home to heaven.

All the days of life shared with Letty (my precious mother-in-law) are truly days and memories to cherish.  Even that December morning (when she left this earth) forever remains one of the best memories of my entire life.

God gave so many people the wonderful blessing of knowing Letty and calling her friend.
God graced this world with a beautiful life, one who taught me so much.
Today, at times, I can observe her presence within the actions, movements, and words spoken by her son, my husband, as I catch often myself seeing her (here) at my home, sitting across from me (there) on the couch.  I only need to see my husband Darrell, her son, to receive a glimpse of her, and that is so good.
Our love affair (LETTY’S & MINE) began so long ago when I was still a child, and thankfully we will continue to live together, loving one another throughout eternity. 

Happy “Earthly” Birthday, Letty.

Thank you for loving Jesus, the one who ultimately taught you how to love others.

Thank you God for sending Your Son Jesus, who continually teaches us How We Must Say to Others—-I Love You!!!