"Mother"
Granny named her Opal Dean,
But Deanie’s what they called her,
Grew up in depression days,
But nothing ever stalled her.
A beauty even as a child,
And full of joy and fun,
An artist and a poet,
And a friend to everyone.
Met Dad way up at Furman,
When he came back from war,
Got married in Montgomery,
God opened every door.
They had three kids right in a row,
And, yes, I was the oldest,
A sister and a brother, too,
And taught to be the boldest,
About the things that matter,
She was the first to tell me,
All about the Savior,
But never tried to sell me.
Loved me and encouraged,
And prayed her whole life through,
That I’d fulfill my calling,
And do what God said do.
And, yes, she had her heartbreaks,
But By the Spirit soared,
And I’m thankful that I had her,
And that she knew the Lord.
Made it all the way to ninety-four,
Went home in twenty twenty,
But her love still lives in me,
And I am thankful plenty.
So happy Mother’s Day in heaven,
Where the beauty is sublime,
And there with all the others,
There is worship all the time.
And one day I’ll come find you,
On heaven’s golden shore,
Where there is no more parting,
Only joy forevermore.
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18, NAS)
My mother was the first Spirit-filled woman I ever knew. She was a church worker for many years and loved the Lord. But when I was in high school Dad had financial reversals and lost everything. We moved from the ranch to town and many of Mom’s friends turned against her. Some months later she visited her friend, Helen, in Florida and attended some Spirit-filled prayer meetings. She came home changed, and only then realized what she had needed all along- the power of the Holy Spirit. What followed was a spiritual renewal that touched the lives of literally thousands of young people, including my own. Thank you, Mom, for your devotion to Jesus and for being His witness. Your legacy lives on.
Lord, fill us with Your Spirit, in Jesus’ name.
Personal Pic.