Is There Anyone of My House He Can Bless?

Winner of SearchWarp.com Writer Award 2007

Mama felt as if her life was over when Daddy dropped dead at the age of 46. What was her role if she couldn't be a pastor's wife anymore?

But, in true form, she persevered, carving out a ministry for herself in the poorest areas of El Paso, Texas, though she spoke no Spanish.

Decked out in her fuzzy slippers, she went door-to-door, inviting prostitutes and drug addicts to Sunday Morning Worship Service at the Spanish-speaking church where she was pianist.

She was a sight to behold in her already-wrecked 1978 Dodge two-door coupe. Designed to fit five comfortably, it often arrived at the church with a dozen people cramped like sardines. Mama would yell, "Skinny ones have to sit on the laps of the fatter ones!"

No one knows how many people Mama brought to Jesus, but in 1995, I had a good idea when I spoke at her funeral. Even before I arrived in El Paso, people were calling me at my home in California to tell me how their lives had been changed because my mother had introduced them to Jesus.

Once in El Paso, hundreds were coming to her house to hug the daughter of "Hermana Alicia" who had told them how Jesus could raise them up out of their dissolute lifestyles.

Mama was afraid of dying a prolonged cancer death as her own mother had, so the way she left this earth was a blessing from God.

She left church after choir practice on a Sunday Evening, and crossed the road to get to her car when a vehicle without lights hit her and left the scene. I thought it somewhat appropriate that she would go straight from church to Glory.

During the last ten years of her life, Mama had serious money problems. As her health failed and the rent went up, she couldn't offer as many piano lessons as she wanted. Her tiny Social Security check just couldn't be stretched far enough.

She needed trifocals, but couldn't afford them. I kept sending money, but with three children of my own, money was scarce even for me. Finally, God showed me, through His Word that I was to tithe to Mama. And so I did.

From California , I developed the habit of calling Mama every Sunday night at 8:00 as the "Murder She Wrote" theme music began. Mama always mentioned another life that had been changed through Jesus, so she was always in a good mood. And she always bragged about her great car that could hold a dozen sardines! But one night she seemed despondent.

She had learned that my sister had $50,000 stolen from her teacher's retirement fund. Mama felt terrible because she had nothing to leave the two of us after she was gone. She said she felt "tacky". I heard her pain, but more importantly, God heard her.

Mama's funeral was so big it had to be moved to the largest church in El Paso, which could hold five thousand people. There were relatives, Christians from the churches my father had pastored, and then there were hundreds of spiritual children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren whose lives had been changed because of Mama.

The sea of transformed faces thrilled me as I spoke on behalf of my mother. Afterwards, I heard story after story of how "Hermana Alicia" had ministered to them. I felt as though I was soaring on wings of eagles.

As my sister and I were disposing Mamas belongings, I found years of calendars on which Mama had written every detail of her life. My sister wanted me to throw out all the calendars she had saved, but something stopped me.

Mama had written down every time I had called her, every score from every Chicago White Sox game, and numerous other details. Her writing was minuscule, so I used a magnifying glass to read the 1995 calendar.

She died March 20, so I flipped back to February and felt a chill creep up my back. There, under the month was written my name in large letters, followed by Psalm 32:8 . Quickly, I got out my Bible and read, I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye upon you.

Chills consumed me. What was she saying? It was then I saw Mama's notation under the scripture reference. Good for two months only . Underneath it was an 800 number.

Imagine my shock when I called and was told that Mama had accepted one of those offers, through her tiny Visa, for accidental death insurance. Visa paid the first two months, and if she decided to keep the insurance, the monthly charge would be placed on her credit card.

She never planned to pay for it, but because she had grown up during The Great Depression, Mama never turned down anything "free".

Insurance paid my sister and me $100,000! My sister replaced the $50,000 that had been stolen from her teacher's retirement fund, and I was more than repaid for all the tithes I had sent to Mama.

In addition, Mama's car insurance paid $50,000, which let me give a large amount to The Gideons (all who work for free supplying Bibles to hospitals, prisons, military units, and hotels), plus I had money left over to help the down-and-outers Mama loved so much.

There's no doubt in my mind that Mama was greeted with, "Well done, My good and faithful servant".

I remember reading how King David asked, Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake ? I knew in my heart that my sister and I were blessed because of Mama's faithful service with the little that she possessed on this earth.

Now I ask myself: Will God be able to bless my children, based on my service?

(c)2001-2008 April Lorier Perspective