Mom

For those who don't know, Stephen, Nate, and I have been in America for about three weeks now. We came because my Mom's illness was progressing quickly. In the last few months she experienced much pain and suffering due to her cancer. In spite of the tremendous grief that we're experiencing, we're thankful that she's now pain-free and with her Lord and Saviour. She went to be with him a week ago today.

To continue to honor my mother, and for the benefit of those who were unable to attend her funeral, I wanted to post the following speech that my brother wrote and presented there.

Sharon Elise Iles grew up in the countryside of southern Campbell County, daughter to loving parents who provided her with a strong Christian upbringing. Her brothers added to the joy of her childhood by balancing their parents discipline with the kinds of mischief all kids living in the country can generally get into.

As she went through school, my mother became a top scholar in her class, as well as a skilled musician and singer. She studied education and music in college, and her love of music was always noted when she recalled how marvelous it was to sing Handel’s “Messiah”, from memory no less, with the university choir.

As most of you know, my mother loved the Lord and accepted him as her Savior at an early age. While my mom had a career as a teacher, her love for Jesus led her to do her most important work in the Church. As a young adult, she sang in the choir, taught Sunday school, and volunteered for countless projects. To borrow a good old-fashioned Baptist phrase – “if the doors to the church were open, she was there”.

Our mom met our father while they were both teaching at Campbell County High School. They were older than most people of their time when they were married, but were anxious to start a family – and my sisters and I were born in the early years of their marriage. Together, my mom and dad provided a wonderful childhood, one that is full of memories of picnics in the park, dinner at the table every evening, clothing Mom made by hand, Holiday cheer, and of course, the annual family vacation! Looking back at those times, there is no doubt that we had our piece of Americana that to us was heaven on earth.

Then, after a brief but brutal battle with cancer, our dad died in 1989. Mom had steadfastly looked for a miracle, but it was not in God’s plan. What was in his plan though was to place a Godly woman at the head of our house.

Part of our mother’s daily ritual, in addition to beginning her day with a cup of hot tea, Bible reading and prayer time, was to faithfully keep a diary of each day’s events. She left us with nearly 33 years’ worth of memories in writing that we will treasure for years to come. As we attempted to plan this service, my sisters and I realized we could not recall the details of our dad’s funeral, but we found mom’s diary from 1989 and it provided the details, right down to what her children wore. As we poured over the details of that difficult year, we were amazed at how mom trusted in and praised the Lord even in the midst of being left to raise 3 young children, with serious questions about how she would provide for the family.

On the day of our father’s death, Mom wrote these words in her diary: “I have a great task ahead of me now.” As we stand here today, we all know my mom accomplished that great task which was laid before her. My sisters and I made professions of faith shortly after my father’s death because of my mom’s example. We continued the family vacations and created many more happy memories. We are all established adults now and each have successes we attribute solely to the way our mom raised us. And just as my mom reached the stage in life where she could enjoy the fruits of her labors – her adult children and two new grandsons – she was called home to heaven and is now safe in the arms of Jesus.

We prayed initially that if our mom was to suffer that her suffering would not be long. While we all asked Him to spare mom countless times, He showed mercy in taking her quickly. We know, and wish you to also know, that her faith never wavered and her Savior led her all the way on this short walk home.

God’s plan is perfect – we are not meant to understand it, but we can see him at work. Each night before bed in the hospital, Elizabeth would read mom some of her favorite passages from the Bible. In addition to the 23rd Psalm, the last passage my mom heard on Saturday evening was Proverbs 31 which is a mother’s description of the characteristics of a virtuous woman. On Sunday we spent one final mother’s day with our mom. Today, as we lay her to rest—on our dad’s birthday, nonetheless—we, her children, rise up and call her blessed as declared in that famous Proverb.

Over the past weeks I asked the Lord (and I know my sisters did as well) to provide me with just a little of the strength He gave my mom in difficult times…and He has provided abundantly. As we worship together, we hope you will find strength in Jesus as well.