The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. (I Samuel 26:23)
The sunlight poured in through the window, warming the frigid hospital room and making the day a little more bearable. Mom’s skin seemed to glisten in the afternoon sun. At age 77, even though colon cancer had taken its toll on her body, her skin was gloriously radiant.
I hope I age that well, I thought.
As I held her hand, I studied its markings, tracing each and every vein–some of them bruised and sunken from the frequent IVs.
I definitely have my mother’s hands, I thought. Gently, I smoothed lavender moisturizer over Mom’s arms and across her chest, feeling her heart beating slow and steady. I held my hand there for just a moment, so thankful she still had life in her, and so thankful for the life she had already lived. As I gazed at her precious face, I whispered, “Mom, I definitely have your hands… I wish I had your faith.”
My mom had big faith. We used to call her “The Big M.” It was one of her nicknames, which seems quite fitting, looking back. Not because she was big in stature but rather because she had such big faith. She possessed the kind of faith that changed the atmosphere of a room just by her very presence. She was sassy, funny, smart, classy, beautiful and feisty all rolled into one magnificent Marion. She was my best friend and the finest woman I’ve ever known.
Mom moved to heaven on May 3, 2006, leaving behind a wonderful legacy of love and faith. As we prepared for her funeral service, my sister and I reflected on Mom’s life. We laughed about the times Mom got lost driving her Cadillac around the country, trying to navigate without any sense of direction. (I inherited that from her, as well.) We shared how Mom had made each of us children feel like her very favorite person in the whole world. (Of course, I was truly the favorite.) And we marveled over Mom’s ability to go through good and bad situations with grace, dignity, joy and an unwavering faithfulness to the Lord.
When given the grim news that her cancer was inoperable, Mom’s faith never waned. Over the course of her cancer battle, Mom beat many odds and outlived every prognosis the medical experts gave her. It was her enormous faith that carried her through to the very end–the day when she let go of my hand and took hold of the Master’s.
As I stood by the casket, greeting those who had come to honor my mom, I knew her spirit was no longer there. She was celebrating her new body and life in heaven, surrounded by many who had gone before her, including my dad. Still, Mom’s faith filled the room. She had imparted it to us, and story after story revealed how each of our lives would never be the same because of Marion Medlock’s faithfulness to her community, friends, family and, most of all, her Lord Jesus. She truly taught me how to live and die in faith.
As I glance down at my hands today, I once again see my mom’s hands. I only hope that one day people will look at me and see more than just my mother’s physical characteristics–I want them to see my mother’s big faith.
Colon Cancer Awareness
March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., yet it is one of the most preventable forms of cancer. Did you know that 9 out of 10 colon cancers could be prevented or successfully treated with regular colon cancer screenings?
If you’re over the age of 50 or you have increased risk factors (such as a history of colon cancer in your family), please get screened this month.
Learn more about colon cancer risk factors and types of screenings.
