Karen E. Henebry

In reflecting on Mom's life, I'm constantly brought back to her love for God and her Christian faith. It was such an important part of who she was. She loved animals and nature because she said that she could see the hand of God within His creation. She had an artistic eye, and she used it to search for glimpses of God in the beauty she found around her. She would help others in need, even if she was struggling herself, because she wanted to live out the love of God. To summarize her in a nutshell would be to say that she truly did fight the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.

Although we often lived paycheck to paycheck, making due with the minimal, she made sure that I never wanted for the things that truly mattered. She gave up on her dreams of becoming an artist after a teacher discouraged her, but always encouraged me in my writing pursuits so I wouldn't make the same mistake. She would save whatever she could so the four of us, with the dog in tow, could take summer vacations together and have those cherished memories. She would often go without so she could give me a happy childhood.

But more than the presents under the tree on Christmas morning, I'll remember the way she would buy a cake and have me sing happy birthday to Jesus so I would know the reason for our celebration. I'll remember the way she fought through every odd that was ever against her, giving all glory to God for her triumphs. She proved to be just as strong as my grandmother; a force to be reckoned with. A walker and oxygen tank couldn't slow her down. I wouldn't be who I am today without her. I pray that I become half the woman that she was.

As painful as it is say goodbye here, and as frightening as the unknown future is without her, I take comfort in knowing that, when her eyes closed to this world, they opened in the presence of her Savior.