Stay tuned to the conclusion next week as I end her journey of faith as she is taken to Holy Family Home in Parma, Ohio on Friday morning the 17th of August. I want to share how a family came together in love putting all their differences aside bring the grandchildren to visit their grandmother up till her last breath.
Tribute to Church Mother EloisFergusonMoorePart III
"Ooowee!"
I said it last week in my column and I'm saying it again this week, "Aspire to Inspire, before you expire." Hopefully from each of you reading the past two columns in tribute to Mother Moore, I hope as she inspired me, likewise I'm inspiring you my readers from her example of walking faith and looking death in the eyes.
Next, know that I'm just planting the seed of her journey of faith as she looked death in the eye and kept the faith with a smile on her face, even in the mist of her body full of pain. In the bible, Proverbs 24:10, it reads, "If you are weak in a crisis, you are weak indeed." Yet because of her faith and trust in God, the crisis of her health did not make her weak when it came to her faith as she realized the difference between happiness and the Joy of the Lord. The "JOY" of the Lord was her strength and her faith till the very end.
As I try and bring these series of the “Tribute to Mother Moore” to a conclusion, let me pick up on her journey of faith as I arrived to her daughter’s home on Thursday, Aug. 16, where both her Mother and her father James was welcomed with open arms when her mother took ill. Let me ask each of you my readers this first question. If you got ill today, had to stop working, who would have your back? In past days it was a fact that blood is thicker then water, but now-a-days if you cough right away it will be your love ones that will put you in a nursing home quicker than you can blink your eyes. I honor her daughter Pam who said, "Moma, you and dad come stay with me." I also honor Mother Moore's husband James who stood by her side till the very end. Yes, Mother Moore and her husband James had their own place, but the home and location of her daughter Pam words cannot express in regards to the beauty and peacefulness of just where her mother needed to be. Mother Moore often shared with me how her daughter Pam would not take one cent. It was an honor for her to have her mother in her home and she honored her mother. Mother Moore would often say to me, "Bishop, I wish my children would come to church or go to church somewhere," yet when she moved with her daughter I reminded Mother Moore that her daughter was living in the church by giving back to her mother. Oh yes, I'd rather the church live in me than me live in the church 24/7, yet not have love to look out for my love ones and go beyond call of duty. Amen!
Pam and Mother Moore's husband had done all they could do in regards to taking care of Mother Moore. Once the nurses took her blood pressure and saw the state of her condition, it was time to move her to Hospice care as they got on the phone, took much needed information from Mother Moore to make this happen as quickly as possible. Leaning on the sofa, Mother Moore even in the mist of her pain smiled, often looking at me as I had her lean on my shoulder letting her know it was alright. The nurse and the Social worker asked question after question, and Mother Moore would look at me as I often asked the Social Worker, "Why you asking this question?." Often they reassured Mother Moore that the Hospice Home would not touch what she had earned in her retirement all those years. Mother Moore, in her state of pain that day, even laughed as I made sure she understood the questions from the Social Worker before she answered. The paperwork was done, everything set up for her to go first thing the following day as I praised both the Social Worker and the nurse on how they handled both Mother Moore and me that afternoon.
Stay tuned to the conclusion next week as I end her journey of faith as she is taken to Holy Family Home inParma,Ohioon Friday morning the 17th of August. I want to share how a family came together in love putting all their differences aside bring the grandchildren to visit their grandmother up till her last breath. I want to share how the family stayed over night with their loved one, never leaving her alone. I want to share what teamwork can do because of something called LOVE.
Stay tuned!
You can e-mail the Bishop at bishopspeaks@aol.com" title="blocked::mailto:bishopspeaks@aol.com">bishopspeaks@aol.com.Write him at the church 969 E. 140th St. Cleveland, Ohio 44110 off St. Clair Ave in the heart of the Collinwood Community. Call the church (216) 761-7100 and visit the church 11a.m. each Sunday morning for Praise Service.
