There are some gifts bestowed on us outside our choosing! The family into which we are born is just one of those choices – determined by God’s mysterious plan. Had I been given that choice, I would have failed miserably. What God did for me is beyond what I deserved or could even understand. Today, I stand at the end of a path and look longingly into a place I cannot go. In the distance, I see my Mom turn and give me that infamous smile, one last time. My heart says, “Please don’t go” while my spirit says, “See you soon”. And it is here that I realize just what God gave me. One of a kind doesn’t come close. Beautiful – Yes! Gentle – Yes! Kind, loving, humble, funny, and forgiving. Godly – how Jesus was magnified through her life.
My mom! Mine. She was mine! For me, a lifetime is never enough.
Early on the morning of February 7th, God gently and lovingly took back this gift, and in only the way He can, simply said, “I’ve got her now.” Today, there is no more pain. No more suffering. Glorified. Radiant. Alive!
My mom, Helen Marie Norris, was born on October 21, 1933, to Estelle and Johnnie T. Norris, in Fayette, Alabama, on a frosty morn (as she would often say). She was the youngest of three sisters, the baby in a loving family of five. Her two sisters, Kathleen and Jo, were her companions and often the center of wild shenanigans. The stories of the Norris sisters entertained us kids and cousins with tales too outrageous to be true. But true they were. Life and laughter were the centerpiece of her home and upbringing.
During high school, Mom served as the captain of the Majorettes and was voted “Most Beautiful” in her senior class. It was that beauty that caught Dad’s attention, a story he would share at just the right moments. Dad, who was the quarterback and captain of the undefeated, state champion Fayette Tigers, once found himself at the bottom of a pile after being tackled while running for a first down. From beneath that pile, he remembers looking out through his twisted headgear to see a pair of legs in the distance. At that moment, he made a promise: “As soon as I get out of this pile, I’m going to find out who those legs belong to.” Of course, they belonged to the woman he would fall in love with and eventually marry. Their love would endure for an amazing 71 years!
A family started with the birth of my sister, Kimberly Lane Lawrence, followed by their son, Jeffrey Gaines Lawrence—yours truly. Mom created a home for us, a place where we could be kids and where love was expressed freely and often. She provided shelter and love. She gifted us a joyful childhood filled with dreams and aspirations. She believed in us and taught us that God was at the center of all things and that through the lens of the Bible, we would discover the truth. She exemplified the life of a follower of Jesus, and together, my Mom and Dad embarked on a life of adventure, helping us find our place in the grand story of God!
When I reached high school and college, Mom joined the staff of First Baptist Church of Orlando, where she served on the media team. She cherished those days, and those with whom she worked cherished her. She deeply valued her time at the church and would only be swept away by Dad’s plan to buy an RV and go on an adventure. For adventures were, for both Mom and Dad, the essence of life. To this day, the tales of their swashbuckling travels still evoke laughter for all who remember their spectacular ventures!
As much as Mom loved her kids, the grandkids could do no wrong. Their pictures were plastered all over the house and were the focus of her prayers. Corri, Josh, Lane Marie, Jacob, and Kate brought a special glow to her smile. Mom loved deeply and profoundly. For these gifts given to her, she poured out her prayers; that they would be safe, secure, joyful, and healthy. She pleaded that Jesus would be the center of their lives and that God would guide them. The prayers of a righteous woman would bring more blessings and protection than any of us could imagine. Only the halls of heaven can reveal.
Mom had an immediate connection with people; she simply glowed! Her smile would light up a room, and her eyes sparkled with a glimmer. Her soft-spoken words were always gentle, reflecting her perpetual kindness. She was faithful—to her husband, her family, her friends, and her God. My mom truly walked with Jesus!
Jesus was reflected in her smile, her eyes, her words, and her deeds, and in her laughter as well. She was a prayer warrior, interceding for those she loved and those in need. Selfless by nature, she consistently prioritized her family’s needs over her own.
And she loved my dad! And my dad loved her. The language of love is all I’ve ever witnessed in them and all I ever recognized in their example. It was constant and reliable. It was true. It was what God intended it to be.
My mom led a simple life. Contentment was her companion, and regret would never cast a shadow on her doorstep.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” That’s my mom!
Pure – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. She loved Jesus!
And it was this same Jesus who came for her. A voice she had heard time and time again gently whispered her name and transformed her in an instant. Just one touch and she was free! Just one touch and she was radiant, filled with the glory of God!
That’s my mom! How did I deserve her? Only the good grace and love of my Jesus could provide such a true and rich gift.
Thank you, Jesus! The gift of redemption and the promise of heaven fill this day with hope. She belongs to you once more—into your care we commit her. What joy there must be in the reunions of heaven!
Thank you, Mom! You are loved beyond words, honored, and cherished. A lifetime isn’t enough for a gift like you. The void is deep, but the promise is certain. Jesus truly is the resurrection and the life.
I love you more than words can say!
