Our mother, like any mother, was a gift that kept giving. As she transitioned from Day 1 to Day 6 without saying a word, she provided inspiration to her family.
Day 2 of My Mother’s Transitioning
On Day 2 of my mother's transitioning, I decided to exercise my spiritual sight using this Scripture below to navigate her soon-to-be-evolved world. The Apostle Paul wrote the following to enlighten us:
I Corinthians 5:6-8
Therefore, we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:). We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
We exercise faith to navigate life experiences because faith is for this world and this world only. Although spiritual, the true sight occurs after transitioning for the believer. So, right now, I am pondering what is happening with my mother as her body succumbs to the calamities of this sinful nature. Please note that this body only serves as a shell for the soul and spirit, which the two have an eternal destiny. So to grasp this transition I am witnessing, I must forgo the exercising of faith based on hope but hope as a sighted view using my spiritual eyes toward the other side of this transition.
Even though every communication works around the senses of sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste, her natural senses are evolving into spiritual senses. The term sense means a faculty by which the body perceives an external stimulus using one of the faculties of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch.
Remember, we are made in their image - God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Hence, my mother replicates them in her natural form, but after transitioning, she becomes a glorified form while possessing the same facilities to discover her surroundings. Because of the discovery option, I can only imagine the beauty that awaits her after this transition. With her spiritual senses, she will see, hear, smell, touch, and taste the glory of God's kingdom. This thought alone fills me with joy, knowing that her experience of glory cannot compare with what she has experienced in her earthy temple as it housed her present state of mind, soul, and spirit. In other words, her spiritual senses will become heightened, allowing her to obtain a higher understanding and awareness of this world and beyond. Her heightened spiritual senses will allow her to experience pure joy, and her enlightenment will adventure beyond anything she could ever experience in her mortal state. I believe she will see what she has never seen, hear what she has never heard, smell what she has never scented, feel the warmth demonstrated by her loving Savior, and taste the unspeakable joy surrounding a heavenly view. What awaits her after this transition will consume all her natural senses. For this reason, her natural senses must gradually transform into glorified senses to a heightened level to fully comprehend the afterlife. While waiting, I see each sense progressively lose its function while leaving the last God-given gift, breathing.
When her last breath exhales, then and only then, I will know that her spiritual senses are in full faculty mode to grasp what the Savior has prepared. Why? Because the Apostle Paul recorded these words as conformation, which states as follows:
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV)
Day 3 of My Mother’s Transitioning
Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.
(2 Corinthians 4:16)
Day 3 of my mother's transition inspired me to focus on the Apostle Paul's words referring to the outward man is decaying. Our physical existence must end and return to its original form. Therefore, I am witnessing a slow change in the functionality of my mother’s systems. For instance, her heart is beating less forcefully, as her blood is beginning to move more slowly around her body. I even noticed the decline in her blood pressure when the nurse measured it, which means her brain and other organs are receiving less and less oxygen, so their functioning levels are dropping. Also, her fluid intake has completely stopped, as if she has forgotten how to swallow. While she remains comfortable, her body is slowly decaying. As Paul stated, her outward state is becoming weaker and weaker.
While her physical (mortal) state decays, her spiritual (inner) state is evolving into a more superior role. As my wife sang hymns and spiritual songs, and we recalled her favorite Scriptures, you could sense something serene about this moment. You can envision a spiritual renascence because the physical body is no longer the primary focus, as the spiritual body becomes the center stage. Even Paul alluded to this renascence by describing the physical body as possessing a treasure that contained the excellency of the Power of God. (2 Corinthians 4:7) This treasure must materialize during growth spurts based on your everyday walk with God. You know it is there because of testimonies from those caring for her. Healthcare workers praise her smile and friendly attitude. Even some whom she taught in elementary school recalled their experience with her at a young age and her work ethic. Now they feel the need to reciprocate the same during her transition. Her impact is far-reaching, and her inspiration encourages them to continue the same legacy of kindness.
The Apostle Paul even reminded us that this physical decay is a light affliction occurring for only a moment. (2 Corinthians 4:17) Why? The negativity in decaying has a positive effect when we trust God because it gives one a longing to depart this life to unite with Him in Heaven. Otherwise, the desire to remain in this physical state will outweigh the need to embrace your eternal destiny of living in glory with your Savior, Jesus. The pain is truly decaying in your physical state, but your eternal state is free from any decay resulting in zero pain and suffering, as noted in Revelation 21:3-4.
Remember, the Savior promised that He is preparing a place for the ones who love Him. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:2-3)
Therefore, my mother’s transitioning reminds me that except for the Second Coming of Christ, the only way to inhabit your heavenly residence is through this process known as the decaying of the outward man.
Day 4 of My Mother’s Transitioning
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1 KJV
Today, I noticed no change in my mother’s transition. Because of her status today, I began reflecting on her favorite Scripture - compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. As I pondered over these words, I asked myself who are the witnesses that the author is referring to as the cloud of witnesses. Remember, a witness must have sighted experience to testify legally for or against something. An eyewitness has visual proof of a specific event and can provide their perspective through visual knowledge of events. We often repeat what we hear or create what supposedly happened without visual proof. Yet, a witness with visual knowledge with a direct perspective has value for others to benefit.
Since Jesus died over 2000 years ago, the eyewitness account of His death, burial, and resurrection in Jerusalem must pass from generation to generation. How? Living the life intended by the Savior so you can pass your eyewitness account to the next generation. The writer of Hebrews states it this way: let us run with patience the race that is set before us. As for my Mother, her race began in 1950 at the age of 17. She became a believer and returned to her birth church. Here she exercised the necessary patience to become that witness for others to emulate. As one of her offspring, I witnessed her work ethic for the church, from teaching Sunday School, preparing meals, mopping the floors, and even painting the molding in the sanctuary. From a teacher to the church mother to the janitor, she served tirelessly until she could no longer serve physically. However, her spirit remained with the Church during her absence each Sunday. Because of her, the church began a nursing home ministry and even ministered to the healthcare workers on special holidays.
My Mother entered that cloud of witnesses by becoming the example God intended as a believer, a mother to her children, and a mother to the church family. So, others can now pass her example as an eyewitness account to the next generation. Because of her, I can live a similar legacy as a believer to pass on to my offspring, like what my Mother has done for us, her children, nieces, nephews, and countless others.
Day 5 of My Mother’s Transitioning
On Day Five, My mama’s breathing became sporadic as her body temperature varied from hot to cold and vice versa. The nurse could not acquire a reading on her oxygen level, which further suggested the gradual shutting down of each organ. Yet, her disposition reflected no anguish or pain, so there was no need for any medication such as Ativan. Instead of using hospice, we agreed to give her Ativan as a drug to avoid prolonged pain.
Mama became a survivor because of the quality of care when Mama suffered a hemorrhagic stroke in 2014. This stroke left her left side paralyzed, so she relearned basic functions like feeding herself. Thus, the family enjoyed her longer than expected because of the excellent medical care she received from the staff, especially the Henry County Health and Rehab Center CNAs. As I conversed with one CNA, she commented that she realizes it takes a special someone to work here, and she sees her job as a calling to care for the elderly during this period of their life. While conversing with her, I remember my father's words when he was an administrator at Abbeville High School. Do not forget how you treat every child because the one you mistreat will clean your posterior when you are in the nursing home.
The writer of Hebrew states our transition like this: …people are destined to die once… (Hebrews 9:27a NIV) This transition will only occur once for her as a believer. Nothing more will happen in this life; therefore, the necessity of this event will usher in a forever present with God. This is a sound fact because her favorite song is I Shall Wear A Crown. While in the church, she began singing these lyrics to open the different worship services:
Watch ye, therefore, you know not the day.
When the Lord shall call your soul away
If you labor, strivin' for the right
You shall wear a golden crown.
During the eulogy, some individuals believe that the man of God should proclaim the fate of the deceased. Yet, my mother determined her destiny before her eulogy by placing her full trust in Jesus as her Savior daily. Her testimony during church service would always end with these words: I will take nothing in exchange for my journey in holiness; it suits me just fine. Mother, your journey is ending, and I believe the moment you see what awaits you on the other side, any regrets you ever had with this life will dissipate immediately.
Day 6 of My Mother’s Transitioning
On Day 6, we experienced the ultimate alert, The death rattle. Instantly, the nurse alerted us, and we surrounded Mama while anticipating that we had come to the end of her transition. What is the death rattle? The death rattle is a sound that sometimes occurs when a person dies. It is caused by secretions in the throat that accumulate and rattle when the person breathes. (www.mypcnow.org)
Earlier on Day 6, My sister and I agreed to release her spirit, so this anticipation was intense. Therefore, we both agreed to have a conversation with Mama that we would continue her legacy because of her example in raising us. Then, we ended our conversation with the following prayer.
Dearest Heavenly Father, we proclaim Your glory and magnify Your name. We lift our hands in praise and worship You. We know You have everything under Your control, so we submit to Your will regarding our Mother's care. For we agree in prayer that You will perform Your divine will on Earth as You declare in Heaven. We thank You for Your mercy and grace. We pray that You will keep her in Your loving arms and fill her with Your peace. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18:19-20)
I believe we exercised the Power of Agreement because we created a synergy that combined our efforts in accepting God’s will. This single focus of agreement with my Mama, my sister, and me ushered in the final stages of transition. As God created this world in six days and rested on the seventh, likewise my Mother‘s transition took six days, then she entered her rest at approximately 2:00 p.m. on Monday, July 24, 2023.
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Hebrews 4:9-10 KJV
Mother Josephine Baker vacated her body and ascended to her heavenly home to rest eternity with her Creator.
