From the Heart

Remembering Mom

Our Children's Pastor, Dayle Isted, shares sweet memories of her mom as we honor and remember all of our mothers this weekend. 

My mom passed away three years ago, two weeks before Mother’s Day. She was 93, but because of the way she lived, I never thought of her as old.

Mom was fearless - always up for a challenge and had no patience with people that tried to hold on to the past. When she was a young newlywed in the 1940s, she got on a train in Atlanta full of servicemen and headed to Alaska to join my daddy. He was stationed there during WW2 and had figured out a way for Mom to come and serve as secretary so they could be together. She could not use her married name or tell anyone her real destination or she might have been ordered to turn back. She loved telling this like she was part of the CIA! So when I left home to move to Orlando after I got married, she made this into an epic adventure.

When we were young, my dad traveled and was only home on the weekends, but I have no memory of him being gone very much. Mom explained that by saying it was because that was our way of life and you did what you had to do, enjoying the time he was there and accepting when he was gone. There was no “wait till your dad gets home”; she handled things. Did I mention she had red hair?

Lit (her nickname for Elizabeth) was all about fun! Her smile and her laugh were infectious. She loved life! She made sure a simple shopping trip was a treasure hunt, cooking dinner turned into a party every night, holidays were special and planning my wedding was the best time ever. Road trips were full of playing games and singing at the top of our lungs.

But overall my Mom was faithful- full of faith in her Lord and faithful to everyone who was close to her. She had a matter of fact faith in God. She believed His Word and that we were to obey Him and love one another. If someone was in need, you did not have an option, you helped. God was not complicated and He was in charge. She loved big churches full of young people and things always going on.

Mom put her family first. The word “tired” was not in her vocabulary (or yours either if you did not want a lecture). If anyone in the extended family had an issue, she was the first one called and everyone knew Lit would fix it. She was so proud of her grandsons and was super excited that she lived long enough to have three great grandchildren. She was also a second mom to any young person who needed the touch of her unconditional love.

During Mom’s last few years, God gave me the privilege of being able to return a small portion of the care she had given me. She kept her faith, her sense of humor, her spunk, delight in her family and optimism about life until the end. She would not have liked to be thought of as a role model for motherhood, but I can’t think of a better one. 

"Her children rise up and call her blessed." Proverbs 31:28