In Memory of Sis. Hope...

Sis. Hope was a member of Landmark Pentecostal Church for over 25+ years. She was 91 years old when she passed from this world. I spoke at her memorial service and was requested to post my speech on my blog so other who where unable to attend could read it...

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in. Their true beauty is revealed only in there is a light from within.”
~Elizabeth Kubler Ross~

Though I’ve attended this church for some time, it wasn’t till my late teens when I began working at a long term health care facility that I began to really try to get to know Sis. Hope. Sis. Hope was always a part of this church, she always wore her white sweater even in 100 degree weather, she wore high heels for longer than I ever expected and carried her white purse and who can forget her pick. When I began that job, I learn some of my greatest life lessons, that life is extremely short, that people are people no matter their age, health, mental state and most of all that every life has a story. That story I wanted to know.

But getting to know Sis. Hope was one of the hardest stories I had ever tried to get to know. I wanted to know her life, her history, her childhood,… anything but Sis. Hope would only smile at me. She kept to herself and would not really share a thing. But in exchange I receive an unusual friendship; I had a new pew partner. I began to sit either in the same row or very close to Sis. Hope. So instead of learning her history, I began to make memories instead that I could cherish for a lifetime.

I never heard Sis. Hope sing but she would stand in honor of her favorite songs. She let me know that sometimes I sang good but other times she told me I sang to loud. And she didn’t like the tambourine to close to her. Once during service, Bishop Abbott told a joke in his sermon, everyone laugh but I noticed that Sis. Hope laughed the hardest!!! She chuckled the whole sermon. Later someone mention that the oddest thing happen, Sis. Hope asked for a copy of the sermon. She never asked for copies of sermons. They said she kept chuckling and muttering, “I just have to hear it again!” I busted out laughing, Yes. Sis. Hope bought a copy of the sermon but I seriously doubt for the sermon but more likely for the joke.

I also found out Sis. Hope liked my driving… a lot!!! One time I picked up Sis. Jolley and Sis. Hope from their home, we were running a few minutes late and I knew if I took the usual surface streets we would be late for church. So instead I asked if it was ok if I took the freeway, they said it was ok. I promise you I never went one mile over the speed limit and was extremely careful on how I drove. But when I got off the freeway, I jokingly ask the ladies if my driving scared them. Sis. Jolley said no but from the backseat I heard Sis. Hope quiet but exciting voice say, “That was fun! Can we do it again?”

I learned that Sis. Hope loved going out with the Golden Goodies, a group of the older ladies would get together and go out to eat. My Grandma was in charge and it was a blessing to these ladies. I could see Sis. Hope smiling as they spoke about it. She also simply liked just sitting with a group of people at a church event letting the chatter flow around her. She loved this church and this church loved Sis. Hope.

When my niece, Aurora was quite young, Sis. Hope was annoyed but at times Aurora crazy ways made her chuckle. She always would have to touch Aurora kinky hair if it was loose, simple amazed at it I guess. When Aurora was quite young, in the Ladies restroom there is a picture of an elderly lady holding the bible and praying. Aurora would always point and say, “Old lady!” But I would always tell her, “Yes, but she a pretty old lady, see she prays and she reads her Bible and she loves God. She a Pretty Lady!” In service during the preaching once, Aurora was on the floor playing when I heard her say, “Oooo Pretty Lady!” I look up to see her pointing at Sis. Hope, her look was of amazement, she kept repeating it. When I looked at Sis. Hope one single tear was falling down her wrinkled but smiling cheek. Aurora had seen a real live pretty lady that loved God.

When Sis. Hope was first put in the nursing home that Sunday was hard for me, my pew partner would not be there every Sunday. It was a moment of bitter sweetness for me, I knew it was for her best but I did miss her. I had been worrying about her health, I had noticed signs that were not good and I was praying that nothing bad would happen. But I miss Sis. Hope, I miss when that sometimes during service I’d hold her hand. I miss her quiet chuckle or silent honor of standing in the present of the Lord even if no one else was standing. That Sunday, I missed Sis. Hope so much.

When I heard the news that Sis. Hope didn’t have much longer I went to visit her. I had been to the bedside of many sick people, I had seen many pass from this world even held strangers in my arms so that would not die alone. Death is never a pretty thing but when a saint of God passes there is atmosphere that can only be felt and can’t be explained that is there. I felt it when I visit Sis. Hope that day.

I wasn’t sure she would remember who I was, when I asked her if she remember me, she replied in her stubborn way, “Of course I remember you.” I held her hand and asked her how she was, I expected the usual reply, “No Better and No Worst.” Or maybe even the reply that Sis. Vanessa had finally convinced her to say. “Maybe a little better, well just maybe.” But I was shock, when she replied, “Much better because you are here Jacqui.” Weather she actually remembers me or not let me just live with knowing she did.

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in. Their true beauty is revealed only in there is a light from within.”

Today I may learn more about Sis. Hope then I had ever know about her. In a way, in the darkness we are now getting to see Sis. Hope light from within and getting to know Sis. Hope. But if you didn’t know you now know that Sis. Hope always wore her white sweater even in 100 degree weather, she wore high heels for longer than anyone ever expected and carried her white purse and of course we can’t forget her pick! She like singing as long as it wasn’t too loud. She LOVED Br. Abbott’s jokes, and my fast driving. She enjoyed her time with the Golden Goodies and the chatter of church get together. But most of all I finally heard her story and though the quietness it was shown not told Sis. Hope prayed, read her bible and loved God but Aurora told her story best, she was a “Pretty Lady”!

Love you Sis. Hope,

Jacqueline