Remembering my Mom

My mom passed away unexpectedly on Thanksgiving Day. These are the words I wrote for her and read at her memorial service:

Years ago my Mom told me her life verse: 1 Peter 3:4 “Rather it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” I don’t think there is another verse in the Bible that would describe my mom better. She truly lived these words. She was beautiful… she was gentle… and she was of great worth in God’s sight and in ours. But my mom was also lively. She had a fire in her that caused her to pour herself into others. She was a caregiver. Everyone loved my mom… you couldn’t not love my mom. Even as a teenager I knew I wanted to be just like her when I grew up.

Mom,

I am amazed by you. I look at your life and I see something I want to emulate and someone I want to be. You not only allowed me to follow my passions, but you encouraged me along the way and sacrificed of yourself so I could do the things I felt called to do. You were always there with open arms and an unconditional love. 

I can’t even begin to contemplate a new reality without you in my everyday life. The example you set for me is an amazing blessing, but the hole you leave in my heart is a crushing blow. I’ve only been a mom for a year and a half and I still need so much more guidance and help and wisdom from you. After all, who better to mentor me through motherhood than the world’s greatest mom?

I have no regrets when it comes to you. We had a great almost 30 years together. We lived together, we worked together, we went to church together, and we shared in some of life’s biggest joys together. You were there when we brought home Betti and Manny and I’m so glad we got to live with you for our first year together as a family. You were there when I gave birth to Eli just four short months ago. And you got me through those first few weeks with a newborn. We always greeted each other with a hug and an “I love you” and we always parted the same way.

One of my biggest desires is that when my daughter is all grown up she will call me her best friend just as I called you mine. You couldn’t have done this life any better Mom and I wanna be just like you… I want to shine with an unfading inner beauty and have a gentle and quiet spirit… but not too quiet… someone has to keep the Hamel family in line.

I love you mom and I’ll miss you forever… these are not the last words I have for you, but for now I’ll close with this… Job Well Done Mom… job well done.

(Julie)