This memorial website was created in the memory of our beloved Marie Paine who was born in Portugal on 15th September 1957 and passed away on 11th August 1999, 41 years of age.
THE ROSE BEYOND THE WALL from the writings of AL Frink
Near shady wall a rose once grew, Budded and blossomed in God's free light.
Watered and fed by morning dew, Shedding it's sweetness day and night.
As it grew and blossomed fair and tall, Slowly rising to loftier height,
It came to a crevice in the wall, through which shone a beam of light.
Onward it crept with added strength, With never a thought of fear or pride,
It followed the light through crevice's length, And unfolded itself on the other side.
The light, the dew, the broadening view, Were found the same as they were before,
And it lost itself in beauties new, Breathing it's fragrance more and more.
Shall claim of death cause us to grieve, And make our courage faint and fall?
Nay! Let us faith and hope receive- The rose still grows beyond the wall.
Scattering fragrance far and wide, Just as it did in days of yore,
Just as it did on the other side, Just as it will forever more.
Call unto me, and I will answer thee... Jerimiah 33:3
I would like to write here about my mother, and the impact she had on my life. The strength of her love gave me stability that I grabbed onto from a very early age.
Between the ages of two and six it was the two of us. My parents had divorced and she was a single mom working two jobs. Yet, I still remember her always being there for me. I remember having the chicken pox... I don't remember her leaving my side. I always knew I was loved.
She re-married when I was six and gave me two little sisters. And the years went by with good and bad times until 1991, when we found out she had cancer- leukemia- and she needed a bone-marrow transplant. I thank the Lord her sister Mary-Lu was a match - I praise Him more that my aunt was a christian!
They had plenty of time to spend together in the hospital in Minnesota, and after a long summer, mom came home and found a church she enjoyed. I, being a teen with only negative church experiences, wanted nothing to do with it, but she prayed for me... and a mother's prayer is powerful. She prayed for God to put people in my path. She prayed for Him to protect me. She prayed for me to accept Him.
And He did put people in my path, though I tried to push them aside. And He did protect me, though I didn't notice it then, it is so clear to me now. And I did accept Him, it just took me eight years of being stuborn.
In August of 1999, I was 21 years old and pregnant with my first child. My mom died of liver failure. She had beaten the cancer itself, but her body had been beaten by treatments, medications and side-effects. She was almost 42. The last thing she said to me was "Lisa, it's so important for you to have faith. Don't blame Him, just give Him a chance." One of her prayers had not been answered yet. She was on her way to heaven and didn't know if her children would make it there. I can't imagine how difficult that was.
About 6-7 months later my normal travel route had me driving past a local baptist church twice a day. Each time I went past I could hear my mother's words, "It's so important" until one time right there in the car I yelled out "Fine I'll go!" and I did.
I felt welcomed. It felt right. I enjoyed it, but I was still stubborn and it took me almost 4 months before I accepted the Lord as my own personal Savior. I've reached out to my sisters as well, and I now have three beautiful daughters and one awesome nephew who come to church with me regularly! Not all my extended family have accepted Christ, but I can pray! I don't know when they'll be answered, but God does promise to answer. My mother's prayers were answered in God's time, I trust mine will be too.
I've seen how blessing can come out of tragedy. I missed out on fellowship with my mom, but she showed me the importance of prayer- how as a mother, I NEED to pray for my children. Now I look foward to fellowshipping with her when I get to heaven, because I KNOW I will see her again!
The Only Love Greater
When I was young, my mother and I would always argue " I love you more" to each other. And after going back and forth a few times I would throw in "infinity! No more words!" thinking that this somehow proved that I did love her more. I grew to love and respect her more through the years realizing how much she really did for me throughout my life and how there was no one on this earth who would do what she did for me.
There was no one on earth I loved more than her and I couldn't possibly imagine feeling more love towards one person. When she died, it tore me apart. I felt I had never completely explained to her how much she meant to me. Then I became a mother - In that first week of motherhood, with all the lack of sleep, confusion, being constantly busy and getting nothing done, I sat on my bed...holding her, staring at her, this beautiful, perfect child. I told her she would never know how much I love her. Istarted to cry. It was at that moment that I realized how much my mother loved me. After all those years of thinking I knew, of thinking I loved her more, I could finally see how very wrong I was.
To say that a mother's love is complete and unconditional doesn't do it jusice. It's the most love anyone on earth can feel and as far as I can see, it is only felt by mothers. As a mom you are willing to give your life, your privacy, your wants, your needs and even your sanity for your children. Yet as much as I love my children, I know God's love for them surpasses even mine. And once again, I can't imagine how love can be that great - but God does!
When Tomorrow Starts Without Me
When tomorrow starts without me, and I'm not there to see
If the sun should rise and find your eyes all filed with tears for me.
I wish so much you wouldn't cry the way you did today
while thinking of the many things, we didn't get to say.
I know how much you love me...as much as I love you
and each time that you think of me, I know you'll miss me too.
But when tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand,
That an angel came and caled my name and took me by the hand.
And said my place was ready, in heaven far above,
and that I'd have to leave behind, all those I dearly love.
And when I thought of worldly things, I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did, my heart was filled with sorrow.
But when I walked through heaven's gate, I felt so much at home
When God looked down and smiled at me from His golden throne
He said "This is eternity, and all I promised you,
Today for life on earth is past, but here it starts anew.
I promise no tomorrow, but today will always last.
And since each day's the same day, there's no longing for the past."
Now when tomorrow starts without me, don't think us far apart,
For every time you think of me, I'm right there in your heart.
by David M Romano
Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, but love leaves a memory no one can steal ~ from a head stone in Ireland
There are things that we don't want to happen, but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go. ~author unknown
I dropped a tear in the ocean, the day it's found I'll stop missing you...
If Tears Could Build a Stairway
If tears could build a stairway, and memories a lane
We'd walk right up to heaven, and bring you back again.
Our hearts still ache in sadness, and secret tears still flow.
What it meant to lose you, no one will ever know.
But know that we know you want us, to mourn for you no more
To remember all the happy times. Life still has much in store.
Since you'll never be forgotten, we pledge to you this day,
A hallowed place within our hearts, is where you'll always stay.
~author unknown
If I had a single flower for each time I thought of you, I could walk forever in my garden. ~Claudia Ghandi
Memory is a way of holding onto things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose. ~tv show The Wonder Years
