Mommy's Speech

I have been wanting to include this in my blog for a long while now, but it was hiding behind a cluttered desk. "Mommy's Speech" The words I spoke at her memorial service: {Before I begin to talk about the beautiful woman that is my mom I would first like to thank Pastor Jeff for being here; my family and I greatly appreciate it.} My mom was born on June 6th in 1975 to my grandparents,Gloria and Richard Mason. She was raised in San Pedro for most of her early life before moving to Long Beach. My Mom was the firstborn of three and the only girl of the bunch. She had her tomboy moments. Her brothers are my Uncle Ryan and Uncle Richard. She would always tell me about the many memories they shared. She had a great love for her brothers and was very protective over them. My mom enjoyed cooking and baking while growing up and learned a lot from her grandmas. She also learned how to crochet and sew from them which she also tried to teach me while I was little. I enjoyed the many Barbie doll clothes she had sewn for our late night summer runway shows. She was raised in church which was a big part of her life. I've heard stories of her involvement at Bethany or Foursquare. Foursquare church is where my nanas met and became good friends. Being that my nanas were good friends my mom spent a good amount of time at my Nana Sonja's home whom became like a second mother to her. Eventually, during that time spent at my nana's house she met my dad at the age of 16 and married him two years later on January 28, 1994. My mom would always tell me about how she knew they were going to get married in the beginning of their relationship. One thing I always wanted like my mom had was her first real boyfriend ended up to be her husband. i think that's one thing that is going well for me. My mom and dad's marriage has always been something that I admire. I've learned a lot from their marriage. I've learned that you need to marry your best friend, the one person you could be really strange with. I always told them they were the strangest couple I knew. I learned that you'll have your share of arguments, but I also learned that those arguments get resolved and you can go back to be being best friends again. I've learned that a good husband and good wife take care of each other and what that looks like. The most important lesson their marriage has taught me is that you continue to love each other in both sickness and in health and you love that person with every breath you take up until the very last one. One thing I will always cherish is the look in my mom's eyes when she looked at my dad as well as the peace that overtook her while holding my dad's hand. My mom truly made my dad and I her world. I came into her world a month before her 20th birthday and she became a mommy to her one and only. I came a month early so while I was in the hospital waiting to go home she still had her baby shower because she enjoyed being a good host to those who came into our home. While I was little I remember her and my dad planning out the holidays and discussing what meal they would prepare and who was coming over. While they would discuss company and meal prep, I looked forward to the baking that came with it. The holidays weren't the only days my mom would bake though; she baked all year round. that woman loved to bake and loved to give her baked goods to others. My mom had a very giving heart. Baking was one of my mom's hobbies, or rather passion that she passed on to me that I plan on doing to allow her memory to live on. Baking with my mom created some of my favorite memories. I remember when I was little I would just watch her, but I would want to appear as if I actually contributed somehow so I would purposely put my hands in flour and put it on my face then wipe the rest on her apron. Though baking is a big thing my mom has taught me to do it is definitely not the only thing. My mom taught me many valuable lessons in life, that I of course only realized recently. My mom taught me what a good mom looks like, what a good wife looks like, but most importantly through her I saw what it looks like to be a strong woman of God who kept her faith until the very end. She would constantly read scripture and watch the Christian t.v. networks. She always allowed herself to be fed by the Word. She would constantly be praying throughout the day and continuously talk to God. When I would ask for advice on certain subjects she would offer opinion or encouragement on it followed by "Pray about it". Although I would find that answer frustrating because I am a very impatient person, in those moments she taught me the importance of prayer. She taught me that God's way is the best way even though we may not see it in the present moment. My mom always encouraged me and was always proud of everything I did or the person I am. My mom encouraged me in anything and everything, from singing and songwriting when I was little, proud that I played softball in high school and enjoyed hearing about my games, and encouraged my most recent endeavor of wanting to study religion and become the next "Joyce Meyer". No matter what I did or what I wanted to do she always encouraged me to be and do my best. She reminded me my best is always enough. My mom made my dad and I her whole life and took pride in being a homemaker. Through that she was the perfect example for me of a selfless woman. Through this experience I have been able to see how many lives my mom has actually touched. So many have told me she had such a sweet soul, a kind heart, and the sweetest woman they knew. From hearing these things about my mom I can only hope that I am capable of carrying on the legacy of the beautiful woman she was inside and out. From this point on I intend to live everyday for my mom and make her proud. In every decision I make I plan to keep her in mind. Though my mom may have left me physically I know that she will continue to walk with me and guide me in life from up above. I know I will see her again one day because she kept her faith until the very end. As long as I continue to keep my faith and continue in the way she raised me I will be reunited with her again and that is what gives me strength to endure. My mom's faith and love for God was one of the greatest gifts she could have given me. In return to that gift I plan on living every day by keeping my faith so that her faith lives through me so that her life can continue on to be the salt and light on earth. Matthew 5:13-16 ​13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. It has been a while since read those words and while reading them I was able to see the difference in my faith and the road I've been on. These words were a nice reminder of who I am while I'm on this journey of redefining/ rediscovering my faith and who I am. This reminded me that I am a strong woman of faith and though I've wandered off, I need to get back on the straight and narrow path and follow where God leads. "My mom's faith and love for God was one of the greatest gifts she could have given me. In return to that gift I plan on living every day by keeping my faith so that her faith lives through me so that her life can continue on to be the salt and light on earth." She gave me the gift of faith, but now I plan on taking that faith/ love for God and making it my own. ​Blessings