"I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 89:1).

Our mothers, Daisy Greiner and Anna Buhler have walked with God since their childhood. We, as their children, have seen examples of their heavenly walks.

One dark night at one-thirty, Mother Greiner crawled out from under her warm quilt and knelt beside her bed. Her heart was heavy with a burden for one of her children. She prayed fervently with tears, crying out to God for one hour. When at last peace flooded her troubled soul she rose from her knees and crawled back into bed. It was now two-thirty in the morning. "Thank You, dear Lord," she whispered. "I know You will undertake and answer my prayer." Just then she heard outside her bedroom window a bird chirping cheerily. Normally, birds do not chirp in the middle of the night, but Mother believed that God sent His messenger to encourage her heart.

The home going of Mother Greiner, years later, was a glorious event. Her children and grandchildren circled her bed as she lay on the doorstep of heaven. Dare we hold her back? Dare we pray her back? God could have healed her from her ruptured hernia and the complications of pneumonia. Yet in the midst of the tubes and her pain she repeatedly whispered, "God is so good. He’s so wonderful. I’m so grateful. I’m so tired."

"Nana" was adored by all her family. She always had a smile and a kind word for each of her offspring. On every birthday a card and a couple of dollars always arrived early for her grandchildren and great grandchildren. But now, scarcely able to smile or speak, Nana lay on a hospital bed. "I feel sorry for Nana," whispered her five-year-old great grandchild Samantha.

As we circled Nana’s bed, we sang, "What a Friend We Have In Jesus." "Please keep singing," the nurses insisted. One could almost feel the rush of angel wings as we began to sing, "It Is Well With My Soul." We sensed we were standing on holy ground as in hushed harmony we sang the last verse of that grand hymn.

And Lord, haste the day when our faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,
Even so it is well with my soul.

Then it happened! The line on the monitor went horizontal. Mother was breathing heavenly air. She was with Dad together in the presence of Jesus. They were Home at last!

In Mother’s Bible we found the following poem:

There is no night without a dawning,
No winter without a spring,
And beyond death’s dark horizon,
Our heart once more will sing;
For those who leave us for a while
Have only gone away,
Out of a restless, careworn world
Into a brighter Day.

There was no need to feel sorry for Nana now. She was happier than ever. Samantha, with wisdom beyond her years whispered: "Nana showed us how to die."

Larry flew from Philadelphia to share in his grandmother’s last moments on earth and then sing at her funeral. While on the plane to Regina he wrote on scraps of paper the following poem which he was able to read to her before she entered glory.

                                   THE WAITING ROOM

We all gathered round, our loved ones so dear;
We sat in a room, just waiting to hear,
Waiting for word on our precious one's state,
Knowing full well the hour was late.

Holding each other as heads bowed in prayer,
We knew that the presence of Jesus was there.
Though many tears fell in that small waiting room,
God’s peace filled our hearts and banished the gloom.

Then singing broke forth in triumphant refrain,
As family and friends just praised His dear name.
Not death nor the grave could now still that sound,
For Christ holds the keys and Satan is bound.

Though selfish desires would keep her from going,
Her words weak with gladness, her face brightly glowing,
She whispered to those who bent down to hear,
"I want to go home, my Savior is near."

Then suddenly this glorious thought filled the air —
There must be a waiting room way over there,
A waiting room filled with her loved ones and friends,
Who went on before as her journey now ends.

Excitement is growing as angels stand by
To take her to Glory, her home in the sky;
The news of her coming in Heaven now breaks;
Imagine the scene as her entrance she makes.

All rush to her side to welcome her in,
Eternal life now for her would begin.
The waiting room there with great joy overflows
As they take her to Jesus, the Savior she knows.

Then finally that moment, her heart’s long desire,
As angels join saints in that Heavenly choir;
She stands in His presence to joyfully sing
And glorify Jesus, her wonderful King!

Meanwhile, my mother, Anna Buhler, age 94, lived alone in an apartment in Indiana. Yet she was never really alone, for Jesus dwelt with her. Mother often said: "If the God of the universe can’t take care of me, who can?"

On one occasion when she was at a beauty shop for a hair appointment, an announcement over the radio warned of an impending tornado. The staff and customers hurried into a windowless back room and closed the door. There was much fear and anxiety, even though the lights were kept on. Mother turned to the owner, a Christian, and asked, "Do you think we should pray?"

"Yes, indeed," the owner replied. "Would you lead us?"

With the radio turned down, Mother led the trembling souls into the throne room of the Almighty. "O, Heavenly Father, You care for us and know all about us here. We thank You that we have a safe place where we can hide. If it please You, don’t let the tornado touch down. Thank You for all in this little room who know Jesus as Savior. Though we may be afraid, and we are all frightened, we know we are in Your care. I pray that those in this room who do not know the Lord Jesus as Savior will receive Him right now. Thank you, dear Lord, for hearing us. In Jesus’ name, Amen."

The shop owner and others in the group thanked Mother for the comforting prayer, and after some forty-five minutes it was deemed safe to leave the room. The storm had passed. All were safe. God had answered prayer.

God, however, does not always say "Yes" to our prayers. One night Mother fell in her apartment and broke four ribs. After two and one-half days in the hospital she was moved to Lakeland Rehabilitation and Nursing Home. We had prayed that Mother would never have to go into a nursing home but her condition required skilled care. In that home three people came to know the Lord through Mother’s testimony. My brother Al wrote: "Could it be that God chose not to answer our prayers to keep our dear Mother out of a nursing home experience so that others could join us in Heaven? God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts. Praise God."

On one occasion a Christian lawyer and his wife visited Mother while she was in the dining room of the nursing home. The lawyer shared later how, in the middle of the meal, Mother suddenly started to sing out loud, "This Little Light of Mine" — all three verses! "You could have heard a pin drop," he said. "I don’t believe there was a dry eye in the room."

As a family we were blessed by Mother’s contentment and her joyful attitude in the nursing home. Through frequent phone calls and visits we recorded many of her words of wisdom. "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver" (Proverbs 25:11).

Here are some of Mother’s "Apples of gold in pictures of silver."

"I never realized what it would be like to have a ministry from a wheel chair. I just let my little light shine. Each of us leaves some ripples."

"God sharpens us through suffering."

* * * * *

"I just let the Lord hold me, and I give Him my worries. Then I don’t have to worry. I’m so glad God never goes on vacation."

* * * * *

"Keep hope alive. It is the Blessed Hope. I have a wonderful Lord. Of Him I can boast. He is a kind Shepherd."

* * * * *

"It’s wonderful to be in God’s hands. I never am disturbed about anything. Some day it will be more wonderful. I don’t know how we will behave. There will be a wonderful choir led by the Lord or an angel. I’d like to be in the harp section. The leadership is in God’s hands."

* * * * *

"We have a wonderful God and a wonderful Caretaker. I roll my burden on Him and He cares for me. I feel so sorry for many who are saved but haven’t learned to trust Him."

* * * * *

"We are on God’s drafting board."

* * * * *

"Tell pastors to practice what they preach."

* * * * *

"What a good time we are having in spite of the enemy. He is getting stronger, but the time is coming when God will say, ‘That’s enough!’"

* * * * *

"It’s gloriously dark."

* * * * *

"The more crowns I have, the more I will have to cast at His feet."

* * * * *

"I think of our grand reunion. I’m ready. My bags are all packed."

* * * * *

"When I go past my husband’s picture I say, ‘Hold it! Hold it! I’m coming soon.’"

* * * * *

"It’s so wonderful to belong to Him. It could be very soon we will be in Heaven. I sometimes laugh to myself when I think His Coming is so close. He is so wonderful. Oh, my, I just love Him so much."

 

On March 26, 2003, as this book was going to press, Mother was promoted to Glory! The day prior to her home-going, Bevan, her grandson, wrote the following letter. It speaks for all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

My Dear Grandma Buhler,

In the business of life we sometimes fail to seize the opportunities afforded us to express our thoughts to the ones who mean so much to us.

First of all, I want you to know how proud I am to be your grandson. Every time Mom reports to us of her conversations with you on the phone I am uplifted and refreshed as I hear of the testimony you continue to be among your peers at the home. It really warms my heart, and I find myself praying that I too will be a light among those with whom I am in constant contact. Thank you for that example.

Secondly, I want you to know what an impact you have had on my life through prayer. Your prayers for all of your grandchildren’s partners will never be forgotten. They were life-changing prayers, as they were answered abundantly by a loving Father Who heard them whispered by a Grandmother who cared enough for us to utter them.

Thirdly, I want to thank you for your part in the godly heritage that we as your grandchildren enjoy. I never want to take for granted the blessing that is ours of having been brought to a saving knowledge of Christ by parents who love and serve the Lord. They also were led to Christ by their loving parents. Your faithfulness in sowing the seed has resulted in immeasurable fruit. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Lastly, you've paved the road to glory by your shining example of how to "run the race." The example you've set of living the Christian life has impacted me and countless others to the extent that I will be forever grateful that God allowed me the privilege of seeing it both up close and from afar. Believe me, it reaches far beyond the four walls of your bedroom. Just know, Grandma, when you reach the finish line with Grandpa waiting to greet you, perhaps God will allow you to turn around and see the throngs of people who are also running for the prize because you cared enough to show them how to run the race.

I could go on and on about the influence you've had on me, but suffice it to say words cannot express how thankful I am that God lovingly placed me in a family with a grandmother like you.

I love you dearly.

                                                                            Love,

To whom do we owe our gratitude for the privilege of having a Christian heritage? God! Who else?

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