Reflections of a Family
Having just lost Judy’s mother, Tena Huizenga, to heaven, we thought we would include some of the things the extended Huizenga family talked about during this time of mourning and celebrating Tena’s life.
One verse we talked about was Psalm 116:15.
Psalm 116:15
"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."
Precious?! Yes, in the sense that God watches over us even as we are experiencing death, the result of sin. We are precious to Him, and he carefully watches over us. He holds our hand right up to the end. And as we step through the door of death into heaven, He welcomes us home.
We shared verses that were especially meaningful to us because of Mom.
David Huizenga, Tena’s son, shared the following. Mom would say to him, “You can do anything that you put your mind to. In fact, you can do greater things than you can imagine. But you must always do everything to God’s glory.” That’s why this verse is so important:
Ephesians 3:20-21
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
Tena’s son, Jonathan Huizenga, remembered the wall hanging Mom took along to every house we lived in. Proverbs 3:5-6. She called it her reminder verse.
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
B.J. (son) recalled that Mom felt everyone is created in the image of God, and therefore, everyone has an innate sense of rhythm and music. Perhaps it’s an echo of “the music of the spheres” that we sing about in that hymn “This Is My Father’s World.” Mom had an enhanced sense of music. It was an art, and how she communicated. That’s why this verse reminds me of Mom:
Ephesians 5:19-20
"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Tena’s daughter, Kathie, said the following. “The last thing I got to whisper in my mom’s ear was, ‘I’ll see you in heaven, Mom.’” Every time I would visit, we imagined what it would be like in heaven, and we would talk about it. So I pick a few words from 1 Peter.
I Peter 1:3-6
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you… In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer in all kinds of trials."
Judy (daughter) told this story: When you grow up in the pastor’s family, you know who the Lord is. But even so, you get some things wrong. At 13, I was trying very hard to be a good Christian. Then I heard a sermon from Matthew 7 which tells us, “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter into heaven.” I worried about it for weeks. Then one time I offered to take Kathie’s turn to do the dishes. I had Mom to myself! I told her my problem. She said, “Oh, (as she shook the suds off her hands) Come in to the bedroom with me.” She got her own Bible and opened it. “Here’s what you need to know.”
Ephesians 2: 8-9
"For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast."
Then she stopped. “You are a good girl. You try to follow the Lord. But that isn’t what saves you. Jesus saved you already.” Then she continued reading.
Ephesians 2:10
"We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
“So,” she said. “Live your life for him. He has many good things planned for you.”
Anyway, that’s what Mom said.