The days before someone moves from earth to heaven are sacred ones, and Mary is in the middle of this remarkable time. Because she is, her family is there, too. God’s close presence is evident in her calm, quiet demeanor, and the rest of us are taking our cues from her. Coming close to the most spectacular life-event she will ever experience has not unnerved her at all. That’s because she’s completely ready.

Although Mary has become quiet and spends most of her time sleeping, she still has a will to greet her loved ones with a gentle smile when they enter the room, giving each a few loving words as they do. She’s in no pain and needs meds only to hold off nausea and get solid sleep at night. But even as her body loses its battle with disease, her face grows more beautiful by the day.

Mary’s grown children, nieces, and nephews have been a steady presence, making meals, doing laundry, and encouraging one another. But her 11 grandchildren have been kept at bay. That’s because most are very young, and little people bring noise, commotion, and a general hubbub.

But that hasn’t stopped these grands from sending a stream of words and drawings to encourage their grandma, the older ones describing in words what she means to them. As this person whom they adore so much becomes quieter, their messages of love become louder. And more descriptive:

• You are my hero.
• I love how you love candy and gum.
• I love all the things you do and the person you are.
• You have an amazing, godly heart that leads people to God.
• You have all the right in the world to freak out, but you are calm and faithful.
• In my mind you are super-grandma.
• You make me think anything is possible. You make me want to run a 10,000 mile run, and I hate running!
• Even though your troubles are big, you still are positive and love others and God.
• Your heart is filled with joy, and you spread that joy to me.
• You love when you are at your darkest days.
• I love how you love the game of baseball.
• You are very generous.
• I will always and forever love you, even if you’re not here.
• You’ve made me a strong Christian.
• You mean so, so, so, so, so, so, soooo much to me.
• You’ve been a light in the world, showing all the traits of a godly woman.
• God has used you in so many ways in his plan.
• You like to give gum to people from your car of wonders.
• I will never, ever stop loving you.

And one more, my personal favorite:

• Grandma, you are like a flashlight in a world full of darkness.

This grandmother has done a good job “shining for the Lord” in front of her grands, and they’ve all seen this light in her. A while back she told me that her greatest concern in leaving them is not being able to continue coaxing them toward Jesus.

One of her older grandchildren wrote out Isaiah 14:27 for her, which says nothing can stop God’s plan for a person’s life. And apparently his plan is that Mary’s life, including her godly glow as a grandma, will soon end. Yet her influence will shine for decades to come.

When Mary was asked if she had any prayer requests, her whispered answer was consistent with the rest of her life: “Pray that I’ll finish strong and give all the glory to God,” a couple of brightly shining requests.

“Prove yourself to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated…. in a generation among whom you are seen as a bright [flash] light in a world of darkness.” (Philippians 2:15, loosely translated from the Amplified version)