Libby Baker Sweiger

Tribute To Mom

My Beautiful Mom 2010

“When you look into your mother’s eyes, you know that is the purest love you can find on this earth.”
― Mitch Albom, For One More Day

“I’m a little pencil in the hand of a writing God, who is sending a love letter to the world.”
― Mother Teresa

I think of both of those quotes when I think of my mom Barb Baker. First of all the way she looked at me, looked at all of her children and people she loved was so very deep and loving, it made you feel so very, intensely wonderfully loved and special there really is nothing quite like it. And the way she said my name! “Libby!!!!!” with a number of exclamation points, but not loudly, just excitedly, like I was the most important person in her world. I love my mom. I always will. Probably more in some ways than anyone else I ever will know, I guess. It’s an intense, single-minded kind of love. Love for a best friend. Love for someone you admire. Love for someone who loves you so much you turn inside out when you see them. That was my mom!

Secondly, she was a love letter in the hand of God for this broken, hurting world. Everywhere she went she showed His love to others. We heard one account after another of it at her service. And as her daughter I lived with her open practice of love, volunteering, open door policy to neighbors, people needing to use our home as a bible study, a meal, you name it. She was a loving, obedient, vessel of Mom love and God’s love!

Many people commented on her Memorial Service.  I had friends call after and leave me voice mails. They call these services Celebrations of Life now, but I don’t know if they always are. Mom’s was. Her four children got up and talked about her and certainly celebrated her love for them and others. The pastor had known her and been encouraged by her since he was 19 and the church was very young. Many people stood up and talked about the impact she had made in their lives during the open microphone time after the service while we indulged in her favorite food: cookies! My father, who had not been married to her all that long in the face of a lifetime, got up and spoke. It was clear he had loved her all his life. They had difficulty as a married couple, but were wonderful friends and never spoke a cross word the entire time they raised us together as divorced adults. For our sakes and their love they built a beautiful friendship that lasted 50 more years. And kept four children and 14 grandchildren happy and healthy.

I love my mom, my dad, the family they created. My cousins, our friends, the 100 and more people gathered to wish us all well and celebrate my mom’s Homecoming. Because the most remarkable thing about my mom, wasn’t a thing at all, but a living Relationship, growing every year with her biggest Love: God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ who she had gone Home to be with!

Therein lies the Celebration of her Life.

No more dementia. No more tired body. No more frustration over forgetting. Rejoicing in Heaven. Dancing. In Praise. All the time she needs to be with her Love, True Love. So when I miss her, we miss her we will grieve. We will remember her happiness and feel joy through our tears. We’ll miss you Mom, but we will meet again. Love you dear one, precious lady, precious Mom.

Painting for My Loving Mom’s Memorial Service 8/24/2013