My mother-in-law Lena (Wagler) Yoder was born in 1918 — 103 years ago! She died in 1995, less than a week before her 77th birthday. Now she is where they count not time by years.
When we got word that she had died, I was part way through an “Applications for Youth” page for the youth Sunday School quarterly published by Christian Light Publications. Here is how I wrapped up that particular page:
Since I wrote that last line, a Major Thing has happened in our family. The Lord just released my mother-in-law, Lena Yoder, from her long battle with cancer. She’s done with this life. The struggle is over. She won! Praise the Lord for victory in Jesus! Bless God for hope and life beyond this life and its graves!
The death of a believer serves to remind us of some very interesting truths. I called my mother-in-law “Lena.” Until we know better, we shall need to use that name for her. But in Glory she has a new name! “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it” (Revelation 2:17). I wonder what name Lena goes by in Heaven!
In three days, Lena would have completed her 77th year on planet Earth. A long time; many years. By the time you read this, a whole year will have transpired (unless the Lord decrees otherwise). But time — seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries, millennia — no longer has any significance to my mother-in-law. As I meditate on eternity again, my mind staggers before the realization that Lena lives in unending day, unaware and uninfluenced by ticking clocks and orbiting celestial bodies. The only light source in her life now is the Living Light. “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 21:23; 22:5).
“Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary” (Psalm 96:6). Lena is at this moment reveling in this. Amazing! Praise the Lord!
If you want to read what I had been writing about when she died, read it here: Worshipping and Praising Our Lord
Oh, and I also posted something on my Anabaptists site: She Won!
Here she is with her baby daughter Ruby, either in late 1959 or early 1960:
And here is a page from Lena’s old autograph book:
Oh, and that sweet little baby girl on her Mama’s lap? I took her away (but not too far). 🥰 She eventually became a mother too and, unsurprisingly, had such cute, sweet babies.