A Tribute to My Mom

On this day of my mother's funeral when honor my mother Rose Brown stage for the line of fire with your host activist and author, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution Michael Brown is the director of the coalition of conscience and president of fire school of ministry get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown to friendship.

This is Michael Brown. As you're listening to this broadcast right now I am at my mother's funeral service in New Jersey are prerecorded. This show recorded yesterday before flying over to New Jersey for the funeral service and I just felt it was appropriate to take this time to honor my mother, my father is well, but to encourage you with some spiritual truths to encourage you with some thoughts about life about living about family about honor. So not only do I hope to honor my mom and my dad and say what I say today, but I hope also to encourage you to make every day count some friends there.

There's no such thing as a wasted life that life is given over to God and there is there is no such thing as a wasted life. If that life touches other people and really every life touches people and I want to encourage you to to make the most of the time that you have here on this earth.

My mom lived a good long life she she passed away Friday morning at the age of 94 just went into cardiac arrest and was gone. She was frail she was in long-term care at that point should be in an apartment for the elderly, about 10 minutes from us for the months before they put their health started to degenerate Jews in the emergency room a few times and then the hospital so when she came out she ended up in a place for long-term care basically stayed in bed but but still her mind was sharp.

She was on no medication. She wasn't suffering and she went home quickly. That was our desire. We didn't want her to suffer be in any kind of pain 94 years.

That's a long time but looking at the pictures with his family pictures. She she had one little suitcase with a lot of pictures and things and it's always going through those in getting stuff ready to give to to my sister there just two of us.

My sister and I and looking through them looking through it.

The pictures of my mom before I knew her when she was just newly married to my dad and in looking at pictures of me is little child with my sisters little children and then all the pictures she had of of our kids are growing up so now they're in their late 30s or daughters with pictures of them growing up in an even picture my wife and our wedding.

Of course seeyou so many times but this was reminded Nancy just turned 21 I was two days shy of 21 and we were. We are just like children were were only a few years older than that. Our oldest granddaughter, who turned 60 in January and you realize how quickly life passes yet takes a long time and some of you have a hard life.

It feels even longer, but it's gone in a moment of time. All the more reason than is is Ecclesiastes urges us to remember our Creator in the days of her youth all the more urgent is it that that we live lives that that makes sense in the light of eternity. So, before I share some things about my mama upbringing. I trust you will be blessed as you hear these things can I encourage you to show love to a family member today.

Can I encourage you that I will be morbid, but if this was your last day with the you want them to know how much you love them you want to know how meaningful, especially work. They should know that on some level all the time. They should feel that all the time so even if somehow you didn't see each other for some days you would know are some weeks or so months that there is separation. For some reason they would know the depth of your love and can I encourage you if you're not right with a relative with a family member with a love one reach out to them and if an and if there's something wrong on your end than humble yourself and ask forgiveness and get things right live in such a way that makes sense in the light of eternity live in a way that makes sense of family that we have blitzed love each of the letter. Love you file light a fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get another minor fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again, Dr. Michael Brown. Thanks much for joining us today quantify, this is Michael Brown today show is prerecorded because right now I am at my mother's funeral in New Jersey so thanks for your prayers.

Thanks for your prayers for four my sister and her husband and their son for the rest of my family during this time really do appreciate it so there is a rabbi doing the service, at the request of my my sister and her son. So of course I was perfectly fine with and that of the rabbi wanted to chat with us briefly because he wants to say a few words about about my mom and then perform the the of the ceremony there at the gravesite and it turns out he's a regular listener to the line of fire broadcast. Isn't that something. If he misses the show on W MCA.

He then gets the podcasts and listen later. So rabbi obviously you're not listening today but perhaps you will listen to the show afterwards and I thank you for being there at the funeral and and for your care are for the dying and for the families of the deceased is as a hospice rabbi. My mom was born in England in Leeds, England in 1922 September 25, 1922 and her mom died when she was just a child and her father abandoned the family. God only knows the circumstances and what was going on in his mind, but but he abandoned that the family when my mom was was just a child, having lost her mother so she was sent over to the states to be raised by another couple some older relatives. What's interesting though is growing up like that you you think of all of the terrible dysfunction you think of the upheaval in the abandonment. She was a very stable woman. I never heard her complain about her father just just that that's what happened and you think of all the emotional scarring and everything else and she she grew up. This is a very is a very strong woman and is loving and caring and affirming and giving a mother as as you can imagine. And when I think back you know if it to all the things that she would we give as as a mother, and in all the things that mothers do.

That's just what strikes me over and over that she gave herself to her kids that she gave herself to the loving that she was absolutely unselfish even when when she was 94 and you and she was sick in and was in the hospital. I was afraid because she did know what was the matter and Nancy was there with her and are our daughter make and that was right near us. They were there together and then as soon as I can get over there I was there and she just didn't want to be left alone so I spent the night to sleep in the chair next to the next to the hospital bed and she was apologetic to some, sorry she want to be a burden. She never wanted to be a burden.

She never should never complain she she wouldn't want you to know that she was going through a hard time because she just she just wanted us to be happy and not to be concerned and the level of affirmation that I got for my mom is extraordinary know there is a joke about Jesus being Jewish. How do we know that Jesus was Jewish again. It's an internal Jewish joke and it has it has meaning, and it does convey something in the four ways we know that Jesus was Jewish when he went to his father's business to. He was unmarried, 33, he thought his mother was a virgin for his mother thought that he was God is able. That's that's funny the other proud Jewish mothers solicit when I was a heavy drug use or my parents were very concerned didn't know what to do about me and I can imagine what it what I put them through. I tried to convince them I'd change certain drugs I was doing and they didn't seem to be that concerned. I told him I wasn't shooting heroin anymore live in all of this in and you know they wanted to hope for the best and think the best but when I got radically born again. They were thrilled to see me off drugs, but now my dad said okay you need to talk to the local rabbi, and so on. So that's what got me on my whole journey of interacting with rabbis of the Jewish community and learning Hebrew and and so on will I come home from school one day I come home from high school and at this point I'm about about 18 years old and I've been in the word day and night. I used to spend at least six hours along with the Lord every day I'd I pray at least two hours a season at least three hours. I read the word at least two hours would memorize Scripture for an hour so that that would be 20 versus a day. God help me to memorize every day without fail and that I chair the gospel at least one new person every single day. This was my habit for years, excuse me for four months for fruit for six months, day and night when I was in high school. This was my habit so I could I come home from high school one day and there's a woman leaving the house as I'm pulling up into the driveway. She's a Jehovah's Witness lives down the block from a also a Jewish woman as well. So we began talking and immediately when I find she's a Jehovah's Witness and I want to talk to her. She wants to talk to me. Should we start going back and forth and I could see when she would raise one of her points. I would answer with the Scripture because in those days I was like machine-gun the scriptwriting of all the compassion and wisdom. Having memorize all those thousands of versus poem I was I was there and and I could see as I made the point that she was listening because I noticed others that I spoke to Jehovah's Witnesses that I made the point that they weren't even listening. They didn't hear it. It didn't register.

They just want to the next argument I could see she got a little jarred I could see she was listening so we we kept talking and over. Of time she renounced the teachings of Kingdom Hall in and left Jehovah's Witnesses and I asked her once we got to know each other well.

I asked her. So what happened with my mom when you were talking to my mom what she Sadie and she said all your mother sets.

Remember, this is bite by Jewish mom.

My mother she said your mother said to me I'm not very religious. I'm not really interested in religion, but wait for my son to come home and talk to him. He'll convert you. He converts every body that that was my proud Jewish mom when I used to debate rabbis and sometimes they be debate on the radio or something like that of course is still debate them at back in those days, or might've been something on the radio.

She and her Jewish friends and she played mah-jongg with this tile game were canasta and other games they play in the afternoons they would sit around and listen and route for Rose's son even though I was the one with the different beliefs, they would root for Rose's son and that's something I saw about my mom and my dad that there their love for me was greater than any of the things that the cost is have differences and that was my mom always affirming and I want to encourage your moms and dads. Of course you want to correct your kids.

Of course you will speak the truth. Your kids of course there's a place for healthy discipline, obviously, but your kids need to be affirmed. Your kids need to know that they are loved. Your kids need to know and that was with my mom and my dad the deep affirmation they had bite my dad used to tell his friends were he worked at the New York Supreme Court is the senior law assistant. There's a working directly for the judges effectiveness became a Supreme Court Justice in New York before he before he passed away at the age of 63 in 1977 but he used to jokingly refer to me as is my son, the priest my parents would come in here.

He preaches they were proud of their son, and what when I would play a concert when I was a boy I played percussion and in band and orchestra in junior high and high's in high school and see you have a concert so they were there. I had a concert. They were always there. Most of the parents would try to come. They were always there and you know I'm I'm standing in the back of the orchestra because in the percussions normally in the back there. Back in on the side some and some looking out. I could see you know everybody in front of me in the orchestra and all the of course everybody in the audience. We can all see and and the parents were command and they'd sit down and look through. I'm just sitting there watching all the parents were commanded. Sit down and my my mom and dad would come in and my dad always waved me. I have an idea I had a way back really think dad, none of the other parents played with that's that's just the way they were. There was something about them in in in the way of affirmation. There was something about them in in the way of of you know I had one sister but I was always the number one said that so we joked about it so II just want to encourage. As is the day of our mom's funeral. If you just tuning and so I recorded the show yesterday on Monday for today, Tuesday, I want to encourage you to be affirming his parents one encourage you to be affirming as grandparents. I want to encourage you to let your kids know that they count that their lives are special it. I am sure that that help put a deep confidence in the way during my relationship with God. I'm sure that is related to love affirmation that is honor my parents specifically mom in the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown. Your voice is more cultural and spiritual revolution there again is Dr. Michael Brown.

Thanks much for the broadcast. Today this is Michael Brown is you listening to this show. I met my mother's funeral in New Jersey and I recorded the show yesterday Monday to specially honor my mom and my dad as well at this day of funeral service. Goblin will be back with you live on the air tomorrow. The day before Thanksgiving and thanks for your prayers. Thanks for the many many many expressions of love that we've received no my dad died suddenly in 1977 at the age of 63 wife, Nancy and I had just seen him and my mom earlier in the evening and we seem to be in perfectly good health. At that time our younger daughter Jennifer was just born a few months earlier and it was a thrill of his life to finally be a grandfather. So to get the call in the middle of the night that he was gone. Is is so utterly shocking and so utterly jarring in an you know that the pain of that was so so so intense and unreal. It's different.

It's different when you are with a parent now for decades.

Here I'm I'm 61 now my dad died at 63. My mom just passing it 94 and and towards the end even you think okay. The biggest thing is we just don't want her to suffer. You don't want to be in pain, especially if you have ever confidence of your love one being with the Lord then you're just you. You want to be there for them you want to bring a smile to their face. You want to bring joy to their heart and and when it's time for them to go course.

It's painful but it's something that that so very different. There something about living out life to the full and at one encourage again as I've been saying. Kind of like a broken record. Live your life the way that that makes sense in light of eternity. Point your family point, your kids, point your love ones reach out to others spend quality time with God and and you look back. Sure this in the stalls and the pain looking back at the past and all the memories and that the world you can go back to and how quickly time passes, but then you also think there's a legacy there's a legacy and and my mom's great legacy was her kids and her grandkids and and that's that's what really mattered, and now her great grandkids as well. I will tell you story about my mom. She she was not a great cook. That man growing up seem fine to me but she was a great cook and and we have a lot of conception about nutritious eating and like the 50s and 60s. So when I was a boy breakfast, my own so I had for Oreo cookies for breakfast in the morning and then I come home for lunch. It was about 1/2 mile from the school, but we all will walk home. This more innocent environment.

In those days we just all all walk home from elementary school, Salina 678 years old in the kids we would walk home from school and then have lunch and my lunch for six straight years. Every day we subpoena 37 is not peanut butter and jelly. Butter sandwich with the crust removed because I didn't like the crust and grape juice, and then I come home from school few hours later normally have pretzels and grape juice is my stack, and then for dinner we have one of a few different a few different menu items.

My mother and I were really picky.

My father and sister ate just about everything, so there'd be spaghetti and meatballs.

One day there might be a burger another day a burger and fries there'd be may be tuna noodles. One day maybe some kind of chicken saying another day and very know through the week and the this spaghetti and meatball and sometimes I pretty never had fruit sometimes and have likable cucumber a little green pepper before dinner, but that I'd add heavily salt that I like the way tasted salt yes entire unhealthy eating my whole life and when my mom would make the spaghetti and meatballs.

She is she's these tomato soup for the sauce all over my Italian friends are growing the CC's Italian soup for the sauce and when I started preaching and 18, 19 years old started traveling out a little bit in the tri-state area from New York. I stated edit Italian families home and have it pastor had a little church there may be thirtysomething people, almost all Italian so I stayed at his home and Sunday after the service. Of course, grab a meal and if you get Italian family uncle restaurant eat at home that's that's a treat special guests, so they could be spaghetti and meatballs that this must've been amazingly good but I almost choked on it because I was used to the version with the spaghetti tomato soup for the softness of course I learned to love the real thing but during the years of the browser revival.

The local newspaper gave glowing reports on the revival for couple years I I think over 40 articles I have in the revival and almost all of them overwhelmingly positive course. It had a great impact on the city in the region. In many ways. So at some point they turned on us and they wrote this really horrific series of articles attacking to the main leaders, and then I knew they were coming after me and the other main leader. After that, and date they would call it that Satan, the evangelistic call his mother to try to find a contradiction in her story, compared to here is that he was an arrest is much as he said he was before he was saved or whatever and Nancy kept telling me call your mom call your mom. The guy's gonna call your mother's sake, most the time you need to call her so I kept forgetting. I finally called her things on Mother's Day and I set him on a you may get a call from this guy from the sub Pensacola news Journal gave the name and she said all he called. We had a very nice talk I said you did. She said yeah we had a very nice talk I said will what you talk to tell. I told him you're always very bright boy and and yes and probably your teenager, but then you work your way through grad school and was so proud of you and I said did he say anything else about drug use. She said oh yeah, he said, were you shooting Herrick as he was try to prove that I I my story was true that I exaggerated my story about me know. My drug years before I was saved and she said all know he was shooting heroin and we were very, very concerned. She said, but then is my Jewish boss said that he converted to Christ and he was changed overnight. So when the newspaper report came he had. He did not quote a single word from my mother because he couldn't get anything out of her. That was anything but a proud affirming loving mother.

That's that's that's love. That's that's what moms can do in a way that is so extraordinary is mom said that unique ability to give themselves for the well-being of their kids so I honor my mom this day as we bury her. I honor my mom this day on this prerecorded broadcast and disables his or it was sent flowers to do anything. How how about being moms and dads to your kids, how about honoring your father and your mother. Maybe having reached out to the maybe they're lonely is is that God's best for them is that your best for them don't live in such a way that at a funeral. You have massive regret living situated in a funeral. You may deeply miss your level but say they knew. I love them and I was there for them only one life facility pass done for Christ blessed, let's make our lives count friends for the Expo line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown. By this is a special day attribute to my mom to my dad as well recorded to show on Monday because right now is your listening on Tuesday, November 22. I'm at the gravesite funeral for my mom in New Jersey. Thanks for your prayers. It's it's a sober time.

It's a special time when you lose a love one and they lived a long life and there confined to bed at the end and you you know that their time is limited.

You don't want them to suffer. You just want to be there. Bring a smile to their face and be assured that that'll be welcomed into God's hands in the world to come.

So it's a different kind of loss than someone dying suddenly in a in a car wreck or young person being cut down but still loss you know and and and all the memories and thinking through life and makes you think about life today.

It makes you think about life going forward. I.e. you know it also happens at a funeral you realize what really matters stone should.

That's why Ecclesiastes is better to be in the house of mourning than the house of feasting another.

There's a bit of a pessimism in that note, in the midst of Ecclesiastes is Ecclesiastes is kind of like the author of the book is taking on a journey from here to here to hear it at stopping and thinking and and in giving perspective along the way so you kind of go with him on the journey to get to the end of the book and its affirmation of the importance of serving God and keeping his commandments, but EEE know your funeral and maybe see someone that you been estranged from and you say listen, let's let's let's get together this week. Let let's sit down together. There's no reason for us to be strange you realize what really matters.

It may be some disagreement with a relative in your upset about this. You're upset about that you think okay there's a reason for that.

There is no reason for that. So I'm the one at at the funeral today. On the one think about these things, but all I want to take that perspective and share it with you and and and and say live with that kind of seriousness, or I don't mean that you don't have fun over Thanksgiving and you silly stuff with your family. If that's what you do not know what I what I mean is don't let the little things stand in the way of really matters.

Don't don't let some old difference that you had with a friend separate you from some of your wants close with don't don't let some dispute with a love one, get in the way of what really matters and and I want to repeat this once again don't live in such a way today that at a funeral service. You'll be there, filled with regret.

I never told by love them.

They did know I was there for them. II. We had misunderstandings of the gondola and neglected them that you don't want to live with that guilt and then you can you can never ever get under the weight out from under the weight of it because the person is gone can be so tormenting. Of course God can comforted, forgiven, and she fallen short in a relationship you can now redeem that for other relationships. But you know when my dad died suddenly in October 1977.

He knew how much I love them and I knew how much you love me. I mean, that was deep, deep, deep between us but I keep having dreams after he died that he was alive and that I was just getting to tell him one last time how much I love them and you and I last saw my mom alive Wednesday morning. She should pass from this world Friday morning and we had to sign some documents just I was officially getting power of attorney for a couple things and signing living will just have to take care of these things and not knowing she was about to go but she had assigned all the things it was hard she fractured her wrist a while ago and was 100% with 11 registered for frail, frail hand and wrist disc is and I'm so glad I'm so glad I got that left this world number by the Expo line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown your voice and more cultural and spiritual revolution.

Here again is Dr. Michael Brown friends to the line of fire broadcast of not take for this show yesterday Monday because today right this very hour is the day for my mom's funeral, my dear precious mom the day for her funeral and on their probably right at this very moment, is your listening at the gravesite or were just about ready to leave from there with her younger daughter, Megan, and then my sister Melissa and her son Adam and some other friends and relatives that were there just for this intimate gravesite service. But thanks for your prayers. Thanks for that. The many kind words that you've you sent in and interestingly enough, the rabbi performing the ceremony today is a regular listener to the line of fire in her New York station New York New Jersey station W MCA so we had a very very warm talk if you didn't read the tribute that I wrote to my mom. I think you be blessed by it all just go to Esther to Brown.org and you will see it there are limit. Let me share a story is monitoring my mother and my father is well. Let me share a story about my dad that that help shape my life in in God and again the way that we treat our kids as parents will also affect how they relate to God, we can make it easier we can make it harder and you many times when when it like a child does not have an image of a loving father or affirming mother when a child grows up in a harsh negative. You're always falling short. There's always something wrong with you when they grow up in an environment like that many times it's it's hard for them to relate to the love of the father. The they almost transfer their wrong views about an earthly father to their heavenly father. Of course it can all be fixed but many times it's it's easier when you have a loving, affirming parent or parents to now know how loving and affirming our God is while also being a God of goodness and discipline injustice so it is the age of 14 I started smoking pot and then quickly got to have your drugs and when my parents found out what I was doing when they found out I was shooting heroin.

They were terribly concerned, understandably, and I was a real rebel. I mean I was was bad bad bad in those days and I remember spending time with my mom a few years back when she still lived on Long Island and she was still living by yourself and then we were just laying down in her bed talking and and she just said you know we didn't know what to do. We just didn't know what to do and think of Goss. The pain that I put them through my dad would pray a prayer in it by my door's every night and just a lot of pain that that I put them through in those days, and to my shame the ugliest thing that I did was was I would a few times steal money for my own father I found out he had this money Poseidon. I still think he won't notice it and I wasn't even for me it was. I help a friend out. You know whatever some drug issue with a friend and it's it's so shameful for me to say these things but I have to say it because I got to honor my dad and I can only offer them by telling you the story so I ended up doing is stealing the money. One other time and and he he knew I did it but II blame my friends. I supplied I didn't do it. It was some other some other guys that did it. You know and and I made it look like someone broke into the house through the back door and I cut a screen and and said they did it and any weight to punishment.

This is right before I got saved to punish me peaceably and then your friends can come over to the house and I knew he knew I did it but he was rightfully punishing me for okay if you live and here's the punishment coming your way, and not long after that by God's grace and mercy.

I got to get born again wonderfully born again and some days went by my dad now knew I was completely off drugs and he saw that I was a changed person's were sitting down one night together at the kitchen table in our house and he said Michael did you steal that money cosh's Lycan arrow and admit how how can I tell my dad that I did it. How can how can I tell them I was guilty so I I light and I said no, dad, I I didn't do this. Okay I was just asking, but I couldn't sit there.

I was under such intense conviction. I couldn't sit there so I went upstairs. I said that I get Google go to bed and go to my bedroom. I went upstairs and I was smitten with conviction. I got on my knees all it was like this divine arrow piercing deep in my heart. I said oh God, I'm so sorry that I'll tell him I'll tell my that I'm so sorry. And then the conviction left I thought oh maybe just confessing to goblets enough. Maybe I didn't need to tell my dad know that Arab conviction came back. I said okay, okay, go tell him so I went back downstairs. My dad was still sitting at the kitchen table and I said dad I I stole the money at the tire stole the money that here's what my dad say this by Jewish death. Here's here's what my dad said are you ready he said this, he said the moment I saw the money missing. I knew that you took it and I for gave you on the spot. He said what hurt me was that you had a need and you didn't come and talk to me about 1/2 cosh can can you imagine that's my earthly father telling me that.

Can you imagine what that does when you're raised like that.

With that much love from your parents and that much forgiveness from your parents and that much pride and joy that your parents having you to know that the confidence that instills in you before God and the meaning of that how extraordinary it is in my dad's again. It was really fair for me to ask because I know you have to tell the truth that I mean that's that's what I grew up with and as ill as as I've mentioned it when when I would debate a rabbi and might my mom and her her friends all Jewish would listen. Mom rose they would root for Rose's son even though they're all Jewish and I was debating a rabbi, there would root for Rose's son.

That was the level of a pride and affirmation. So here here's my mom and she's now elderly. She we had a live with us for about a year and then she just needed a bit more help than we were able to give her it was hard with my travel schedule so we got her into this apartment building for the elderly near near our house about 10 minutes away should go see her all the time and play cards with her things like that. She was always sharp with which she fractured her wrist and and had to have therapy, physical therapy, the therapist would come in and out, she would insist they played cards to achieve always should always beat him. She could do New York Times crossword puzzles your mind was still sharp. Her short-term memory wasn't so good but long-term she was, she was still sharp and I I'd come into the room and one of the health caregivers would be there or therapist they be walking out. They said all are you Dr. Brown. They never heard of it before they know who I will discuss because my mom we speak in such glowing terms all your Dr. Brown. All we've got of guy can't wait to listen to your radio show. Still a proud mom so look, it's not a matter of overlooking our kids faults. It's not a matter of of being dishonest with them about who they are. It's a matter of doing with only a mom and dad can do and giving them that deep affirmation of love that on their worst day there still loved by you that on their worst day there still special to that on their worst day you'd still give yourself for their well being. That's what moms and dads do at end there is a way to correct that's correct you love there's a way to correct it's filled with affirmation. But that affirmation that can only come from a mom and dad. It doesn't matter who else should get it from. Is your child the mom and dad played a key role and and I am eternally indebted to my mom and dad for the love for the affirmation for the kindness for the gentleness for four and dad sense making their worlds revolve around our well-being and II remember my dad saying hey weakness in our praying. We did have money for groceries and stuff and and we need newly married and I was in college still in and year my dad put some money aside so we have some money. When we first got married and I remember talking to him one day and saying you know that we have the standard be letting you know Jesus for age of your faith. You pray that on the one through this life with the light gets more to share right back to light a fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the line of fire now going to 866-34-TRUTH your again is Dr. Michael Brown why it's easy for me to believe God that anything is possible that he could do anything through me that that he desires to do and that in a sense, nothing would surprise me while I'm sure he could surprise, but you know I'm saying because I trust a man trusting God. I believe one reason for that is, is the affirmation I received from my mom and my dad as I take time to honor my mom today on this day of her funeral. I prerecorded this show yesterday.

Monday the 21st and gobbling tomorrow day before Thanksgiving will be back with you. Life here on the line of fire. But in keeping with the biblical injunction to honor your father and mother. I I am joyfully doing this today and I felt it would be appropriate to have this tribute broadcast to her and and since my dad died in 77 decades before I was on the radio or renew so many of you want to take this time and a denim shirt honor my dad as well. But here's a perfect illustration of perfect illustration of of the way my mom was the way she was towards me.

It is as my wife Nancy always said you know I could do no wrong in her eyes and we would laugh about it. She was as Nancy said the ideal mother-in-law and just a few months back when she was in the hospital and Nancy was spending time with her and said you were the perfect mother-in-law. She said yeah I was, not intrusive and and she never was. She never was. She had different opinions on things she never intruded on on our relationship.

So here she is now old, not a nursing home. At that point, but in that home or apartment building fruit for the elderly and I I was going to visit her one day and not see. A few times a week we play cards or just make sure location she's got the stuff you see like gummy bears and she liked crystallized ginger coated with sugar and she liked reasons chocolates also some Linz truffles, and then she like chocolate chip cookies so yeah that's right got my sweet tooth from thankfully I my sweet tooth is now expressed desire for fruits and things like that but she was always real thin and she didn't eat a lot of epithets you like that so I have to go and buy that stuff for and bring it over. So one day I'm going over to the place were she loses this home for the elderly and I have to change plans because I was asked to to be on Piers Morgan TV show that night as part of a panel, Duck Dynasty and and and gay issues and things like that so I call her I said hey mom this and I can come over there come over tomorrow instead I said general Piers Morgan is on CNN. She is all you going to be on his TV show picture distancing fermented right your average person. If you say all Gino so-and-so on TV. General Bill O'Reilly onto beer Anderson Cooper on TV there. Their initial responses I can be all you got to be on their TV show that was my mom because she just thought the world of medium length when folks would come in to take care of Ruth. There a nurse and come in once a day or they bring her meals or they just ate help with this or that you do whatever she needed. These folks would would be so honored to meet me because my mother had told Deb Huff it in their eyes that was just the way it was. I am almost sure I could tell her all yeah mom. Listen, I can come over today, Pres. Obama wants to meet with me I'll really what's that about it would be like the president there yeah Pres. Trump press electrons wants to see me good just that's just that's just what she thought so utterly precious and the. The caregivers used to get a kick out of her because she's real real little, and frail. Just 81 pounds. Towards the end of her life and she's to be taller, but just in a stroke is happens and then got really, really, skin and bones fan and she she had fallen and and fractured her wrist just tripped over something and there is that she was able to pull on this this string that would get somebody come up to the room and came up to the room and and there lay it on the floor. The gal in the homeland on the floor with her, waiting for the ambulance to arrive take over the hospital and she's of CMOS pictures a hair look okay fairly good and I've taken her to the hospital few months back she wasn't feeling well so it took her over there went to the emergency room and she's just in her role.

Her nightgown and her robe Ed Ed since is that it her slippers but are she flips the other matter in the Carver goal.

It's nighttime. She flips down the mirror Ed since most make sure her hair looks that they got a kick out of it after she fractured her wrist and have full mobility just moving around were able to sit together that use an iPad, she did know Internet was or anything like that connecting or how to get stuff and but she, her mind was sharp so we taught her how to use the iPad and they come in the health caregivers would come in and it always is she so cute or that I felt, she was the only 94-year-old in the home that was there playing solitaire and playing crossword puzzles and playing hangman of these other games and she just Plam by the hour, but you know what I think back think back to memories EEE try to jar yourself. In fact, what about here what about there with about this for but that will by mom and dad were is happily married is any couple that I knew wonderfully happily married little over 30 years before my dad left this world in 1977 and you know my mom would say every every night she would she say goodbye to my dad in a right till her, you know what I torture in the months back here every night.

She still say goodbye to him and would we talk to God, but never never heard his voice back. Nice to know I have a deep confidence that she's with the Lord now, that is, Jesus said he who receives you receives me and my mom did pray years ago a pastor prayer prayer she did with me.

By that, but I feel it was more through her son, if you know what I mean that that she so knew what I believe is true and real and that she received me as a believer and I believe that sometimes how, especially with a Jewish family that that someone will come to faith by receiving the child who is a believer and thereby receiving the Lord and that's how their hearts become open by the no more suffering no more old age. No more loss of short-term memory and death in one year and so frail. You can even get out of bed hard to imagine hard to imagine the glories of the world to come, but be sure, sure, living, situated fear of love ones who know the Lord that you can it be with them forever. And then you look back at you look back at the years that you live for God and you say that was a life well spent so I honor my mom today, September 25, 1922 November 18, 2016. The HUD a loved one day. That's my bottom.

On this day of my mother's funeral when honor my mother Rose Brown stage for the line of fire with your host activist and author, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution Michael Brown is the director of the coalition of conscience and president of fire school of ministry get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown to friendship. This is Michael Brown. As you're listening to this broadcast right now I am at my mother's funeral service in New Jersey are prerecorded. This show recorded yesterday before flying over to New Jersey for the funeral service and I just felt it was appropriate to take this time to to honor my mother, father is well, but to encourage you with some spiritual truths to encourage you with some thoughts about life about living about family about honor. So not only do I hope to honor my mom and my dad and say what I say today, but I hope also to encourage you to make every day count some friends there.

There's no such thing as a wasted life that life is given over to God and there is there is no such thing as a wasted life. If that life touches other people and really every life touches people and I want to encourage you to to make the most of the time that you have here on this earth. My mom lived a good long life she she passed away Friday morning at the age of 94 just went into cardiac arrest and was gone. She was frail she was in long-term care at that point should be in an apartment for the elderly, about 10 minutes from us for the months before they put their health started to degenerate. She was in the emergency room a few times and then the hospital so when she came out she ended up in a place for long-term care basically stayed in bed but but still her mind was sharp.

She was on no medication. She wasn't suffering and she went home quickly. That was our desire. We didn't want her to suffer or be in any kind of pain 94 years. That's a long time but looking at the pictures with his family pictures. She she had one little suitcase with a lot of pictures and things and it's always going through those in getting stuff ready to give to to my sister there just two of us. My sister and I and looking through them looking through it. The pictures of my mom before I knew her when she was just newly married to my dad and in looking at pictures of me is little child with my sisters little children and then all the pictures she had of of our kids are growing up so now they're in their late 30s or daughters with pictures of them growing up in an even picture my wife and our wedding. Of course seeyou so many times but this was reminded Nancy just turned 21 I was two days shy of 21 and we were just like children were were only a few years older than that. Our oldest granddaughter, who turned 60 in January and you realize how quickly life passes yet takes a long time and so if you have a hard life. It feels even longer, but it's gone in a moment of time. All the more reason then is is Ecclesiastes urges us to remember our Creator in the days of her youth all the more urgent is it that that we live lives that that makes sense in the light of eternity. So, before I share some things about my mama upbringing. I trust you will be blessed as you hear these things can I encourage you to show love to a family member today. Can I encourage you that I will be morbid, but if this was your last day with them, you'd want them to know how much you love them you want to know how meaningful, especially work.

They should know that on some level all the time. They should feel that all the time so even if somehow you didn't see each other for some days you would know are some weeks are some months that there is separation. For some reason they would know the depth of your love and can I encourage you if you're not right with a relative with a family member with a love one reach out to them and if an and if there's something wrong on your end than humble yourself and ask forgiveness and get things right live in such a way that makes sense in the light of eternity live in a way that makes sense family that we have blitzed love each of the letter.

Love you. I'll light a fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get another minor fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again, Dr. Michael Brown. Thanks so much for joining us today quantify, this is Michael Brown today show is prerecorded because right now I am at my mother's funeral in New Jersey so thanks for your prayers.

Thanks for your prayers for four my sister and her husband and their son for the rest of my family during this time really do appreciate it so there is a rabbi doing the service, at the request of my my sister and her son is, of course, I was perfectly fine with and that of the rabbi wanted to chat with us briefly because he wants to say a few words about about my mom and then perform the the of the ceremony there at the gravesite and it turns out he's a regular listener to the line of fire broadcast. Isn't that something. If he misses the show on W MCA.

He then gets the podcasts and listen later. So rabbi obviously you're not listening today but perhaps you will listen to the show afterwards and I thank you for being there at the funeral and and for your care, or for the dying and for the families of the deceased is as a hospice rabbi.

My mom was born in England and leads England in 1922 September 25, 1922 and her mom died when she was just a child and her father abandoned the family got only knows the circumstances and what was going on in his mind, but but he abandoned that the family when my mom was was just a child, having lost her mother so she was sent over to the states to be raised by another couple some older relatives. What's interesting though is growing up like that you you think of all of the terrible dysfunction you think of the upheaval in the abandonment.

She was a very stable woman. I never heard her complain about her father. Just just that that's what happened and you think of all the emotional scarring and everything else and she she grew up.

This is a very is a very strong woman and is loving and caring and affirming and giving a mother as as you can imagine. And when I think back you know if it to all the things that she would we give as as a mother, and in all the things that mothers do. That's just what strikes me over and over that she gave herself to her kids that she gave herself to to loving that she was absolutely unselfish even when when she was 94 and you and she was sick in and was in the hospital. I was afraid because she did know what was the matter and Nancy was there with her and are our daughter make and that was right near us. They were there together and then as soon as I can get over there I was there and she just didn't want to be left alone so I spent the night to sleep in the chair next to the next to the hospital bed and she was apologetic to some.

Sorry if you want to be a burden. She never wanted to be a burden. She never should never complain she she wouldn't want you to know that she was going through a hard time because she just she just wanted us to be happy and not to be concerned and the level of affirmation that I got for my mom is extraordinary know there is a joke about Jesus being Jewish. How do we know that Jesus was Jewish again. It's an internal Jewish joke and it has it has meaning, and it does convey something in the four ways we know that Jesus was Jewish when he went to his father's business to. He was unmarried, 33, he thought his mother was a virgin for his mother thought that he was God is able. That's that's funny the other proud Jewish mothers solicit when I was a heavy drug use or my parents were very concerned didn't know what to do about me and I can imagine what it what I put them through.

I tried to convince them I'd change certain drugs I was doing and they didn't seem to be that concerned. I told him I wasn't shooting heroin anymore live in all of this in and you know they wanted to hope for the best and think the best but when I got radically born again.

They were thrilled to see me off drugs, but now my dad said okay you need to talk to the local rabbi, and so on. So that's what got me on my whole journey of interacting with rabbis of the Jewish community and learning Hebrew and and so on will I come home from school one day I come home from high school and at this point I'm about about 18 years old and I've been in the word day and night. I used to spend at least six hours along with the Lord every day I'd I pray at least two hours a season at least three hours.

I read the word at least two hours would memorize Scripture for an hour so that that would be 20 versus a day. God help me to memorize every day without fail that I chair the gospel at least one new person every single day. This was my habit for years, excuse me for four months for fruit for six months, day and night when I was in high school. This was my habit so I could I come home from high school one day and there's a woman leaving the house as I'm pulling up into the driveway.

She's a Jehovah's Witness lives down the block from a also a Jewish woman as well.

So we began talking and immediately when I find she's a Jehovah's Witness and I want to talk to her. She wants to talk to me.

Should we start going back and forth and I could see when she would raise one of her points. I would answer with the Scripture because in those days I was like machine-gun the scriptwriting of all the compassion and wisdom. Having memorize those thousands of versus poem I was I was there and and I could see as I made the point that she was listening because I noticed others that I spoke to Jehovah's Witnesses that I made the point that they weren't even listening. They didn't hear it. It didn't register. They just want to the next argument I could see she got a little jarred I could see she was listening so we we kept talking and over period of time she renounced the teachings of Kingdom Hall in and left Jehovah's Witnesses and I asked her once we got to know each other well. I asked her.

So what happened with my mom when you were talking to my mom what she Sadie and she said all your mother sets. Remember, this is bite by Jewish mom. My mother she said your mother said to me I'm not very religious. I'm not really interested in religion, but wait for my son to come home and talk to him hello convert you. He converts every body that that was my proud Jewish mom when I used to debate rabbis and sometimes they be debate on the radio or something like that of course is still debate them at back in those days, or might've been something on the radio. She and her Jewish friends and she played mah-jongg with this tile game were canasta and other games they play in the afternoons they would sit around and listen and route for Rose's son even though I was the one with the different beliefs, they would root for Rose's son and that's something I saw about my mom and my dad that there their love for me was greater than any of the things that the cost is have differences and that was my mom always affirming and I want to encourage your moms and dads. Of course you want to correct your kids. Of course you will speak the truth. Your kids of course there's a place for healthy discipline, obviously, but your kids need to be affirmed. Your kids need to know that they are loved.

Your kids need to know and that was with my mom and my dad the deep affirmation they had bite my dad used to tell his friends were he worked at the New York Supreme Court is the senior law assistant. There's a working directly for the judges effectiveness became a Supreme Court Justice in New York before he before he passed away at the age of 63 in 1977 but he used to jokingly refer to me as is my son, the priest my parents would come in here. He preaches they were proud of their son, and what when I would play a concert when I was a boy I played percussion and in band and orchestra in junior high and high's in high school and see you have a concert so they were there. I had a concert. They were always there.

Most of the parents who try to come. They were always there and you know I'm I'm standing in the back of the orchestra because in the percussions normally in the back there. Back in on the side some and some looking out. I could see you know everybody in front of me and the orchestra rolled up. It of course everybody in the audience. We can all see and and the parents were command, and they sit down and look through. I'm just sitting there watching all the parents were commanded.

Sit down and like my mom and dad would come in and my devil always waved me at either. I have a way back really think dad, none of the other parents way, but that's that's just the way they were. There was something about them in in in the way of affirmation. There was something about them in in the way of of you know I had one sister but I was always the number one said that so we joked about it so II just want to encourage. As is the day of our mom's funeral.

If you just tuning and so I recorded the show yesterday on Monday for today, Tuesday, I want to encourage you to be affirming his parents want encourage you to be affirming as grandparents. I want to encourage you to let your kids know that they count that their lives are special it. I am sure that that help put a deep confidence in me during my relationship with God. I'm sure that is plated love affirmation that is honor my parents specifically mom the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown. Your voice is more cultural and spiritual revolution there again is Dr. Michael Brown. Thanks much for the broadcast.

Today this is Michael Brown is you listening to this show. I met my mother's funeral in New Jersey and I recorded the show yesterday Monday to specially honor my mom and my dad as well at the site day of funeral service. Goblin will be back with you live on the air tomorrow. The day before Thanksgiving and thanks for your prayers. Thanks for the many many many expressions of love that we've received no my dad died suddenly in 1977 at the age of 63 wife, Nancy and I had just seen him and my mom earlier in the evening and we seem to be in perfectly good health.

At that time our younger daughter Jennifer was just born a few months earlier and it was a thrill of his life to finally be a grandfather. So to get the call in the middle of the night that he was gone. Is is so utterly shocking and so utterly jarring in an you know that the pain of that was so so so intense and unreal.

It's different. It's different when you are with a parent now for decades.

Here I'm I'm 61 now my dad died at 63.

My mom just passing it 94 and and towards the end even you think okay.

The biggest thing is we just don't want her to suffer. You don't want to be in pain, especially if you have you have a confidence of your love one being with the Lord then you're just you. You want to be there for them you want to bring a smile to their face. You want to bring joy to their heart and and when it's time for them to go course. It's painful but it's something that that so very different. There something about living out life to the full and and I want encourage again as I've been saying. Kind of like a broken record. Live your life the way that that makes sense in light of eternity.

Point your family point, your kids, point your love ones reach out to others spend quality time with God and and you look back. Sure this in the stalls and the pain looking back at the past and all the memories and that the world you can go back to and how quickly time passes, but then you also think whether the legacy there's a legacy and and my mom's great legacy was your kids or grandkids and and that's that's what really mattered, and now her great grandkids as well. I will tell you story about my mom. She she was not a great cook, that a man growing up seemed fine to me but she was a great cook and and we have a lot of conception about nutritious eating and like the 50s and 60s. So when I was a boy breakfast, my own so I had for Oreo cookies for breakfast in the morning and then I come home for lunch.

It was about 1/2 mile from the school, but we all will walk home. This more innocent environment.

In those days we just all all walk home from elementary school, Salina 678 years old in the kids we would walk home from school and then have lunch and my lunch for six straight years.

Every day we subpoena 37 is not peanut butter and jelly. Butter sandwich with the crust removed because I didn't like the crust and grape juice, and then I come home from school few hours later normally have pretzels and grape juice is my stack, and then for dinner we have one of a few different a few different menu items. My mother and I were really picky.

My father and sister ate just about everything, so there'd be spaghetti and meatballs.

One day there might be a burger another day a burger and fries there'd be may be tuna noodles. One day maybe some kind of chicken saying another day and very know through the week and the this spaghetti and meatball and sometimes I virtually never had fruit sometimes that have likable cucumber a little green pepper before dinner, but then I'd heavily salt that I like the way tasted salt yesterday Tyler unhealthy eating my whole life and when my mom would make the spaghetti and meatballs.

She is she's these tomato soup for the sauce all over my Italian friends are groaning to see Steve's Italian soup for the sauce and when I started preaching and 18, 19 years old started traveling out a little bit in the tri-state area from New York. I stated in Italian families home and have it pastor had a little church there may be thirtysomething people, almost all Italian so I stayed at his home and Sunday after the service. Of course, grandma meal, and if you get Italian family uncle restaurant eat at home that's that's a treat special guests, so they could be spaghetti and meatballs that this must've been amazingly good but I almost choked on it because I was used to the version with the spaghetti tomato soup for the softness of course I learned to love the real thing but during the years the browser revival.

The local newspaper gave glowing reports on the revival for couple years I I think over 40 articles ahead of the revival and almost all of them overwhelmingly positive. Corseted had a great impact on the city in the region. In many ways. So at some point they turned on us and and they wrote this really horrific series of articles attacking to the main leaders, and then I knew they were coming after me and the other main leader. After that, and date they would call the city. The evangelistic call his mother to try to find a contradiction in her story, compared to here is that he was an arrest is much as he said he was before he was saved or whatever and Nancy kept telling you call your mom call your mom.

The guy's gonna call your mother's sake, most don't need to call her so I kept forgetting.

I finally called her things on Mother's Day and I said hey mom a you may get a call from this guy from the sub Pensacola news Journal gave it a name, and she said all he called. We had a very nice talk I said you did. She said yeah we had a very nice talk I symbol what you talk to tell. I told him you're always very bright boy and Jensen probably your teenager, but then you work your way through grad school and so proud of you and I said did he say anything else about drug use. She said oh yeah, he said, were you shooting Herrick as he was try to prove that I I my story was true that I exaggerated my story about me know. My drug years before I was saved and she said all know he was shooting heroin and we were very, very concerned. She said, but then is my Jewish boss said that he converted to Christ and he was changed overnight. So when the newspaper report came he had. He did not quote a single word for my mother because he couldn't get anything out of her.

That was anything but a proud affirming loving mother. That's that's that's love. That's that's what moms can do in a way that is so extraordinary is mom said that unique ability to give themselves for the well-being of their kids so I honor my mom this day as we bury her.

I honor my mom this day on this prerecorded broadcast and disables his or it was sent flowers to do anything. How how about being moms and dads to your kids, how about honoring your father and your mother. Maybe having reached out to the maybe they're lonely is is that God's best for them is that your best for them don't live in such a way that at a funeral.

You have massive regret living situated in a funeral. You may deeply miss your level but say they knew. I love them and I was there for them only one life facility pass done for Christ blessed, let's make our lives count friends for the Expo line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown. By this is a special day attribute to my mom to my dad as well recorded to show on Monday because right now is your listening on Tuesday, November 22.

I'm at the gravesite funeral for my mom in New Jersey.

Thanks for your prayers.

It's it's a sober time. It's a special time when you lose a love one and they lived a long life and there confined to bed at the end and you you know that their time is limited. You don't want them to suffer. You just want to be there. Bring a smile to their face and be sure that that the be welcomed into God's hands in the world to come. So it's a different kind of loss than someone dying suddenly in a in a car wreck or young person being cut down but still loss you know and and and all the memories and thinking through life and makes you think about life today. It makes you think about life going forward. I.e. you know it also happens at a funeral you realize what really matters stone should. That's why Ecclesiastes is better to be in the house of mourning than the house of feasting another.

There's a bit of a pessimism in that note, in the midst of Ecclesiastes is Ecclesiastes is kind of like the author of the book is taking on a journey here. The here to hear it. Stopping and thinking and and in giving perspective along the way so you kind of go with him on the journey to get to the end of the book and its affirmation of the importance of serving God and keeping his commandments, but EEE know your funeral and maybe see someone that you been estranged from and you say listen, let's let's let's get together this week. Let let's sit down together. There's no reason for us to be strange you realize what really matters.

It may be some disagreement with a relative in your upset about this. You're upset about that you think okay there's a reason for that. There is no reason for that is so, I'm the one at the funeral today. On the one think about these things, but all I want to take that perspective and share it with you and and and and say live with that kind of seriousness, or I don't mean that you don't have fun over Thanksgiving and you silly stuff with your family. If that's what you do not know what I what I mean is don't let the little things stand in the way of really matters. Don't don't let some old difference that you had with a friend separate you from some of your wants close with don't don't let some dispute with a love one, get in the way of what really matters and and I want to repeat this once again don't live in such a way today that at a funeral service. You'll be there, filled with regret. I never told by love them. They did know I was there for them. II. We had misunderstandings of the gondola and neglected them that you don't want to live with that guilt and then you can you can never ever get under the weight out from under the weight of it because the person is gone can be so tormenting. Of course God can comfort forgiven and she fallen short in a relationship you can now redeem that for other relationships. But you know when my dad died suddenly in October 1977. He knew how much I love them and I knew how much you love me. I mean, that was deep, deep, deep between us but I keep having dreams after he died that he was alive and that I was just getting to tell him one last time how much I love them and you and I last saw my mom alive Wednesday morning. She should pass from this world Friday morning and we had to sign some documents just I was officially getting power of attorney for couple things and signing living will just have to take care of these things and not knowing she was about to go but she had assigned all the things it was hard she fractured her wrist a while ago and was 100% with 11 registered for frail, frail hand and wrist disc is and I'm so glad I'm so glad I got that left this world number by the Expo line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown your voice and more cultural and spiritual revolution. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown friends to the line of fire broadcast of not take for this show yesterday Monday because today right this very hour is the day for my mom's funeral, my dear precious mom the day for her funeral and I'm there for the right at this very moment, is your listening at the gravesite or were just about ready to leave from there with her younger daughter, Megan, and then my sister Melissa and her son Adam and some other friends and relatives that were there just for this intimate gravesite service. But thanks for your prayers. Thanks for that.

The many kind words that you've you sent in and interestingly enough, the rabbi performing the ceremony today is a regular listener to the line of fire in our New York station New York New Jersey station W MCA so we had a very very warm talk if you didn't read the tribute that I wrote to my mom. I think you be blessed by it all just go to Esther to Brown.org and you will see it there are limit. Let me share a story is monitoring my mother and my father is well. Let me share a story about my dad that that help shape my life in in God and again the way that we treat our kids as parents will also affect how they relate to God, we can make it easier we can make it harder and you many times when when it like a child does not have an image of a loving father or affirming mother when a child grows up in a harsh negative.

You're always falling short. There's always something wrong with you when they grow up in an environment like that many times it's it's hard for them to relate to the love of the father.

The they almost transfer their wrong views about earthly father to their heavenly father. Of course it can all be fixed but the times it's it's easier when you have a loving, affirming parent or parents to now know how loving and affirming our God is while also being a God of of of goodness and discipline injustice so it is the age of 14 I started smoking pot and then quickly got to have your drugs and when my parents found out what I was doing when they found out I was shooting heroin. They were terribly concerned, understandably, and I was a real rebel. I mean I was was bad bad bad in those days and I remember spending time with my mom a few years back when she still lived on Long Island and she was still living by herself and then we were just laying down in her bed talking and and she just said you know we didn't know what to do. We just didn't know what to do and think of Goss. The pain that I put them through my dad would pray a prayer it by my door's every night and just mother pain that that I put them through in those days, and to my shame the ugliest thing that I did was was I would a few times steal money for my own father I found out he had this money Poseidon. I still think he won't notice it and I wasn't even for me it was. I help a friend out. You know whatever some drug issue with a friend and it's it's so shameful for me to say these things but I have to say it because I got honor my dad and I can only offer them by telling you the story so I ended up doing is stealing the money.

One other time and and he he knew I did it but II blame my friends. I supplied I didn't do it. It was some other some other guys that did it. You know and and I made it look like someone broke into the house through the back door and I cut a screen and and said they did it and any weight to punishment. This is right before I got saved to punish me peaceably and then your friends can come over to the house and I knew he knew I did it but he was rightfully punishing me for okay if you live and here's the punishment coming your way, and not long after that by God's grace and mercy.

I got to get born again wonderfully born again and some days went by my dad down knew I was completely off drugs and he saw that I was a changed person's were sitting down one night together at the kitchen table in our house and he said Michael did you steal that money cosh's Lycan arrow and admit how how can I tell my dad that I did it.

How can how can I tell them I was guilty so I I light and I said no, dad, I I didn't do this.

Okay I was just asking, but I couldn't sit there. I was under such intense conviction. I couldn't sit there so I went upstairs. I said that I got Billy goat go to bed and go to my bedroom. I went upstairs and I was smitten with conviction. I got on my knees all it was like this divine arrow piercing deep in my heart. I said oh God, I'm so sorry that I'll tell him I'll tell my that I'm so sorry. And then the conviction left I thought oh maybe just confessing to goblets enough. Maybe I didn't need to tell my dad know that Arab conviction came back. I said okay, okay, go tell him so I went back downstairs. My dad was still sitting at the kitchen table and I said dad I I stole the money at the tire stole the money that here's what my dad said this my Jewish death. Here's here's what my dad said are you ready he said this, he said the moment I saw the money missing. I knew that you took it and I for gave you on the spot. He said what hurt me was that you had a need and you didn't come and talk to me about 1/2 cosh King. Can you imagine that's my earthly father telling me that. Can you imagine what that does when you're raised like that. With that much love from your parents and that much forgiveness from your parents and that much pride and joy that your parents having you to know that the confidence that instills in you before God and the meaning of that how extraordinary it is in my dad's again. It was really fair for me to ask because I know you have to tell the truth that I mean that's that's what I grew up with and as ill as as I've mentioned it when when I would debate a rabbi and might my mom and her her friends all Jewish would listen. Mom rose they would root for Rose's son even though they're all Jewish and I was debating a rabbi, they would root for Rose's son. That was the level of a pride and affirmation.

So here here's my mom and she's now elderly. She we had a live with us for about a year and then she just needed a bit more help than we were able to give her it was hard with my travel schedule so we got her into this apartment building for the elderly near near our house about 10 minutes away should go see her all the time and play cards with her things like that. She was always sharp with which she fractured her wrist and and had to have therapy, physical therapy, the therapist would come in and out, she would insist they played cards to achieve always should always beat him. She could do New York Times crossword puzzles your mind was still sharp. Her short-term memory wasn't so good long term. She was she was still sharp and I I'd come into the room and one of the health caregivers would be there or therapist they be walking out. They said all are you Dr. Brown. They never heard of it before they know who I will discuss because my mom we speak in such glowing terms all your Dr. Brown. All we've got of guy can't wait to listen to your radio show. Still a proud mom so look, it's not a matter of overlooking our kids faults. It's not a matter of of being dishonest with them about who they are. It's a matter of doing with only a mom and dad can do and giving them that deep affirmation of love that on their worst day there still loved by you that on their worst day there still special to that on their worst day you'd still give yourself for their well being. That's what moms and dads do at end there is a way to correct that's correct you love there's a way to correct it's filled with affirmation. But that affirmation that can only come from a mom and dad. It doesn't matter who else should get it from. Is your child the mom and dad played a key role and and I am eternally indebted to my mom and dad for the love for the affirmation for the kindness for the gentleness for four and dad sense making their worlds revolve around our well-being and II remember my dad saying hey weakness and are praying we did a buddy for groceries and stuff and and we need newly married and I was in college still in and you my dad put some money aside so we have some money.

When we first got married and I remember talking to him one day and saying you know that we have the standard be letting you know Jesus for age of your faith. We pray that on the one through this life with the light gets more to share right back to light a fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown in the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown why it's easy for me to believe God that anything is possible that he could do anything through me that that he desires to do and that in a sense, nothing would surprise me while I'm sure he could surprise, but you know I'm saying because I trust them and trusting God.

I believe one reason for that is, is the affirmation I received from my mom and my dad as I take time to honor my mom today on this day of her funeral.

I prerecorded this show yesterday. Monday the 21st and gobbling tomorrow day before Thanksgiving will be back with you live here on the line of fire. But in keeping with the biblical injunction to honor your father and mother. I I am joyfully doing this today and I felt it would be appropriate to have this tribute broadcast to her and and since my dad died in 77 decades before I was on the radio or renew so many of you want to take this time and a denim shirt honor my dad as well. But here's a perfect illustration of perfect illustration of of the way my mom was the way she was towards me. It is as my wife Nancy always said you know I could do no wrong in her eyes and we would laugh about it. She was as Nancy said the ideal mother-in-law and just a few months back when she was in the hospital and Nancy was spending time with her and said you were the perfect mother-in-law. She said yeah I was, not intrusive and and she never was. She never was.

She had different opinions on things she never intruded on on our relationship.

So here she is now old, not a nursing home. At that point, but in that home or apartment building or fruit for the elderly and I I was going to visit her one day and not see. A few times a week we play cards or just make sure location she's got the stuff you see like gummy bears and she liked crystallized ginger coated with sugar and she liked reasons chocolates also some Linz truffles, and then she like chocolate chip cookies so yeah that's right got my sweet tooth from thankfully I my sweet tooth is now expressed desire for fruits and things like that but she was always real thin and she didn't eat a lot of epithets you like that so I have to go and buy that stuff for and bring it over. So one day I'm going over to the place were we should lose this this home for the elderly and I have to change plans because I was asked to to be on Piers Morgan TV show that night as part of a panel demo Duck Dynasty and and and gay issues and things like that so I call her I said hey mom this and I can come over there come over tomorrow instead I said general Piers Morgan is on CNN. She is all you going to be on his TV show picture distancing fermented right your average person.

If you say all Gino so-and-so on TV.

General Bill O'Reilly on TV or Anderson Cooper on TV there. Their initial responses I can be all you gotta be on their TV show that was my mom because she just thought the world of medium length when folks would come in to take care of Ruth. There a nurse and come in once a day or they bring her meals or they just ate help with this or that you do whatever she needed. These folks would would be so honored to meet me because my mother had told Huff it in their eyes that was just the way it was. I am almost sure I could tell her all yeah mom. Listen, I can come over today, Pres. Obama wants to meet with me I'll really what's that about it would be like the president enter yeah Pres. Trump, prison electrons wants to see me good that's just that's just what she thought so utterly precious and the. The caregivers used to get a kick out of her because she's real real little, and frail. This 81 pounds. Towards the end of her life and and she's to be taller, but just in a stroke is happens and then got really, really, skin and bones fan and she she had fallen and and fractured her wrist just tripped over something and there is that she was able to pull on this this string that would get somebody come up to the room and came up to the room and and there lay it on the floor. The gal in the homeland on the floor with her, waiting for the ambulance to arrive take over the hospital and she's of CMOS pictures a hair look okay fairly good and I've taken her to the hospital few months back she wasn't feeling well so it took her over there went to the emergency room and she's just in her role. Her nightgown and her robe Ed Ed since is that it her slippers but are she flips the other matter in the Carver goal. It's nighttime. She flips down the mirror Ed since most make sure her hair looks that they got a kick out of it after she fractured her wrist and have full mobility just moving around were able to sit together that use an iPad. She did no Internet was or anything like that connecting or how to get stuff and but she, her mind was sharp so we taught her how to use the iPad and they come in the health caregivers would come in and it always is she so cute or that I felt, she was the only 94-year-old in the home that was there playing solitaire and playing crossword puzzles and playing hangman of these other games and she just Plam by the hour, but you know what I think back, think back to memories EEE try to jar yourself. In fact, what about here what about there with about this for but that will by mom and dad were is happily married is any couple that I knew wonderfully happily married little over 30 years before my dad left this world in 1977 and you know my mom would say every every night she would she say goodbye to my dad in a right tell her you know what I talked her in the months back here every night. She still say goodbye to him and would we talk to God, but never never heard his voice back. Nice to know I have a deep confidence that she's with the Lord now, that is, Jesus said he who receives you receives me and my mom did pray years ago a pastor prayer prayer she did with me. By that, but I feel it was more through her son, if you know what I mean that that she so knew what I believe is true and real and that she received me as a believer and I believe that sometimes how, especially with a Jewish family that that someone will come to faith by receiving the child who is a believer and thereby receiving the Lord and that's how their hearts become open by the no more suffering no more old age. No more loss of short-term memory and death in one year in so frail. You can even get out of bed hard to imagine hard to imagine the glories of the world to come, but be sure, sure, living, situated fear of love ones who know the Lord that you can be with them forever. And then you look back at you look back at the years that you live for God and you say that was a life well spent so I honor my mom today, September 25, 1922 November 18, 2016. The hard love day. That's my bottom peers or renewing your mind minute