Lisa's Christmas, Page One

In Loving Memory of
Lisa Elaine Mewbourne
September 23, 1965 - April 23, 1991

"I saw the angel in the marble,
and I just chiseled until I set it free."
Michelangelo

THE HAND OF GOD

The hand of God reached down one day
To raise a lamb on high,
He took our hearts so broken
We had to question...why???
Why did you give us this dear child
To love and care so much?
To make our lives so complete
Just by her Angel Touch?
Then take her away so suddenly
To break our hearts in two,
Was it something that we did
Or something we didn't do??
These were the questions that we pondered
So many times a day,
Until we came to realize
We need only kneel and pray.
For God had chosen us
To give this child our love,
To teach us of His ways
Before she left for above.
And this she did accomplish
As was her Master's plan,
This beautiful child He lent to us...
Our own most Precious Lamb!

ŠEthel M. Sandstrom
Used with permission, please do not take without getting permission yourself.

The title of this painting is "The Pet Lamb,"
and it is by a French artist named Cabaillot-Lasalle.

Lisa's love for her saviour was a very real part of her life. One of the things she told me
the day before she went to heaven was, "Mom, I want you to know that I still love the Lord
and still have a relationship with him." Those words have kept this mother going.
This photo is of Lisa and her mom (Faye).

When Lisa was a toddler, Santa brought her a little white stuffed lamb. Lisa called the toy, "Yitta Yamb." Like the "Velveteen Rabbit," she dragged the lamb till it was alive with love. Her nickname became "Little Lamb," and that stuck into adulthood. I have many cards, notes and letters from her signed "Little Lamb." This later took on religious significance for me since Jesus was the "Lamb" of God. I now think of her as God's very special Little Lamb, cradled safely in His loving arms. Her pink granite grave marker also bears the famous rendering
of Christ holding a small lamb in His arms.

By her mom:
Faye Mewbourne Martin

"Safely in the arms of Jesus."

When Lisa was sixteen, she visited her father and step mom in Florida for the summer. She got happily involved with a large church group, and was having a great time. She attended a youth conference one evening in Florida featuring a Viet Nam Veteran as the speaker. His name was Dave Roever and he had embraced the Lord after returning from Viet Nam. He received injuries there that almost killed him. One side of his face and all of his hair were burned off,
and he was dramatically disfigured. Nevertheless, he went on to become
a dynamic evangelist to the youth.

The words he spoke that night went straight into Lisa's eager heart and she went forward for the altar call and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. She was baptized before she left Florida and her face radiated happiness. Dave Roever is still ministering to the youth in America.
To find his speaking schedule you may contact him at: http://www.daveroever.net/"

After being saved at the youth conference she was never the same again. She devoted herself to reading her bible to learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Dave Roever made
a big difference in Lisa's life. Her bible is all marked up with her notes written in the margins
of the pages. Her faith and the knowledge she gained saved her immortal soul.
She did not have to fear where she would go when she died.

She wrote the following in the back of her bible. Lisa's decision that day is now inscribed
on her gravestone, along with her signature.

My Decision
"Lord Jesus, by your grace and the power of your Holy Spirit,
I commit myself today to walk in purity
for the glory of your Name."

Lisa Mewbourne
4-24-83
(This is engraved on the front of her gravestone
and on the back is the lovely carving of Christ holding a lamb.)

Below is a letter from Lisa sent to me from Florida. She had visited her dad
and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior while down there.

She highlighted many scriptures, and wrote so many things in her bible.
One scripture she marked is II John:5:13....

"These things have I written unto you
that ye believe on the name of the Son of God;
that ye may know that ye have eternal life,
and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

Born-again Lisa did truly believe in Him. Her new found faith was responsible for her mother and her brother coming to Christ. And now, her brother's three little girls, who she sadly never met, are also beautiful Christians. Lisa's Christian legacy lives on
in these members of her family.

~ Lindsay, Erica, and Abigail ~
Lisa's nieces ~ David's children
~ Proud Faye's Grandchildren ~
Just as sweet as they are beautiful!

Another scripture that she underlined was:

"My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them;
and they follow me;
And I give unto them eternal life;
and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."
John 10: 27,28

Indeed, Lisa was one sheep (Little Lamb) who did hear His voice and she knew Him and she followed Him. Because of this, she was given eternal life and she will never perish!
We will see her again!

Our Christmas Angels

The mention of my child's name
may bring tears to my eyes,
But it never fails to bring music to my ears.
If you are really my friend,
let me hear the music of his name!
It soothes my broken heart and sings to my soul!
~ Author Unknown ~

Lisa, age 3, all dressed in red
and ready to visit Santa Claus!
Ho! Ho! Ho!

JESUS LOVES ALL THE LITTLE LAMBS

It is so precious to see this Little Lamb gazing so lovingly at Jesus.
He has found Heaven at the end of the Rainbow just as Lisa has.

This is the Jesus that Lisa loved.
He is the Shepherd of her soul and her redeemer.

Lisa was a little bundle of joy. She was very vivacious and very active in things like ballet and sports. Her personality just sparkled. She had a great smile and laugh and dimples! Her eyes were as blue as Paul Newmans and they sparkled, too. All our kids were special.

Christmas Poem
Christmas time in Heaven,
Is a spectacular sight to see,
As the Angels go around the world,
Gathering things to put on the tree.

They gather up some moonbeams,
They gather up some stars,
they even go a little farther,
To gather things from Mars.

And when the tree is ready,
You'll hear the Angels sing,
And somewhere in a distance,
You'll hear the Christmas bells ring.
Written by Judy Ryan

Lisa was about 2-1/2 years old and her mom had taken her and her sister and brother to vacation bible school. They were at the grocery store and Lisa occupied the child's seat in the grocery cart. They were busy selecting their groceries when all of a sudden Lisa stood straight up in the cart and stretched both chubby little arms to the ceiling and began shouting
at the top of her lungs,

"Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy!
Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy!"

Everyone in the store turned to stare! Her mom hastily explained that they had learned this litany in VBS. Lisa was proud of herself and continued to amuse people with her chant.

Lisa loved Christmas from the time she could say, "HO, HO, HO!" She loved all the glitter and sparkle and gift giving, but she never forgot the real reason for Christmas was Jesus.

Lisa and her Mom. Lisa planned a birthday party for her Mom.

Lisa was a beautiful bride.
All the guys wanted this garter!

Lisa and one of her teenage friends were dancing like crazy to a fast-beat Pat Benatar song. Her mother smiled and said, "Lisa, do you think you will do that kind of dancing in Heaven?" Lisa kept right on dancing and answered, "Mom, there will be more kinds of dancing in Heaven than you can imagine. This is just one of them."

Christmas In Heaven

We're wondering what Christmas in heaven is like
As we grieve alone and pray.
Longing for one who has gone before
To spend Christmas in heaven today.
And so in our dreams we wander far
from the scenes and sounds of earth
'Til we catch the strains of the heavenly choir
As they sing ofthe Christ child's birth.
The angels and saints we envision there
As they join in the restal gay
And there 'mid the throng is our loved one
Spending Christmas in heaven today.
There's joy in the faith that teaches
when our life's work is done
Of a place in heaven awaiting
And the crown we worked for is won.
In our grief may we learn well the lesson
So to work and suffer and pray
As to merit the joys of our loved one
And to spend Christmas together someday.
~ Author unknown

On Memory

When you remember me, it means that you have carried something of who I am with you, that I have left some mark on who I am on who you are. It means that you can summon me back to your mind even though countless years and miles may stand between us. It means that if we meet again, you will know me, and hear my voice and speak to me in your heart.
For as long as you remember me, I am never entirely lost.

~Frederick Buechner