Abigail Olumuyiwa Obaweya - 1935 - 2008

I am breaking with tradition and posting on the weekend because I have an extremely important task to fulfill. I want to celebrate a life well lived. My precious mother-in-law, Abigail Olumuyiwa Obaweya, went home in the small hours of Saturday morning (GMT) after a somewhat arduous struggle with illness. We are left clutching tightly to the fond memories of her time on earth, while she exits from the grand stage of life into an inconceivably grander eternity. If the truth be told, I envy the fact that she can now hang out with Jesus any old time she wants. She gets to ask Moses what it felt like to walk "through" the red sea. She can even talk with Elijah about the heady feeling of running on foot faster than a horse drawn chariot when he was a geriatric.

My mother-in-law didn't fit the stereotype. I was blessed to have two mothers, because that's exactly what she was to me. She liked me and accepted me into her family even before my wife accepted the idea of becoming my wife. She prayed for us, encouraged us, loved us.... I vividly remember the first time she found out what my favorite food was: she ensured that my wife became an expert at preparing that dish. Her entire life was devoted to serving others and placing everyone else's needs above her own. "Mum, now it's time for you to sit back and be served." I have no doubt that Jesus is introducing you to faith's "greats" as He proudly parades you down the streets of gold, declaring His pleasure in you before the vast array of Saints and Angels.

We'll miss you terribly. You've left a hole that can never be filled, but we draw strength from the knowledge that you are in the best shape you've ever been in, living in the most coveted and desirable zip code of all time and eternity. "We love you mum. Say hi to Jesus and all the faithful who are resting from their labor, and we'll see you soon!"