Betty Waller Parsley Stepp, 3/10/07 – written 3 years, almost to the day, before she passed away on 3/7/10, after a long journey through Alzheimers

The last time I saw her was a Grace, and Amazing…

In a small country church, she rose to go forward and sing.
She had done this before in her feeble confusion,
but the pastor said he never had the heart
to keep her from singing as long as she liked.
All the people in this church knew one another,
and loved everyone from the strongest to the least –
no one would mock or point as one more stood to give praise.

By the time she reached the front, her body was full again,
not the fragile little form we’d seen before.
With gusto and clarity she burst forth with a song of joy…
verses & choruses to match hymns of days gone by…
Every word made sense & was full of victory!
…but I can only recall a simple phrase:
“The First, The Last, Amen!”

There is only one place where such a song will vibrate throughout the ages –
a place of no barriers, no embarrassment, no lack of understanding…
a place of music and joy, filled with the laughter she so loves…
and at the center, the Lord she has longed to see.
Around His throne no one is a stranger,
and with a health & strength unknown before,
with clarity we can barely imagine,
she stands whole, singing:

“All glory to Jesus our Savior and King
Throughout all the ages our praises will ring
By His grace He has saved us from the full load of sin
He alone is the First, the Last, AMEN!”