Her Tribute
A Life Well Lived… Tribute to my “Little Mom”
June 29, 1934 to April 11, 2022
When you chose to answer the call from God to love me and raise me as your own, I was blessed to witness you answer the call also to be Miss Piggy, Mrs. Bell, Mom, mom-mom, sister, friend, Aunt Norm, Norma Lee, and one of the best daughters God could have given to your mother. You became the one and only Little Mom. I was blessed to hear from you how much you loved your mother and how much she loved you. I witnessed your devotion to God our Father. Jesus the Christ and the love of your life, “Daddy Bill”. I saw the light in your eyes, excitement on your face, and heard the change in your voice when your brothers and sisters who you called your own had any encounter with you. I felt the love you gave to each of them with so much affection, pride, and compassion, and that same love you gave to their children.
I watched you working hard in and out of the home, making sure you taught me strong work ethics by being an example. You would say to me… “If you are going to do anything, do it right or don’t do it.” You blessed me to observe and witness teamwork as a family. You loved your garden! You loved the color blue, wearing your many hats and wigs, being busy (sewing, cooking, doing laundry) and attending church or their functions (Your favorite – The International Tea), and being an usher and class leader. I remember going with you to not many but a few people’s homes. You called them your friend and I saw how it brought you so much joy to connect with them in any way whether it was crying, laughing, witnessing about God, or supporting them in things they went through.
Your beauty and willingness to help anyone were truly a double blessing for me.
When I started to talk, you used to say…I talk too much and tell too much of my business, and that my mouth was going to get me in trouble and I heard you, and you were probably right. But I also heard and remember you and Daddy Bill telling me to tell the truth. You would say, “If you can’t say nothing nice, don’t say nothing at all”, and “Don’t you lie, before you lie say nothing”. I heard you Little Mom and I know many times you didn’t think I heard you.
I can remember just like it was yesterday during one of my tub bath moments because you were the best back scrubber… you said I was timid and frail. It was you who saw that and was positioned to raise me to now be courageous and strong. What a blessing for you to be a part of my life and the reason that I finally colored within the lines, learned to put my pantyhose on the right way, wear my first hat and suit to church with confidence, pick my first crab, work at my first job, experience 2 marriages with your support, answer yes to the call to minister God’s Word and experience 4 of my 5 gifts from God. You made sure you were there for me and they felt your love as their mom-mom.
Little Mom, your choice to love, protect & do the best you could do in raising me helped me model the love and attributes I saw you give to all and become who God intended me to be!
Well done…I have one regret and I know you taught me not to live a life of regret, but I will always have this one that we just spoke about. It is that you were not able to take me home with you at an earlier age so I could have given you the love that you yearned for me to give. When you saw me at the hospital as a baby with my father, you helped name me with the instant love you had but God had another plan for us both, Little Mom. As we both finally understood with love, every experience in every way during whatever the time it happened was according to GOD’s will and purpose to bring your 87 years of earthly life glory to our Lord and Savior!
“Kim, nothing that people do surprises me anymore” ~ Little Mom
…you said and taught me Psalm 23rd… I Believe it!
Love, your Kim.
R.I.P
Montae W. Jackson
12/02/76 – 09/12/22
