Author Bonnie Leon & Her Real Inheritance
Author Bonnie Leon guests today and shares a story of an amazing woman, her mother. Bonnie also has a new book out, Joy Takes Flight. And she will be giving away a copy to a commenter. Here’s Bonnie:
“My mother is strong and brave. You wouldn’t know it to look at her. She’s small, quiet and unassuming.
Mom is an Alaskan—Aleut. Throughout much of her youth she was ridiculed because of her native blood. The barbs thrown were unjust and they left scars, but Mom never allowed the injustices to taint her view of the world. Instead, others’ prejudices strengthened her conviction to treat all people with kindness and respect.
When Mom was a teen-ager, she contracted rheumatic fever. The illness kept her in a hospital bed for months. Doctors told her the damage done to her heart would prevent her from living a normal life. Mom wasn’t about to let anyone else decide what kind of life she was going to live, very much like my character Kate. Mom resumed doing what she always had. And like Kate, she proved the naysayers wrong.
My mother is now eighty-seven years old. She’s lived a good long life, but the heart valve that was damaged during her bout with rheumatic fever finally gave out. In October of 2011 she had open heart surgery to replace it. She could have quietly let go and died, but that wasn’t Mom’s way. When she went into surgery she didn’t know if she’d wake up on this earth or in heaven, either way was okay with her. All that mattered is that she’d tried hard.
She survived the surgery and all looked good—she was on the road to recovery, or so we thought. A germ called staph found its way into her wound and did all it could to end her life.
For many months my mother battled the terrible infection. On more than one occasion I thought we were saying our final farewells. Each time she pulled through, dredging up the strength and courage to go on. A terrible blow came one day before she was to be released from the nursing home where she’d been rehabbing. Her husband of thirty-four years died suddenly.
My husband and I raced up the freeway to Washington to be with Mom. We found her in the hallway of the nursing home, slumped over in her wheel chair. I didn’t recognize her at first. She’d given up, but who would blame her. She was weary, heart sick and ready to go home.
Somehow Mom rallied. I still don’t know how she did it. God’s power and her courage, I guess.
She buried her husband, left her home and moved to Southern Oregon, close to family. She’s made a new life for herself in our community and though she is in a weakened physical condition her spirit is strong. She doesn’t complain. Instead gratitude is on her lips every day.
I don’t know how many weeks, months or years we’ve been given, but I’m grateful for the moments. I’m thankful for the example she’s been to me and my family. She’s strong and full of grace, good humor, compassion and gratitude.
I’m proud of my mother who lives rather than simply exists. She regrets that she’s using up her childrens’ inheritance by living so long. Every time she mentions it, I tell her that we want her to use up every penny because the real inheritance she’s leaving has nothing to do with worldly riches.”–Bonnie
To purchase, click here. Joy Takes Flight: A Novel (Alaskan Skies)
BLURB:
Kate Evans and Paul Anderson are finally married, settling in, and starting a family. They rejoice when Kate finds she is pregnant, but soon it is clear that there are hurdles ahead. Should she continue in her dangerous profession as an Alaskan bush pilot? Can she really fall into the role of a wife? Then tragedy strikes, life begins to unravel, and Kate fears she may have lost Paul for good.
Chock-full of high-flying adventure, romance, and the drama of life, Joy Takes Flight is the exciting conclusion to Bonnie Leon’s Alaskan Skies series.
I’m in the middle of reading this book. I love it!–Lyn
Questions: PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT TO ENTER THE DRAWING.
Have you ever flown in a small private airplane?
What is the best thing (physical or otherwise) your mother left you?
Maxie, I’m so sorry that you lost your sister too early. I did too. She died from a heart attack. Her heart was damaged from lupus. She was just forty.
It sounds like your mother was a precious woman. It’s such a wonderful gift to have a mother who lives out their faith.
And my goodness, flying upside down? I know I wouldn’t like that. But what an adventure.
Thank you for sharing with us. Grace and peace to you.
Bonnie, first off I love your name. My sister closest to me in age was my Bonnie. Such a wonderful sister and a fine example to all of the people in the small town we lived, while she had cancer, but was well prepared to meet her Saviour. I now have a granddaughter named for her. My Mother was a precious woman. She married at 15 and raised 8 children. I didn’t get to spend nearly enough time with her, as I married at 16 and had to move away from her before I was 17, due to asthma. ( hadn’t planned on that). Didn’t get to visit her except for our vacation once a yr. And, once on a train. No money to go. Then once in awhile she could come to see us 4 kids living in this area. She left us a legacy of always knowing what a loving mother should be, and what a Christian life was like. And, so many loving memories. She lived to 86, but wasn’t ready to let her go. She was a widow for 15 years. We all came to know our LORD as Saviour. I would love to have been able to meet your mother. She sounds like a beautiful lady. It’s wonderful that GOD has allowed you to be with her so very long. Wish I was as good an example of my Christian life as she. Yes, I flew in a small plane in my 13 to 16 yrs. of age. Our pastor used to take us kids up at times. Was so exciting, except when he would flip the plane over. That was scary, at the ssame time being fun. I have a niece and family who live kin Alaska now for many years. Raised her kids there and grandkids. They wouldn’t live anywhere else. I would love to win your book. I know I will like it. Glad to find you.
Maxie ( mac262@me.com )
Bonnie, I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. I know the day is coming so all the more reason to cherish the time we have.
I hope you’ll get a copy of my book (even better if you win one) and that it doesn’t disappoint.
Happy days!
Your mom sounds like an awesome woman. I lost my mom a year ago April. Was not ready for this but I think, without realizing why,she was preparing me. Your book sounds like a must read. Thank you for sharing your mom with us.
Agreed. I’ve been deeply touched. Thank you all!
Linda, seven children are a lot to care for. I barely managed my three, but I loved those years when they were underfoot. Now I’m blessed to have a bunch of grandchildren to love on.
I’d love to take a flight in a small plane–Wheee!
What wonderful comments. Thanks for sharing your stories. They have touched my heart.
Marianne, I love the ps! Won’t family and friends have a wonderful surprise one day.
And I’m so happy to hear she’s still enjoying life at 100.
Bonnie, I enjoyed learning about your mom. What an inspiration she is! My Grandmother was rather feisty and lived a long 95 years. Her daughter, my mother, sacrificed a lot to raise seven kids. I admire her for that although I can’t imagine having so many children underfoot :). She’s still alive and nurturing birds and other animals now that all her kids are grown.
Years ago, a church friend gave my husband and I a ride in his four-seater plane. I loved it. Thought my husband did too, but found out later the pressure in the plane caused a lot of pain in his sinuses due to his nose being broken years before and never healing quite right. Poor guy.
Yes, i have flown on a small airplane (affectionately or otherwise called wibblers in our family) when i flew from High Level, Alberta to Calgary in 1983. i’m not sure if there are larger planes flying that route or not now. My mother is still with me (she turns 86 on the 25th) and she’s leaving me memories.
The story of your Mom sounds like the story of my Great Aunt. She turned 100 in February, and she’s been a widow for many, many years,blind for about 12 years, and hard of hearing, living on an acreage with her youngest daughter who works in a pharmacy full time. Anyways, sometime after she turned 100, she got sick, so sick that her daughter could not take care of her and she went to the hospital. They called the family together and they said their good-byes. They all decided that their mother had lived a full life, she wanted to go Home (read ps) and they didn’t want any heroic efforts made to keep her tied down here. The doctor gave her morphine to keep her comfy, and she was moved into the palliative care room so the family could stay with her.
Today she has made her move into the second nursing home so she could be closer to her daughter, she is walking with help, and loving the chance to socialize with others, something she hadn’t done since she was blind. Test results came back that she had had Influenza A, a type of flu that need antibiotics, but she had none and she recovered. Now to go back to the ps.
p.s. a few years ago GA said “My friends in Heaven will all think i’ve gone to “the other place” cause i should have been with them years ago already”
Bonnie, what a wonderful tribute to your mom. She sounds like a grand lady. I would love to meet her. We met so many native Alaskans when we visited there. They were very gracious. I love reading your books about Alaska. I loved this series and I would love to follow Paul and Kate for a few more years and just see what God would do with them. God gave you a marvelous gift for writing and I thank Him for that. Looking to see more books about Alaska from you.
Blessings coming your way.
Ann, ninety-seven! That’s amazing. How wonderful to get to spend so much time with her.
Blessings to you.
Hey Mesu. By the time I got to your note I was close to tears and now you’ve set me off.
I know you are also no stranger to physical pain and yet you’re full of joy and a blessing to so many of us.
Grace and peace to you, dear friend.
Thanks, April. And Mom sure is amazing.
Susan, being able to do that is a gift. We’re not all made that way. Your mother must be special. Change is difficult for me. I will adjust in time, but it often takes longer than I’d like.
My sister ended up living in assisted living and then in a nursing home while she was in her 30’s due to illness. She lived a troubled life, but while living in the nursing home she found Christ and a way to serve. She was ill, but young and intelligent. She did a great deal for the senior residents and though she died young she bloomed brightly in a place one would never expect.
Oh my gosh, Marion, how brave you are. I’m always amazed by those who serve in overseas missions. I have family who do and who have done so. I admire their faith and willingness to obey God’s leading.
May God continue to keep His hand upon you.
Betti,
How wonderful that your mother lived to be 91! And her devotion to God’s Word was a priceless gift to her family.
Diane, I’m certainly prejudiced when it comes to my mother, but I must agree with you — she is amazing. The one thing I see in her every time I’m with her is a grateful heart. I feel that I get a lesson and an important reminder every time we are together.
Lori, I can relate to parents who want to leave a financial inheritance — I want to do that for my children, but I’ve found that we can make plans and do all we know to make something happen but in the end we need to trust the Lord with our lives and that of our children.
And the most important inheritance we can leave them is a picture of a life lived for Christ. It’s what our children see that will make the difference in what they believe.
I had a wonderful mom, too, who lived to be 97, widowed since she was 53. My inheritance from her is priceless.
Hi Bonnie!
I loved your first book about Kate and haven’t had a chance to get your second one read! Your mama’s determination has certainly been bestowed on her daughter. I know the pain you live with as well. You’re a brave lady, too, dear one. Blessings on all you do!
Mesu
What a beautiful tribute to your mom! She sounds like an amazing woman.
No, I have never flown in a small plane, sounds scary to me:) The best thing about about mom is she has bloomed wherever she has been planted in life and continues to do so. Blessing to you
The smallest plane I’ve been in was a commercial 10 seater, but that was plenty small enough. We flew from Entebbe in Uganda to Arua,near the Congo border, with our 4 day old granddaughter, landing en route to drop off a nun, a stack of newpapers and sundry other bundles on a grass landing strip in the middle of nowhere. When I commented to my son in law that British Airways wouldn’t allow a large cool box to totaly block the aisle, he laughed. ‘Those were your in flight refreshments.’ he said. Oh the joys of the missionary life!
Hi Bonnie and Lyn,
I have flown in a small private airplane when I was a child, at least I think I did. I seem to remember loving the feeling of being able to see everything from above. I still love to fly, but have not been in a small plane in years.
My mother passed away a number of years ago at the age of 91. She left me many wonderful memories, one of the most important being of her sitting in her chair having devotions – every day! She started her day with Bible reading and prayer and ended her day with the same. I hope your mother stays with you for a long time, Bonnie!!
Ruth Ann, my husband wants to fly in an open cockpit so badly. I think it would be awesome.
I hope you have lots of time with your mom.
Blessings to you.
Your mom sounds amazing, and it’s a good lesson for all of us how she’s lived her life.
I have never flown in a small airplane, but I have heard plenty of stories from others who have. Someday I would like to say I have had that experience. My mother has worried about leaving something to us when she dies too – she is quite concerned about it and I told her that she should enjoy it while she is here. There are many special characteristics and lessons she has bestowed on her children that I think have a much longer lasting effect than money could ever have and leaves a much longer legacy. I can tell her not to worry, but she does anyway and will probably continue to be concerned about that. Bless her heart!
Hi Bonnie, your mother is a wonderful lady! May you wait a long time for your inheritance.
I’ve flown twice in a Tiger Moth which has an open cockpit- I Ioved every moment, especially the feel of the wind on my face.
My mom is special too- she’ll leave an inheritance of love one day.