Elva is with Lord

Mother, Elva, went peacefully into the Lord’s presence at 3:55am EST, May 11, 2016

At 3:15am the night Nurse called us to say the time was near. 
We (Dad(Don), Richard, Katherine & Rachel), sat around Mother’s bed, we sang “Face to Face with Christ my Saviour”
She opened her eyes when we sang.
Then we sang “Swing Wide the Gates” and once we finished it was just a few minutes then she took her last breath at 3:55am.

We then did Skype with my sister Sarah so she could also say goodbye, as well as Mother’s sister in New Zealand.

“Absent from the body, Present with the Lord.”

VISITATION AND FUNERAL: We will send out another e-mail within a few hours.

Here are the words to the two songs we sang.

SWING WIDE THE GATES

HEAVEN'S GATES I NOW CAN SEE
AS THEY OPEN WIDE FOR ME
SWING WIDE THE GATES (SWING WIDE THE GATES)
I'M COMING HOME (I'M COMING HOME)
ANGELS SING A WELCOME SONG
AND I KNOW IT WON'T BE LONG
SWING WIDE THE GATES (SWING WIDE THE GATES)
I'M COMING HOME(I'M COMING HOME)

CHORUS"

SWING WIDE THE GATES(SWING WIDE THE GATES)
I'M COMING HOME(I'M COMING HOME)
SWING WIDE THE GATES(SWING WIDE THE GATES)
I'M ONE OF HIS OWN(I'M ONE OF HIS OWN)
I'VE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT
I'VE KEPT THE FAITH
AMAZING GRACE HAS WON THE RACE
SWING WIDE THE GATES(SWING WIDE THE GATES)
I'M COMING HOME(I'M COMING HOME

WHEN I LAND ON HEAVEN'S SHORE
CARES OF LIFE WILL BE NO MORE
SWING WIDE THE GATES(SWING WIDE THE GATES)
I'M COMING HOME(I'M COMING HOME)
ALL IS JOY AND PEACE UP THERE
IN A LAND OF BEAUTY RARE
SWING WIDE THE GATES(SWING WIDE THE GATES)
I'M COMING HOME(I'M COMING HOME)

REPEAT CHORUS:

WRITTEN BY HORACE L. MAULDIN COPYRIGHT 1966

(Listen to it on YouTube by clicking here http://youtu.be/VKw4p3jUnzU)

___________________________________

FACE TO FACE

Face to face with Christ, my Savior,


Face to face—what will it be,


When with rapture I behold Him,


Jesus Christ who died for me?


Refrain:
Face to face I shall behold Him,


Far beyond the starry sky;


Face to face in all His glory,


I shall see Him by and by!


Only faintly now I see Him,


With the darkened veil between,


But a blessed day is coming,


When His glory shall be seen.


What rejoicing in His presence,


When are banished grief and pain;


Death is swallowed up in vict’ry,


And the dark things shall be plain.


Face to face—oh, blissful moment!


Face to face—to see and know;


Face to face with my Redeemer,


Jesus Christ who loves me so.

WRITTEN BY CARRIE E. BRECK
( Listen to it on YOUTUBE by clicking on this link https://youtu.be/SuLig-W4wSU )