A Giant in the Kingdom

These hands spread across worn Bible pages embraced nearly 105 years of living. Alberta Lambert was the oldest friend I have ever had. Her life spanned more than a century, and while there are a few folks who have outlived the number of her earthly years, I have not known any of them personally.

Nor have I known anyone who demonstrated love so fully as this little fireball of a saint.

I first met Alberta when I was a young child. My parents were best friends with her oldest daughter and son-in-law, so we naturally were welcomed into the Lambert fold. Alberta and her husband Cliff always seemed “old” to me, which is laughable since they were most likely only a few years older than I am now when I first met them. (Hardly old!) But when you’re a child, well, even a thirty-year-old seems ancient.

I remember Cliff as a tall, soft-spoken man who was quick to smile and tender toward everyone. But it was his spunky wife who drew my attention. Barely taller than my child-frame, what Alberta lacked in stature, she more than made up for in joy and enthusiasm.

She would throw her hands above her head with an exclamation of excitement literally every time I saw her. No matter if I was nine or forty-nine years old. And then those hands would descend to wrap me in the warmest of hugs as she squeezed me tight and told me how happy she was that I had come to visit.

And I knew she meant it. Every time.

This past weekend, I had the honor of attending a service celebrating her life. Several in attendance had been one of her more than 650 piano students. Yes, you read that correctly – 650! Music was such a large part of her life!

Person after person shared precious memories of Alberta.
Of her mentoring them and drawing them into her family.
Of her infectious laughter and ready smile.
Of her quick wit and quicker propensity toward praise.
Of her readiness to pray with and for them.
Of her vocal love for Jesus and His Holy Spirit.
And, of course, her homemade cookies, freely shared with anyone who happened by for a visit.

Her youngest daughter told of Alberta’s yearning for heaven, which grew more prevalent during the last few years. As Dee portrayed her mother’s mannerisms and words, I could envision her mama, sweetly disgruntled at the thought that Jesus was putting off her homecoming.

But what a celebration that must have finally been!

My friend’s life is one worth emulating. And I don’t mean its length, but its value.

I don’t know anyone who lived her life so wholly for Jesus and others as Alberta did.

Those who met Alberta soon learned how much she loved the Lord. Her speech gushed His praises as devotedly as Old Faithful spews its water. Her hands would reach out to grasp yours in prayer as naturally as they would stir the batter of her infamous ginger cookies. And the presence of God would descend as she sought and captured it.

Hers was a genuine love. No pretense. Just authentic sincerity that flowed from a heart of gratitude.

If you had the privilege to linger with her for any length of time, you were loved. And loved well, no matter what.

This past Saturday, I listened to Alberta speak to my heart one more time.

This time, the words came from others, but they echoed the truth Alberta had shared with all of us for years.

Her challenge: To live life completely in love with Jesus.

This is what made Alberta who she was.

As her friend closed the service, he reiterated that Alberta may have been a tiny, little lady, but she was a spiritual giant. And the “amens” from lives who had been touched by her presence echoed across the church.

If only I could grow to be so tall in God’s kingdom.