Oh what a wonderful happy day up there on the golden strand
  When I can hear Jesus my Saviour say shake hands with mother again
  She never closed her eyes at night till we were all in bed
  On partly nights till we came home she often sat and read
  We little thought about it then when we were young and gay
  How much mama worried when we children were away
  We only knew she never slept when we were out at night
  And that she waited just to know that we come home all right
  Why sometimes we stayed out till one two or three
  And it seemed to us that mama heard the turning of the key
  For always when we stepped inside she'd call and we'd reply
  But we were all too young back then to understand just why
  Until the last one had reuturned she always kept the light
  For mama couldn't sleep until she kissed us all goodnight
  She had to know that we were safe before she went to rest
  She seemed to fear the world might harm the ones she loved the best
  And once she said when you have grown to women and to men
  Perhaps I'll sleep the whole night through I may be different then
  And so it seemed that night or day we knew a mother's care
  That always we got back home we'd find her waiting there
  Then came the night when we were called together around her bed
  The children all are with you now the kindly doctor said
  And in her eyes there gleamed again the old time tender light
  That told that she had been waiting just to know we were all right
  She smiled the old familiar smile then prayed to God to keep
  A safe from harm throughout the years and then she went to sleep
  Shake hands with mother again