The Love of a Mom

Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of character in her children. Billy Graham

This weekend is Mother’s Day and I wanted to share a few things with you about my Mom. She sat with me last week when my doctor told me I have a tumor.  I am going to have surgery again and the first words my Mom said to me were; “I will go with you to your doctor appointments”.

This is my second time around for major surgery and she still is the strongest woman I know.  She has many titles that include mom, friend, confidant, protector.  She is compassionate, giving, nurturing, hardworking and selfless.  Above all my mom is priceless.  There is no other like her and I pray that I can be half the woman she is in my lifetime. She raised strong and resilient children and I am forever grateful to God for loaning her to me. 

When I think of my Mom it brings back many memories.  In my mind, there wasn’t anything my Mom couldn’t do.  She was just that type of person.  I don’t think “can’t” was a word in her vocabulary.  She was very creative and when I was a senior in high school, she and my dad created a set for me for the Mardi Gras Ball.  My Dad built the frame and covered it with cardboard and she hand painted it to look like stone on a castle.  It even had a moat. 

She was an excellent seamstress so anytime we needed costumes she could take a newspaper, make a pattern and sew it together.  My Mom saw me through broken hearts and bad dates and she sacrificed her time and energy for her children. 

When I was diagnosed with cancer I saw such strength in this beautiful woman.  She would drive me from her home to downtown Dallas for my chemo treatments.  Since I was in the middle of this cancer fight I didn’t see some of the things that I see looking back now.  She would bring snacks and drinks for me in a bag because she knew I had no appetite, but she also knew that I needed to keep up my strength for the next round.  She would sit for five hours while an IV ran chemicals into my system.  In my first treatment when the medication gave me restless leg syndrome she would patiently replace the blanket around my feet when my legs wouldn’t stop moving. She sat and crocheted scarves for me and my sisters while she waited. 

Thinking back on it now, I see where her heart was probably breaking.  She had no guarantees that her child would survive this disease.  One of the things I remember most is her strength.  She never fell apart or threw up her hands and gave up.  I never saw her break down.  When her mother and my grandmother died in the middle of my treatments, she held it together.  I am sure when she saw me as a pallbearer at my grandmother’s funeral it probably crossed her mind that I might not survive. 

My Mom is the strongest woman I know.  She taught me what it means to press on and not give up.  When she told me stories of when she was a little girl and how she would walk to church for Sunday School, she taught me by example to love the Lord and that prayer is the most important thing in your life because many other things will fail in this life but God is not one of them.  So this is to my Mom who taught me how to live life and to be strong when it knocks you down and to press on.  Thank you Mom and I love you.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, my Mom is such a blessing in my life.  She has been with me through some of the most trying times of my life and I can never thank You enough for her.  I pray that you will bless her life and help me to be a daughter of character and strength and to show her daily how much she means to me.  Thank you for the blessing of my Mom.             

Scripture: Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands. She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservants. She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms. She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hand holds the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with scarlet. She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants. Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come.She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.” Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.  Proverbs 31:10-31