(I wrote this
blog 6 years ago on Mother’s Day. My mother passed away last October. This tribute
to her is my way of honoring her memory.)
I'm writing this
while watching my Mom sleep in a hospital bed. Occasionally she sort of rouses
to recognize that I'm here, but mostly the morphine has her in a haze of
semi-consciousness. It's my privilege to sit here by her bed, but it's oh, so
hard to see her in such pain. She was on a stepladder on Saturday evening
changing a light bulb or something like that, fell off and broke her shoulder
and hip! Mom doesn't like to acknowledge that she's days shy of 70 years of
age, hence being on a ladder when she might have been more cautious. I'd scold
her, but I'll probably be just like her 20 years from now - resisting every
limitation of age with kicking and screaming.
While I was leading the worship service at church this morning, I was thinking about my Mom; worrying really. In between worries, I remembered. Somehow thinking back to the way she was when I was 10 or 12, made thinking about the 'now' less frightening. I hated that she was a no-nonsense Mom then, but sure appreciate it now. She believed in making her kids self-reliant, disciplined, and capable of understanding life's choices have consequences. I hated making my bed to her specifications. (lines on the bedspread straight, corners tight!) I despised that I had to keep my room picked up neatly. (no dirty socks on the floor, all clothes on hangars, thank you!) But, from those little daily chores, I learned that IF a person tends to the simple stuff, the harder stuff in life tends to fall into place, too. She didn't let me think of letting school work go. It aggravated me that other kids could blow off assignments and that their Mom would cover for them with written excuses. Mine said, "you deal with it" and let me take the detention or whatever was coming my way for my irresponsibility. It taught me that deadlines mean something and to get my work done, on time!
She modeled the same diligence she expected of me. I can't remember when she didn't have dinner ready. There were NO piles of laundry ever. I cannot remember her house being in ‘a mess!’ I didn't hear her complain too often either. She showed us that life was about doing what needed to be done. Yep, there's a lot of Mom in me.
So, sitting here watching her face which is a lot more lined than the face that I remember when I close my eyes, I believe she'll be OK, because she's one tough lady and because she trusts God. I oughta know, cause she raised me to be tough and to trust Him too!
An anonymous author penned this in tribute to his Mom -- "Because of my mother, I missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. I've never been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other’s property, or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault. I didn't get drunk, didn't take up smoking, wasn't allowed to stayed out all night, or a million other things that other kids did. Sundays were reserved for church, and I didn't miss ever, that I can remember unless I was deathly ill. And, I knew better than to ask to spend the night with a friend on Saturdays. Now I'm a God-fearing, educated, honest adult. I am doing my best to be a mean parent just like Mom was. I think that’s what is wrong with the world today. It just doesn’t have enough mean moms anymore."
Forgive me for this little reverie... I'm only thinking about my Mom today!
While I was leading the worship service at church this morning, I was thinking about my Mom; worrying really. In between worries, I remembered. Somehow thinking back to the way she was when I was 10 or 12, made thinking about the 'now' less frightening. I hated that she was a no-nonsense Mom then, but sure appreciate it now. She believed in making her kids self-reliant, disciplined, and capable of understanding life's choices have consequences. I hated making my bed to her specifications. (lines on the bedspread straight, corners tight!) I despised that I had to keep my room picked up neatly. (no dirty socks on the floor, all clothes on hangars, thank you!) But, from those little daily chores, I learned that IF a person tends to the simple stuff, the harder stuff in life tends to fall into place, too. She didn't let me think of letting school work go. It aggravated me that other kids could blow off assignments and that their Mom would cover for them with written excuses. Mine said, "you deal with it" and let me take the detention or whatever was coming my way for my irresponsibility. It taught me that deadlines mean something and to get my work done, on time!
She modeled the same diligence she expected of me. I can't remember when she didn't have dinner ready. There were NO piles of laundry ever. I cannot remember her house being in ‘a mess!’ I didn't hear her complain too often either. She showed us that life was about doing what needed to be done. Yep, there's a lot of Mom in me.
So, sitting here watching her face which is a lot more lined than the face that I remember when I close my eyes, I believe she'll be OK, because she's one tough lady and because she trusts God. I oughta know, cause she raised me to be tough and to trust Him too!
An anonymous author penned this in tribute to his Mom -- "Because of my mother, I missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. I've never been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other’s property, or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault. I didn't get drunk, didn't take up smoking, wasn't allowed to stayed out all night, or a million other things that other kids did. Sundays were reserved for church, and I didn't miss ever, that I can remember unless I was deathly ill. And, I knew better than to ask to spend the night with a friend on Saturdays. Now I'm a God-fearing, educated, honest adult. I am doing my best to be a mean parent just like Mom was. I think that’s what is wrong with the world today. It just doesn’t have enough mean moms anymore."
Forgive me for this little reverie... I'm only thinking about my Mom today!
- "Her
children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many
virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” Charm
is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord
will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds
publicly declare her praise."
(Proverbs 31:28-31, NLT)
__________________
Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mom’s out there.
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