Proverbs 31:28 ".....her children arise up, and call her blessed."
A couple of weeks ago, a lone tulip bloomed in my front yard. It was an overlooked bulb from when I had transplanted my mother's flowers into one flowerbed. She was a lover of flowers and thought the more the better! I don't have her knack for horticulture, so I have scaled down, trying to keep starts of all her flowers. Thus, the lone tulip in the front yard.
I left the tulip there in all its single glory because it was a reminder, more than once daily, of my mama. She was little, but spunky. She was no nonsense, tempering her toughness with her jolly laugh and fun loving nature. Today I pay tribute to her again. She left me a legacy of a lot of important lessons!
I will always remember her laughter. She taught me to enjoy life and to have a positive outlook! Just weeks before she died, at 92 years, and housebound, she was trying her best to look on the bright side. Knowing she was staring death in the face, she was making the hospice workers vie to be her caregiver!
She taught me that applying myself to hard work was rewarding. She was never idle, even sitting in her rocker. Projects were a joy and challenge to her. As a result, her mind was very alert almost to her dying day!
I learned that organization and cleanliness stabilized a home. It kept the family content, loving to come back. She surrounded herself with color and beauty. We all benefited from it!
Creativity was so much a part of her. She believed that you could do most anything you set your mind to do! Flowers, crafts and pictures! This was who she was and she used her creativity to weave them into her life everywhere!
She was thrifty to a fault, but at least I know that " a penny saved is a penny earned". She economized by using fabric scraps and recycling leftovers of food as well as lots of other things. As one of a more modern throw away era, I just shook my head at her drawers of recycling. Not fun to sort through when we had to start the "pass it on", but still an important life lesson.
Her prayers were heartfelt and sincere. When Mama prayed, I was prepared to stay on my knees for awhile. The prayers were all encompassing, particularly for her family. A lot of tears accompanied those pleadings!
Mama loved unconditionally. She didn't overlook my faults (and didn't hesitate to confront me!!!) but she still loved me. I'm grateful that she knew my well being was at stake when she corrected me. I treasure the arguments where she cared enough to be stern, even angry with me. I'm a better person because she scripturally disciplined me!
Probably the most admirable thing is that Mom lived her convictions. She came to Jesus as a young woman. She knew this was the kind of life she wanted to live and she pursued it and never looked back. I often heard her refer to her God-given convictions that she was unwilling to alter or change. She didn't budge an inch!
Today, I rise and call her blessed. As uneducated as my mama was, she recognized the high calling of motherhood; she lived and learned and passed it on! I was one of her students and I'm truly blessed!
Mother's Day isn't about the perfect moms. It's about the moms who have and are hanging in there when many choose to jump ship! It's acknowledging that motherhood includes a lot of failures. It's recognizing that enough was done right to merit gratitude and recognition.
It's a perfect day to acknowledge God's great Family Plan works......I am living proof!
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