She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
Proverbs 31:27-28 NIV
I’ll admit I’d been dreading this weekend for weeks. Losing my mother at the first of March, I was keenly aware that Mother’s Day would soon be upon me and I’d have to somehow get through it.
Yet, my favorite cousin reached out to me and convinced me to celebrate this weekend and not dread it. After a bit of reflection, I realized he was right.
I was blessed with a wonderful mother, the kind of person I’d believed I could never take for granted. Now months after her passing, even with the best of intentions, I realize I did.
Still, she left me far more blessings than I’ll ever be able to count. I thank God for my years with her and challenge you to make time to remember and appreciate the special women in your own life.
Celebrate your mother, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, godmothers, teachers, community leaders and any women who have positively impacted you. If possible, give them flowers while they can smell them and kind words while they can hear them.
Here are a few lessons I learned from my mom…
Keep your eyes on your destination, not your location
Good manners show you value other people
The merits of a good education
A great attitude will take you farther than a good education
Money can’t buy common sense
Don’t expect anything you aren’t willing to work for
How to cook with love
How to give generously
Unconditional love
How to pray
And finally, even as I was losing her, my mother managed to teach me one final lesson.
Be still and trust God.
Not knowing what each day would bring, Mommy demonstrated how to trust God and peacefully wait on the Lord. She kept her faith and kept her cool all the while concerned about everyone else.
I’m pretty sure I’m not yet mature enough to handle all the obstacles she overcame as graciously as she did throughout her lifetime. She set the bar mighty high.
But maybe one day…
Happy Mother’s Day Mommy