Sunday, May 11, 2014

What's in a name?

At the moment of conception, a title is placed upon the woman-she is forever more a Mother but what she does with that title is a different story.

When I was a child, I loved Mother's Day because it was a chance to make fancy crafts at school to show just how much I loved my Mom.  There was no way I could even begin to understand how much she loved me, those trinkets could never repay exactly what she gave up for me.  Once I became a Mom I accepted the title with pride and the same hard work and determination with which I'd been raised.

You see one can brush of the title, ignore it and never really become or they can do as my Mom and embrace.

With every breath there has been a prayer whispered from her lips-first for her husband, then each of her children and eventually her grandchildren along with numerous family members and friends.  I saw my Mom give up a nursing career to be a full time mom-there to see us off in the mornings, act as home room mother and welcome us home after school.  She drove us around to our activities, cheered on the sidelines, was our 4-H leader, Sunday School teacher but most of all she was our constant moral compass.

I have seen her heart break for each of us-she never stopped loving us, only expressed disappointment or dissatisfaction with a decision we had made.  I see her continue to pray and believe in healing-not a physical healing but a true healing where forgiveness can occur and love can again flow freely.

So today is Mother's Day-what will you do with it?  Will you simply give your Mom another card or trinket?  Will you give her a 2 minute call?  Or will you really have a conversation with her, let her know how much you appreciate her rising to the challenge and being the kind of Mother that every kid needs.

I want to say thank you to my Mom-she has humbled me on more than one occasion.  She has loved me when I was truly unlovable, she has prayed for me, she has believed in me when no one else would.  She has lifted me up more times than you can imagine.  She has done all of this for no monetary compensation, she has done this for nothing in return, she has done this because she loves.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!!!  And may you know how crazy blessed I am to have had you as a living example of how to love deeply!

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Giving credit where it's due...


Those of you who know me have heard me talk about "sprinkling" my children.  I work hard to give them sprinkles along the way instead of flooding them with demands and rules.  (Back in 2011, I wrote this entry Mama's Treasures that explains a little about it just in case you're not familiar.)

As a wife, mother, daughter and friend, I'm a frequent prayer (pray-er not prayer).  From the moment the alarm jolts me to reality at 6 a.m. there is a constant whisper from my heart to Gods ear.  There are some days I wake up and someone is on my heart/mind and I whisper an extra little prayer for them.  You never know who needs it!

Okay, perhaps now I can get to the point.  My A #1 Angel Girl graduates with her associates degree next Sunday.  Wow, the last two years have completely flown and I have to say I'm really proud of the woman she is becoming.  But that's not without a lot of sprinkles and prayers.  The sprinkles are a little harder to share these days because not having her here makes it more difficult to start some of those conversations.  I'm afraid that all too often they come out sounding more like nags, complaints or heaven forbid overbearing.  The last two years have been chock full of things like-
  • don't take 8:00 classes your first semester
  • don't take 18 hours your first semester
  • logic will eat your lunch
  • make good choices, you never know how the bad ones will come back to haunt you
Then there were the personal sprinkles that are just between her and I.  Some she heard, some she cried about later as she realized that Mom isn't so far removed that she doesn't know.

Most recently we've been working through helping Anna work toward moving into an apartment (or other rental property) this fall when she begins her new journey at the University of Arkansas.  There has been a virtual flood of sprinkles and prayers flying so swiftly on her behalf I'm surprised I haven't developed whiplash!  Then a few days ago, I was having a rare moment cooking dinner when there wasn't a thought in my head other than guacamole and tortillas for Cinco de Mayo when suddenly my phone chimed.  I reached for my phone thinking "oh Anna" and saw a Facebook message from God.

Now before you go thinking I'm crazy let me explain.  I mentioned that I've been saying just a couple of prayers for Anna and her transition to a more independent life-well God answered in the way He does when we take time to listen and more importantly give credit where credit is due!!  This message was disguised as being from a friend, not just any friend but a friend of our family that I can not remember a time I didn't know them.  A family whose face was right there with my family at church every Sunday growing up, my mom taught their kids in Sunday school and she has been like a proud mamma watching them grow hearing stories about their lives and the people they have become.  We weren't the "see each other often" kind of friends as we both moved from that magical town but there were weddings, birthdays, anniversary parties, memories and prayers; then Facebook came along.  I saw the name, friend requested and said a little prayer of thankfulness that this sweet family that had been in my heart all these years could now blossom with friendship rekindled.

The message simply began with "Hey, we've got a 2 bedroom...." and from there it was apparent that all those sprinkles, all those prayers were answered.  The talks I've been crazy blessed to have the last few days with Anna have been true treasures.  Listening to a new found maturity and her feelings of empowerment that yes she can do this have been awesome.

For now, I'm going to keep on sprinkling and praying because so far I have loved the beautiful woman that is blossoming and I so look forward to the incredible woman she will be....complete with strong roots!!  (The picture below is a photograph I took of my Mother praying at the rail after communion on Living Waters Children's Sunday 2013.)  I'm so crazy blessed to have a Mother who prayed for me, thank you Momma!