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!