Thank You, Mom, Post #29

With just five days before Mother’s Day, let’s ponder our moms for a bit.  What are you planning to do honor your Mom?

This Mother’s Day, let’s try something different. Let’s try to write at least 30 memories or characteristics you’re grateful for with your Mom. Then write or type them, cut them into slips of paper, and give to her for Mother’s Day in a little box. She can enjoy reading a month of encouragement over and over, one for each day. This is what I plan to do for my Mom (shhhh, please don’t tell her).  This blog or a box simply cannot contain my gratitude. The following are the first 11 Mom gratitude memories:

1) Thank you for praying for me for years before I was even conceived. Since my only brother Jamie is 12 years older than me, you said you suffered miscarriages and complications as you and Dad tried for more children after Jamie. You were about to give up when you found out you were pregnant with me.  Thanks be to God for His plan and His timing. Thank you for being my Mom.

2) Thank you for serving as a room mother in elementary school and chaperoning our field trips.

3) Thank you for dancing and for teaching me to dance. I always loved watching you and your brothers, your family shag dancing to beach music at my grandmother’s home growing up. I remember after Thanksgiving meals that the men would push aside the dinner table to create a large dance floor, perfect for dancing and making a “Soul Train”  line. We had so much fun. Watching you dance is a joy.

4) Thank you for displaying the Fruit of the Spirit each day and showing me Jesus’ unconditional love through you. “But the fruit of the Spirit IS (that means all one fruit) love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and  self-control. Against such things there is no law.” –Galatians 5:22-23 NIV84

5) Thank you for teaching me that if three or more cars are in line at a fast-food restaurant, it’s faster to go inside to order your food. I don’t eat fast food much, but I still abide by this.

6) Thank you for attending all my home and away basketball and volleyball games in high school.  Sometimes you and Dad were two of a few parents.

7) Thank you for the example of your well-read, well-worn Bible that shows to me and to anyone how “Thy Word is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path.” Psalm 119:105.  If we may be the only Bible someone may ever read, you radiate the Word. “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” John 1:14a NIV84

8) Thank you for making me have a curfew, even though I didn’t appreciate it at the time. I so respect the healthy rules and boundaries you set for me growing up. You set them with love.

9) Thank you for teaching me the love of flowers and God’s majesty. I appreciate that you asked me growing up to “dead-head” our 100+ roses each day after school in our garden. I will always remember the wonderful fragrance of roses in every room of our home growing up–what a gift.

10) Thank you for letting me go away to college out of state to Appalachian State University. I know it was a sacrifice for our family to pay the higher tuition. I appreciate the investment and pray you know in my heart it was worth every penny.

11) Thank you for giving me the grace and freedom and wide open space to fail and succeed, knowing you would love me unconditionally.  You are the best cheerleader and encourager I know.

Do you struggle with this upcoming holiday?  Some have beloved Moms who are in heaven. Some struggle with their relationship with their Mom. If either is the case, my hearts hurts as yours does. I encourage you to seek out an older lady in your life who can or currently serves as a mentor to you. Please consider honoring her for Mother’s Day. Some Moms are blood-related. Others are related by the blood of Jesus.

Reflect:

–How do you plan to honor your Mom for Mother’s Day? Please comment.

Renew:

–“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” –Exodus 20:12 NIV84

–“Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopus), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, ‘Dear woman, here is your son.’ And he said to this disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from then on this disciple took her into his home.” –John 19-25-27 NLT

Recharge:

–Which mentor lady in your life will you show appreciation for?

“All I am I owe to my Mother.” –Abraham Lincoln

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Comments

  1. Jay Burkhart says

    A wonderful idea, always difficult to decide what to get Mom. She would love this. I am going to have my daughters do it also. Mom was always at our sporting events even track when she would be the only one and she always took us to church and sat us in the very first pew. I am very grateful for all she has taught me and still does. God bless all mothers

  2. Jon Stroud says

    So sweet. Love the idea! When we are growing up, we are so focused on our own selves we miss some of these things, that which made us better. So glad that with age comes wisdom. Reading your list, I was reminded of many things my Mom did to make my life better!

    Blessings!

  3. That is a great idea! I am starting now. Thank you for remembering your mothers struggles with miscarriages and having children. Those of us that have suffered miscarriages are often forgotten (by others not those of us that carried the babies) that we are mothers to those children that went to Heaven before meeting us (you made me cry).

    I know my Mom will love this gift along with the cute workout shirt I got her that says “You look better every day!” I know she will wear it proudly at Roper Cardio Center! 😉

    God Bless!

  4. As usual…u r full of fabulous ideas!

  5. Flash back. Our kitchen after dinner with the table and chairs cornered, the radio turned to our favorite station and my father and I having our pick of four beautiful women to dance with. Sometimes being the last of four and the only boy is an advantage. I never lacked for partners at our school dances.

    What a great idea for those whose mothers are still with them. Actually it is a great idea for the mother of the husband’s children.

    Bernie

  6. My mother loved her box and my 11 year old daughter saw me making it and surprised me with one for me yesterday!!!!

  7. Mothers are truly God on earth. I miss mine like crazy but every day something she taught me bubble forth and makes me know that she and the rest of my “crowd of witnesses” who have gone before me have left pieces of themselves within me as I leave within my children (and now in my GRANDCHILD!). Mothers never leave, they just go ahead to help Jesus prepare a place for us.