My mother, Bernice, is 93 years old, wheelchair bound and blind as the result of a stroke, is hearing impaired and lives in constant pain.  Still, she is the most positive person I know—determined to remain cheerful, engage and ask others how they are doing, and practice gratitude for the smallest things.  Her generous attitude, forged over decades, has been a powerful lifelong witness to me and to my siblings and our families.

One of my favorite childhood memories is from the year and a half that we lived on a dairy farm in New York.  I remember the day she tied the sash of my little-girl apron (red and yellow) as I “helped” her in the kitchen.

She told me the story of young George Washington chopping down a cherry tree, then truthfully confessing his wrongdoing to his father.  She explained that it was the birthday of our first president so we were baking a cherry pie to celebrate.  She taught me to roll out a little pie crust which we put in a patty pan and baked alongside her pie in the real oven. Since it was George Washington’s birthday I wanted to send him a card.  Mom tried to explain why the former president wouldn’t get it but I could not understand that.  After all, we’d just baked him a pie, it was his birthday, and I was four.  We sent everybody birthday cards.

Patiently, Mom sorted through her box of greeting cards and helped me sign one to George Washington from my doll, Mary Jane, and me.  That moment taught me to listen to and value the good intentions of  children and to do what I can to help them achieve their goals–a valuable lesson for my own years of mothering, grandmothering and working with children in schools.

By Mom’s loving, faithful care in raising her four children as well as her care of eight family members and friends in their end-of-life years taught us to give of ourselves in real and personal ways—to do the practical, needful, caring things that Jesus showed us to do in this very real world.

Mom’s strong faith was evident through days of frustration, family heartache and when sick people were unable to appreciate her efforts.  She trusted God and did not quit in the face of adversity.  Her powerful witness did not go unnoticed.  She has lived the Beatitudes and 1 Corinthians 13 before us, thereby creating a living legacy of caring children and grandchildren—a family circle of strength and love.

Mom taught us to be generous and openhanded, that nothing given is ever lost, that little things matter, and that constant, faithful, predictable expressions of love and generosity can boost spirits, be answers to prayers we don’t know have been prayed and prove God’s faithfulness in the lives of both givers and receivers.

Her belief that we would all do better down the road if given a little help now has inspired us to do the same. Mom taught us that charity begins at home but must not stay there.  The gifts we receive are meant to be shared.  This taught us to give joyfully and freely.  We’ve learned firsthand that God opens His storehouse of blessings when we give faithfully and freely of our love, our time, our abilities and our resources.

Mom taught us to that one is never too young or too old to learn something new, that education within or without the home broadens horizons, keeps one interested, interesting and helps us all grow.

She learned early in life how to take personal inventory, determine what she needed to do or learn and find a way within her means to fill that need. Throughout the years she has taken many classes, joined organizations that helped the community, and faithfully attended and participated in church for as long as she could.

Our mother taught us about “the long haul” in relationships.  We saw her work patiently for years, with little of the appreciation she deserved, in developing and mending broken relationships and dreams.

Now we see Mom reaping a bountiful harvest as each of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren rise up and call her blessed!

I’m so thankful to still have my dear mother, so glad I can still chat with her on the phone each day, and tremendously thankful that COVID restrictions have lifted enough that I can visit with her in person once again.  Each phone call, each visit is precious.  I covet her prayers and I know she prays daily for each of us as we pray for her.

Our mothers are our first teachers and often those who leave the strongest impressions on our lives.  Mother’s Day is too short a time to remember and celebrate our mothers, but it is a precious and worthy reminder to do so.

What are some of your favorite memories of time spent with or observing your mother?  I’d love to hear your memories.

Until next time, happy reading and God’s great blessings for you,

Cathy