Finding Direction: The Wind Vane Chronicles

Digression #3 – Thinking of Moms on Mother’s Day Weekend

One can hardly write about The Great Road Trip of 2009 involving one’s self, younger sister and mother without talking a bit more about one’s mom over Mother’s Day Weekend, now can one.

This digression was going to happen, anyway, so what more perfect time?

The thing is, there are no words adequate to express how most of us – if not all – feel about our mothers, whether still living or no longer with us.  So, I’m barely going to scratch the surface.

Suffice it to say that we are here and in many ways the way we are because of our mothers.  In my case, that is a great blessing.  In fact, I sent my mom flowers yesterday (all purple ones) for Mother’s Day and thanked her for being such a great blessing in our lives – Tom’s and mine.

The main purpose I had for the trip together was to do good things for my mom and with her.  To bless her.  I wanted to do things for her that she couldn’t do by and for herself.  To bring her down here for a visit with us, her grandson, whom she hadn’t seen in 12 years, and his family, whom she had never met.  To see our new home.  To show her hospitality "Southern" style.  To spend time together with Laura, her husband (who flew down) and Tom and me.

In the end – and all along the way – however, she blessed each of us much more than we could ever begin to be blessings to her. 

That’s my perspective concerning my relationship with my mom, and I hope, is yours.  I want to do more for her, but she always does more for me. 

Her "View From the 80s" is that each of us – as mothers – as parents – have the task of passing along – passing forward – to our offspring the good we have received and have learned from our own parents.  She thinks that it is not for us to try to "give back" or "repay" our parents for all that they have done for us, but to "pay forward" in turn, as God has given us the abilities to do so.

And, I’m not talking about money here, I think you understand, necessarily, although, when time and opportunity present themselves, that, too.  But even more important than that are the values, the faith, the Godliness, the compassion and love that we inherit, which must to passed along, or else all fails.

So, here’s to all of our mothers, who have been such wonderful blessings in all our lives.  If your mother wasn’t so much, then learn from mistakes past so that they will not be repeated.  

God expected us from the beginning to honor our fathers and mothers so that we might live long lives.  However long each of us may live, may we always remember with great honor our Godly mothers.

 I’m "fixin’" to call mine.  I know some of you cannot.  But, you do have children you can call to tell them how proud you are to be their parent – mother or father – and to encourage them in the way of the Lord.

Here’s to mothers on Mother’s Day weekend, including Patrick Mead’s daughter, Kara Graves, who became a mother just last night!

Many blessings upon you all this weekend!  And, here’s a portrait of a beautiful woman of God in her 88th year upon this earth.  (Isn’t that a great picture!  Such a pleasant looking face.  She loves bright red.)

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.  I LOVE you!!  Dee