My Mother

I remember sitting at the sewing machine, set up on the card table in the family room, a few days before I left for college, trying to finish a quilt for my bed. My eyes were refusing to focus and I had a headache from all the hours I had spent working on it that day. I remember wondering how I would ever finish. As I gathered my courage and tried to convince myself to persevere, my mom came over and asked if I wanted some help sewing the rest of the squares together. It was such a relief in that moment. Could I have done it myself? Probably. But, that moment became a reminder to me that the Lord will send us help to finish whatever task is at hand when we feel like we've reached the end of our rope.

There are so many small moments like this that have stayed with me over the years. My mom always comes to my rescue when I need her most. She is amazing. She is one of the most capable people I have ever met. I'm not sure how she accomplishes everything that she does, but I am awed by her example. I am always proud to describe my mother when people ask about my family. I could fill hours talking about her community involvement, her intelligence, her amazing food, her creative writing style, her down-to-earth mentality, and so many other qualities. Beyond all of these visible talents, I am most grateful for those small moments when she has come to my aid or taught me by her Christlike example.

So, thank you for all the laughter, fun adventures, as well as the quiet moments that may not have seemed all that important at the time. They did matter. And even if it didn't seem like it, I was listening.

P.S. - I realize that this isn't a really "Mother's Day"-ish picture; it's more of an anniversary one, but this is one of my favorite pictures of my parents. They are so in love, even after almost 40 years. It's one of the great lessons I've learned from my mother over the years: it is possible to stay in love forever.