Mother's Day

Being a mother is the most wonderful and yet challenging position I have ever held. I am thankful every moment of every day that God graced me with the privilege of being Madeline and Gavin's mother. It is through them that I am encouraged, inspired, challenged... shown a mirror that reflects the true me... both the one I want to be and the one I want to erase. They bring amazing joy and laughter to every single day of my life and even though they are not perfect children, they are the perfect children for me!

As I read in 2 Timothy of where his faith began I am reminded of the critical role a mother plays. Chapter 1 verse 5 says:

I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.


Timothy was Paul's disciple that he also called "my true son in the faith." He was very special to Paul and he goes on to say that Timothy has not been given a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. I find it fascinating and important that Paul points out that the kind of faith that Timothy had began in his grandmother and mother. How important are we moms and you grandmother's!



So, today I want to thank a few of the moms that have been special in my life:

My own mom, Karen: Thank you for carrying me in your belly, allowing me to stretch it out and for giving me life. Without you, I wouldn't be here! :) Thank you for bandaging my boo-boos, cleaning up my blood, making me do chores, spanking me when I was bad, waking me up every day until third grade when, in my independence, I cried for an alarm clock so that I could do it myself. Thank you for letting me do it myself. It has shaped me and been an invaluable skill for me. Thank you for giving me a love of music and teaching me to sing through life. Thank you for loving me in the way that only you can! I love you!!!

My stepmom, Betty Jane: Thank you for accepting me and loving me like your own. Thank you for always answering the phone when I need to talk! You are an amazing listener and friend.

My mother-in-law, Nancy: Thank you for the wonderful example you are to me. You are incredibly thoughtful and seldom miss an opportunity to show your love. In so many ways, I want to be just like you!

Grandma Vera: I miss you. Thank you for always calling me Miss America and singing "Here she comes... Miss America" every time I walked in the room. You always made me feel pretty. Thank you for finding joy singing in the choir at church and for always letting me sleep with you when I stayed at your house. I'd give anything to sit in that tiny kitchen on Kimbrough and talk with you over a banana or organize your countless shampoo samples in the hall closet.

Grandma Houston: I think of you every day and miss you constantly. I cannot count the number of times I've wanted to ask you something this year and couldn't. I'm so glad that you're in heaven with Jesus! Thank you for teaching my dad about Jesus so that he could teach us. Thank you for the countless meals you cooked for all of us. I only wish I'd have learned how to make your gooseberry cobbler. Mine just isn't as good as yours. Of course, neither are my beans or my rolls either... or anything else! Thank you for my brand new rose of sharon shrub that grew this year from the one you gave me years ago. It's my favorite mother's day gift!

Edna: Thank you for not just believing that I can be all that Christ intended but teaching me to believe it too.



If I were to mention all of the women that have been important to me, this post would be even more ridiculously long because there are so many! To my friends and my friends' mothers, I love you and couldn't live without you!!! Thank you for the wonderful and unique example of motherhood that each of you are to me and to my kids!!!


Now, I've got to run because I've only got thirty minutes to do my hair for church! I've sacrificed my fluff to my babbling this morning! ha!

Happy Mother's Day Mothers!!!