My children are too young to thank me...unless it is for giving in to something that they really want (I get thanked for a lot of treats and special outings!). It is not about the thank you...but man, I bet those Olympic moms are enjoying one of the highlights of their lives...to be publicly thanked for years of sacrifice! I can only hope and pray that I am worthy of such gratefulness.
Today I had my own "thank you Mom" moment. My mother is a secretary at a high school in Massachusetts. She has been at this job (she gave up her previous job once I was born) since I was 11-years-old...so, she is about to start her 26th year. She loves her job, and she is grateful for her health which allows her to keep working past retirement age as my parents still need her income.
Having the summers off is both a blessing and a curse. The blessings are mostly in the past. She was able to be off with us during school vacation and all summer! Although I didn't fully comprehend this blessing, I appreciate it especially now as a stay-at-home mom myself. She was available to us and this shaped my life in ways that I will never fully know.
Now the summers are long and hot and, at times, boring. I think time weighs heavy on her, but she is grateful for the time to spend with my Dad who is retired (that is a current blessing). She also uses this time to take care of all the medical appointments that come up when you get older and to spend time with her only local grandchild!
I got this e-mail this morning. "Had my colonoscopy yesterday -- 2 small polyps removed -- first time I've ever had any. They were spent to the lab and will get results next week. I'm not concerned -- God is good and it is what it is anyway."
The e-mail continued with details about my brother's visit with his puppy and her plans to keep my 1 1/2-year-old nephew entertained in high humidity (indoors, she joked!). I read the rest of the words, but what has been resounding in my head ever since is this...
"I'm not concerned -- God is good and it is what it is anyway."
This is my mother's approach toward her whole life. It is the unspoken foundation that has shaped me, my siblings, and my father. Maybe she is just saying it so I am not nervous...but I really don't think so.
She is a strong woman of strong faith, and she has made it through trials that I can't fathom (and thank God, I haven't had to deal with yet). She lost both parents within months of each other when she was 30, her closest sister die of a brain aneurysm, she suffered a miscarriage at 40, raised 4 children all born within 2 1/2 years, stood by my Dad's side through unemployment, house foreclosures, treatments for advanced prostate cancer, and the list goes on and on.
But, she is not concerned. God is good and it is what it is anyway. Even as a 37-year-old, I am instantly calmed and reassured by my mother's words. I can continue on with my day without undue worry. What a gift my mom has given me today...the gift to trust God and know that everything will turn out for our good. The gift to make your child feel safe and secure instantly.
I pray, with God's grace, that I am able to do the same for my children. Thank you Mom!
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