My Mother

I've been thinking a lot about my mother, lately.  For the past couple of months I've been noticing the way she conducts herself on a regular basis.  I've seen her attitude, her demeanor, and her grace.  I've been noticing her.

I know almost every person says this about their mom and I think each person really believes it.  I know I definitely believe what I'm about to say: my mom is the best mom in the world!!!  Is she perfect?  Of course not, but she makes french toast and bacon for every birthday and every other special day in the year and that's near perfect, right?  

Seriously though, my mother loves me.  And she loves my dad.  And she loves my brothers and sisters.  I can see it.  It's plain as day.  And I think that's what makes her beautiful.

My mother and I don't always think the same way.  Sometimes we can be quite opposite in our thinking.  In times like these it's easy for me to get frustrated with her.  I know my mom can see my frustration, but she rarely gets frustrated back at me.  If it's a simple misunderstanding on my part she gently makes me understand.  And she talks things through with me when I'm really upset and tells me why this and why that.  Mama almost never gets upset; she's always calm and knows just what to say and do.

She encourages me.  Even when she's not trying, she's an encouragement.  It doesn't matter what I'm down about, if she knows about it she makes time to talk to me about it and tell me that everything will be ok, no matter the outcome.

I never ever hear my mother complain about anything.  She takes things as they are and if they're a little rusty she still makes the best of them.  

The most gracious person I know is my mom.  She always thinks the best of people and gives the benefit of the doubt when it's needed.  She never jumps to conclusions and she's always careful to say the right thing at the right time.  She never makes hasty judgments and she never intentionally says anything that could be interpreted as the least bit insulting to anyone.

Mama forgives, even when she isn't asked to.  She never holds anything that she's forgiven against you.  She doesn't ask for an apology; she just loves you even when she's been hurt by you.

My mother is the picture of what I want to be.  I look up to her and I hope to one day be just like her.  I feel like I fall so short of that.  It's difficult for me to forgive; I'm not very gracious; I'm not near the encourager that my mother is; and if I have to get up early to make breakfast for everyone chances are I'll be kind of grumpy.  So I think God knew exactly what He was doing in giving me my mother.  He gave me someone to learn from and someone to help guide me along life's road.

So I'd like to thank my mom for being the best possible mother she can be to me.

I love you, Mother!

Happy Mother's Day!