”Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, he praises her; many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Proverbs 31:28-29

Before we celebrate Mother’s Day tomorrow, I wanted to take a minute to write about my mom. I can not pick up the phone and call her anymore, but I can “arise and call her blessed.” I can still speak about the noble things she did and bring her honor. Just this morning I was telling one of my girls about how she went back to school, when I was young, and became a nurse. How can one go to school, raise two daughters, be a wife and keep up all things at home at the same time? Amazing.

She was not only very smart, but she was unaware of her outside beauty. She had a quiet way about her, not drawing attention to herself. The funny thing was all eyes were constantly on her when we would be out together. She never seemed to be aware. She also made my dad walk a bit taller when she was on his arm. They were quite a pair.

My mom knew how to celebrate people well. In fact, she was known for her gifts and how beautiful they would be wrapped. She was a gift herself and there are many things I wish I would have taken time to unwrap with her. The good news is we will spend eternity together and that is the best gift of all. I am blessed because my mom trusted in Jesus when she was young and generations after her are following her example. She left the only legacy that really matters and I am thankful.

Tomorrow will always hold sadness, but each year gets easier. I will miss sharing with her all the sweet things my family does to celebrate me. I will miss just celebrating her and hoping she likes the gift I sent. She was pretty easy to buy for because we liked so much of the same things.

Instead of a gift, phone call and card, I will live a story that I can hardly wait to tell her about. I will tell my kids about the Jesus she knew. I will teach them the best way to make a bed and how to pick out makeup that just enhances, but is not overdone. I will see people who go unnoticed. I will be able to give good gifts because I know them, that was her secret. And maybe just maybe, one day I will grow up to be more like my mom.

Happy Mother’s Day…..

*There is a line in the song, The Other Side, by Lauren Alaina, that talks about living a story you cannot wait to tell about. Go listen!