Today, the day after mothers day, the house is quiet and I have been reflecting on mothers, specifically mine.

I think my mom, is an amazing woman.

She was born on Christmas Eve, in the mountains of West Virginia, during the Great Depression. She lost her mother suddenly at the age of 19 and cared for her younger siblings until she married my dad and moved to Florida the following year.

It was in Tampa that they found new life in Christ and were called to serve God as pastor of Interbay Faith Church. They desired to have children but were told by doctors they wouldn’t.  Mom, while preparing to teach a Sunday School lesson on Hannah, realized that if Hannah could pray and ask God for a child, so could she and she did.  Within a year God blessed them with a baby girl, me.

Soon God called them to serve Him in foreign missions, and our family of three found ourselves in the jungles of Suriname, working with a tribe of Indians called the Wayanas. My mom was faced with learning a new language, a different culture, and very few of the comforts of home in the USA.

She taught the women and children to read and write and was the village nurse; delivering babies, suturing wounds, and caring for the whole village when chicken poxs broke out.

She also had to make the tough choice of sending her only child to the city for schooling. No mother wants to do that, but my Mom, like Hannah, had promised God that if He blessed her with a child she would give that child back to Him.

There have been times when I have struggled with that choice, but now, looking back, I would not change it for anything. Because God is faithful and has used it for good. Mom always made the times we were together very special.  Those are the memories that remain. As God worked it out, we have lived 5 minutes from each other for the past 26 years.

She has been a wonderful “Grams” to my girls, Amber and Veronica. I am thankful that they grew up having her and “Pops” around. 

Mom has been a living example of a faithful, supportive, loving and godly wife.

Dad is living with Parkinsons now and Mom’s patience, strength and loving care amazes us all.

So much more could be said about the amazing woman I call “Mom”.
But on this, the day after Mothers Day, I just want to say…

Thank you Mom, for being you.
I love you, admire you and cherish you.