Thank You to Our Mothers!

A little boy was once asked by an adult what he wanted to be when he was grown. The boy smiled proudly and said, "I want to be a lion tamer." Somewhat surprised by the boy's quick and confident answer, the adult asked the boy, "Wow that's really dangerous. Won't you be afraid?" Without hesitation the little boy replied: "Of course not, my Mother will be with me!"

This humorous illustration of a little boy's concept of his Mother's limitless abilities reveals something that lies deep within the heart of most people. There is no one in our lives like our Mothers! Great world leaders and inspiring artists have repeatedly credited their Mother as the primary influence in their lives. After all, it is our Mothers who encourage us to dream and then tells us how great we did even when we blew it real bad. Our Mothers give us a place to feel safe no matter how old we are or how badly we have messed up.

In celebration of Mother's Day this weekend, I would like to honor my Mother by telling you what a remarkable woman she is. Her Dad died when she was only 12 years old leaving her Mom and 4 siblings to manage the best they could. My Mom had to quit school in the 8th grade so she could go to work to help with the family's living needs. For most of my growing up years, my Mom would ask me how to spell some words when she was writing a card or doing something for her church. She would many times say that she just wasn't smart. On the contrary, to manage a household consisting of 7 people proves that she has a level of "Practical" intelligence that cannot be extracted from a text book. Her "smartness" exceeds many who have years of formal education.

My Mom has always been strong physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The older I get the more amazed I am by the way she has lived. She continues to be a faithful, loving mate for my Dad; a wonderful cook who loves to see her family eat; the best Mother-in-Law any spouse could ask for; and a Grandmother who is adored by all of her Grandchildren. I cannot find the right words to describe this Matriarchal Marvel of a Woman that God has given to our family.

As I think about my Mother on this holiday weekend, I am also reminded of God's providential activity in giving me another special Mom to share life with. She is the Mother of my 2 Children. She has taught me to love our children unconditionally and to be liberal in sharing the three most important words known in human relationships: "I LOVE YOU!" She is the emotional champion of our home and the reason why our children are very confident in being themselves. Now that our children have become adults, she continues to be the person they confide in, and come to for advice with all kinds of life issues. If I had of made a search of the entire universe to find the right woman to have children with I could not have found anyone better.

My life has been blessed because of these special MOMS! For them and all the other Moms out there let me say -- "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!" I hope and pray that you really "feel" like the special person you are!