Tomorrow is Mother's Day, & the first one since my mom passed away back in September. I started thinking about this day & was planning on just ignoring it & hoping it would pass, then I wouldn't have to think about missing her. But really, I have so many reasons to celebrate her. For one thing, she is in a better place.
Jesus said to her, " I am the resurrection & the life. Whoever believes in me, thought he/she die, yet shall he/she live. John 11:25
As a follower of Christ, I truly believe with all my heart that my mom is in a better place. She is safe in the arms of Jesus forever. She will never again feel pain, sadness, hurt, suffering or never again will she shed a tear of sadness. I believe with all my heart that I will see her again one day, & that God took her by His grace. She was in a lot of pain emotionally & physically. God spared her years of having to suffer through her sickness & the emotional damage that she dealt with inside.
I can celebrate the woman I am today because of her.
She was the most courageous person I know. She put her family first, she loved her husband through thick & thin, & when it would have been easier to leave; she stayed. She held onto her faith in the Lord, more than anyone I know. She trusted in the Lord even when her situations/circumstances seemed impossible & doubtful. She raised 5 children pretty much alone & she loved us so well. She gave her all, always. She always had the best advice, she had the most loving voice. Anytime I needed encouragement, to vent or just to talk she was only a phone call away & I was never an inconvenience to her. She had been through so much in her life, she always had wisdom to share with any situation life threw my way. She taught me how to persevere always no matter what life brought. Her perserverance is something I admire so much & it inspires me to press on, always.
I can celebrate that she got to see her one desire before she passed away, being a grandmother.
She desired to have a grandchild more than anything. She was at a stage in her life where she just wanted a precious little child to love on & all her children were all grown up. God granted her that desire. My sister had a beautiful little girl 2 years ago, Brielle Mykenna. Brielle has brought unexplainable joy into my mom's final years. Brielle gave her so much hope & reasons to smile. I am so thankful she got to be a grandmother & meet her granddaughter!
I can celebrate that I was blessed with 24 amazing years with my mom. More than many of the little faces I've met on this journey can say. I've held orphans who have never had anyone to call mom or dad. & because I had someone who loved me so much & who raised me so well, I have a reason to celebrate.
Being on this journey I have realized that everything we have in life is a blessing. Even the things that are easily overlooked, or the things we feel we are owed. Having parents is a blessing. So many children in the world have never had a parent/parents who love them, they have never had that one/two people who would die for them, who would give everything to protect them. So many children live without parents, so many. I am so thankful for the years I've had with my mom. This gives me a reason to celebrate her life, to celebrate the time we had together & to celebrate the example she left me that I will pass onto my own children one day.
I can celebrate that her life only adds an amazing testimony to my life story & I can share that with others who have lost a loved one, or who need encouragement. I can celebrate that God's goodness is still present amongst pain, trials, hurt & death. That hope is still alive & available. That God does not give up on us when life gets hard, He is beside us every step of the way. This is a reason to celebrate, that His faithfulness is never ending.
My race has been unique. It's also been a grieving process for me. It was by God's strength that I returned to the mission field & by His strength that I am still here. Throughout the past 9 months, I can see His goodness more clearly. For me, it was through a devastating time that His light shined through in my life. When life is going well & everything seems to be going good, often times that is when we miss His hand in our lives. But through pain & trials His faithfulness can shine through & we can see how GOOD He really is, How much He really loves us. This is a reason to celebrate, His faithfulness, His goodness is worthy. He never leaves our side.
I am celebrating the blessing I've had in my life for 24 years! & how she has inspired me in ways that will be a part of who I am for the rest of my life!
My mom was not a photo person! I have to respect that. This is a painting my younger brother did after she passed away in her memory.
Missing her so much. But celebrating her life on earth & her new life in eternity with our Saviour Jesus Christ. Thank you mom for showing me the beauty of motherhood & what it looks like to unconditionally love your family.
