Mom teaches us to enjoy work. Work is therapy. Work is a healer. Work gets your brains back in your head after too much play and fun. She is right. Thanks Mom for encouraging me as a child to enjoy each accomplishment by telling me to "see how nice it looks now?" after a weeding a row in the garden or cleaning a room.
Mom says routines help when things hurt too badly to bear. There have been a few times in her life when she experienced that, so she knows what she is talking about. She has instructed us to keep at the routines of living and loving to soften the hurts. "Time is a great healer." she says.
Mom takes care of her friendships. She isn't very organized about remembering birthdays but she more then makes up for it with spontaneous phone calls or gifts or invitations to her house. I live across the nation from her but I can tell this is happening. She tells me what she and her friends have been doing...anything from going out for coffee to taking walks in the wild life refuge.
Mom loves my dad with all her being. They are quite a team. They've been married for almost 50 years and they are more in love than ever. Oh, they fuss at each other and they "fetch each other up", but more than that they think together. They still have dreams to fulfill together. They do projects together. They pray together. They pray for all nine children and spouses and grandkids and great grandkids every single day by name.
Mom is still busily trying to read every good book there is in the world. And she's working on a quilt for each grandchild. Ask her sometime which one she is working on now. Oh, she'll try to tell you how imperfect they are and all that, but don't be fooled by that. The quilts are coming out splendidly.
When Mom was in high school her interests and skills were evaluated to give her direction in choosing a college and vocation. She rated highest on lawn and garden design and care. Well they hit the nail on the head there. Her gardens and lawn are perfection. I wish I could see them, again. One of you Idaho camera people could take a bunch of pictures for us, you know.
Her children shall rise up and call her blessed. That's straight out of the Bible, Mom, so you can't scold a word to me for doing this. I love you, Mom.
Where ever did you get such a nice picture of my mom? Lovely post. I wonder someday if I could ever be a women that my children rise up and call blessed.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to your Mom! I miss seeing her and Anita around here. They were "comfortable" to be around and talk to. BTW, I just reread the Kauffman book that Eva wrote. Enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteI put a link to this post on our church ladies facebook page, to good not to share with all the ladies here. hope you don't mind.
ReplyDeleteIt's fine with me, Judy. Any chance you can do me a favor? Post some pictures of moms gardens somewhere where I am?
ReplyDeleteI love this post! Your mom is truly an inspiration and I wish I knew her better. I want to be like her someday.
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