Blessed with many Mothers!

     I am very thankful for Mother’s Day! It is a time to remember the blessing of being a mother, the blessing of my own mother, and the blessing of the other women who fulfilled a mother’s role to me. This will be my 50th Mother’s Day; that is amazing to me! Every year this day of celebrating motherhood has been different for me. Of course, my first few, I have absolutely no memory of. The only thing I remember from childhood is wearing a red rose to church to show my mother was still alive. When I was an early teenager, I remember buying my mother a gown and robe that was a ruffled white bridal outfit that was designed to wear for about 10 minutes: she took it back. I remember visiting my grandmothers. I had three of them and they were completely different. Two of them had lived very hard, difficult lives which I did not learn to appreciate until I was older. The other grandmother, I adored. She was a great mentor and friend. Her mother was still alive, I called her grandma great. She was a sweet Dutch woman who also lived a very hard life. When I was sixteen, I started having another mother figure in my life who eventually became my mother- in- law. She taught me, by example, how to serve your family above yourself. Her family was her priority. I was the daughter she never had and I felt loved by her. I admired her and felt blessed to have her as not just a mother-in-law but as a friend and mother of the heart. With marriage, I got two new grandmothers. One taught me what bitterness can do to your heart and the other one taught me to love life and to get out and do things until your time is complete. When I was twenty-two, I got blessed with a step mother. She was a loving woman who made everyday special. It was like having a holiday every day! She taught me to not take for granted a single day. She loved wholeheartedly. She always had a camera in her hand and she took thousands of pictures. We ended up pregnant at the same time and even shared maternity clothes. We became even closer as we raised our children together. She too brought her mother into my life; a strong and courageous woman. When I was twenty-five, I entered into motherhood for myself. My children were blessed with some amazing mothers in their lives. They had one mother, four grandmothers, six great-grandmothers, and one great/great grandmother. That is 12 women to shape their lives as well as mine! Over the last twenty five years, ten of these women, who had shaped and impacted my life have died. In 1988, I lost the grandmother that I adored; I long for one of our long conversations about life. In 1995, I lost my mother-in-law; I still miss her and wish I could curl up next to her. In 1999, I lost my step mother: I wish I could be watching her excitement as my brother prepares for marriage. One by one, these women stopped being present in my life but I am thankful for each one of them and they will forever be in my heart.
     For many years the mothers in my life have decreased. However, for the first time in over 27 years I get to add a special mother role to my life. It is a new role that I have never experienced before. It is the mother of my grandchild. I have been blessed to have a beautiful, kindhearted daughter-in-law. I can’t help but love her, we are very much alike. We are different in a few areas but overall we have close to the same personalities. We were both raised as only children and we started dating our husbands when we were sixteen. Now this special daughter is not only the wife to my son but she will be the mother of my grandchild(ren). She will be a fun, Godly, and loving mother. I am sure that watching her be a mother will be a blessing to my life.
     What women have impacted you? Were they your mother? Your grandmother? Your step mother? Your mother-in-law? A special woman that loved you like a mother? Are they still alive? Do you have a daughter or daughter-in-law who is the mother of children you love? Make sure to encourage all these mothers this Mother’s Day. Let them know how they impacted you and how you would be different without them in your life. You do not know how many Mother’s Days you have left with them. Motherhood is an amazing gift from God, never take for granted its power in your life.

"Honor your father and mother" is the first commandment that has a promise attached to it, namely, "so you will live well and have a long life."

Ephesians 6:2-3