She Shall Rejoice! - A Mother's Day Tribute

      It is with joy that I inscribe these words to a woman whom I have always loved but I've come to more greatly admire since donning my own spectacles of Motherhood.  Though this woman entered the world unexpectedly by human standards, her Creator made deliberate the plans He had for her before she was humanly thought of.  His plans are always better than ours.  His plans included my Mom.

     If you knew my Mother you would know that she has overcome many the physical obstacle such as a variety of surgeries that included the eyes, shoulders, back, and feet in her childhood, through marriage,

(Precious Moments.)

and successfully raising four daughters.

(Precious-er I know, I just couldn't resist.)

                                        

 She has learned to overcome extreme affliction that is, even now, an ongoing struggle in her life; however, my Mother is the perfect illustration of how to overcome chronic physical pain.  

     In the past 20 plus years she has manifested the ability to walk miles upon miles as a distraction from the constant physical distress she endures daily.  She has entered marathons and completed them, one being in Boston, MA, and very rarely does she miss a day of this fast paced exercise unless she has been laid up by illness, or tripping over a raised crack in the sidewalk causing bruising on her chin and more spasms in her body (this winter's set-back).  

     Besides walking, she overcomes by designing and sewing extravagant quilts for her...........................  10 grandchildren!!!...

(one grandson for grandpa...can you find Jackson?)

...as well as working her creative mind in putting together those 10 scrapbooks (to the relief of her daughters...ahem).  This past winter she and dad were blessed to have *everyone*, minus the son-in-laws, sleep and dine in their new home for the first time.  It was a house filled with noise joyful banter and chitchat reconnecting with those who have been absent, and the clicking of the camera freezing classic images to add yet another to those picture-books.

"She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idlesness."
Proverbs 31:27

"Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift?

    the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?
Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows
    are the children of a vigorous youth.
Oh, how blessed are you parents,
    with your quivers full of children!
Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you;
    you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep."

Psalm 127:4-5
(MSG)

And as her daughter I can proudly...rise up and call her blessed! (Proverbs 31:28).

Mom is really a Jane-of-most-trades and puts forth excellence in all of them.  Baking and gardening and keeping a peaceful home for her husband is but just a few of her loves.  

 She loves on everyone's babies 

and lends *both* hands to her cherished elderly; she paints wildlife and sunsets by the sea; she sheds a tear with the grieving and laughs in life's joys.   She is often observed at her Baby Grand practicing her favorite hymns for that one moment she may be called upon to substitute on a Sunday Morning Sing.  

     But most of all, and my most favorite part, is witnessing the growth in my Mom for the past 30 years of my life in her love for God.  If anything is to be inherited from her it is this love and trust in her LORD... and when her children and grandchildren and even her great-grandchildren inquire about this Love she will recount the days that He made a way (through the discouragement of pain), like those days of Joshua (see Joshua 4).

If you haven't yet caught on my Mom is a pretty incredible lady and I'm proud to call her my friend, my confidant, my nurse (because that was her vocation), my go-to when life is upside-down or right-side-up or when I need a recipe ;), and well, simply my Mom! 

Isn't she pretty!

And though today it is called Mother's Day, tomorrow *my* Mother turns another year younger.  

Mom,  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!  I love you :)

And thus, Fence #6:    (Overcoming Pain)                                                                               

(Pic taken by LinJane...my Mom!  Have I mentioned that her favorite color is yellow?) 

"Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come."  

Proverbs 31:25

       

And "time to come" is her hope where there will neither be sorrow nor pain (Revelation 21:4), and as the former things will have passed away, God says that He will make all things new! (vs. 5)

In holding onto this Truth my Mother has chosen the side of the fence that hasn't allowed the pain to overcome her, but has trusted God with her pain as she continues to overcome.

Remembering who I am (my Mom's daughter),

                                                                             Cindy