My Mother ~ An Inspiration

My mother is a beautiful woman.

Of that there is no doubt. 

I must have been only about four or five years old

when I found myself studying this portrait of her.  

I was struck by her beauty.

I remember placing the framed image back on her dresser, running into the kitchen where she was working.  I then ran back to her bedroom and took the portrait off of the dresser.  

Taking it to her, I said,

 "Momma, did you know how pretty you are?"

Over the years, I come to admire so much more than just her beauty and style.

It has been many years since I was a child  dressing up in her size four and half high heels.  

I never did fit into those shoes.

My feet were much bigger than hers.

Now, I see so much more in her than I once did.

My mother will turn 98 years old at the end of this month.

She lives six hours away from me.

This past week, I was able to spend just a few hours with her

 as we drove home from a trip to see grandchildren.

While I was with her,  I went out into her yard to dig up some

Lily of the Valley.

I wanted to bring them home to plant in my yard.

These plants originally been transplanted by my mother 

after she dug them from my grandmother's yard over forty years ago.

I wanted to return those plants to Colorado Springs.

I wanted them to grow in my yard.

Lily of the Valley were in my mother's wedding bouquet.

Lily of the Valley were in my wedding bouquet.

I was surprised to see those beautiful pearl shaped white flowers in bloom 

when I went to the side of the house.

I decide to pick a bouquet for Mother.

While I was with her earlier this week, I was able to deliver her Mother's Day Card to her in person.

The front of the card said,

Sooner or later, we all quote our mothers.

Inside the card, the message said,

See, I was listening.

I wrote:

I am also watching.  

I continued to write her a note telling her she is an inspiration.

Yes, I'm taking notes on how to age with grace and beauty.

Mother had tears in her eyes after she read my card.

I faced her and put my hands on her shoulders.

She seemed so small.

She seemed so fragile.

Her once bright eyes seemed more cloudy than I want to see.

She said,

"When I gave my life over to the Lord and told Him to take control of my life, that made all the difference.  He has always taken care of me.  

Look how He provides.  

Before I get up every morning, I ask Him to take care of me, 

and He does.  

I don't worry about anything.  I trust Him."

She asked me to trust more and worry less.

She doesn't know how much I worry about her.

I do.

I wish she were not so far away.

I wish I could work in her yard, take her to the store, visit with her,
help her with the daily tasks of living.
She wants to live where she has lived for so long.
Who can fault her for that?

She is stubborn.

She is a woman with whom you cannot argue.

She is a woman determined to keep her independence.

She also is a woman trusting the Lord minute by minute.

He has taken care of her all these 98 years. 

She knows He's going to continue to do so.

Her favorite song is,

Because He Lives, I Can Face Tomorrow.

That is the anthem of her life.

Yes,

She knows how to age with grace and beauty.

She gives me much to admire.

I love you, Mother. 

Thank you for all of the life lessons you have given me.

Most of all, 

thank you for allowing 

God's grace to shine through you 

as you have modeled for me, and for so many others,
 the walk of faith.  

* Note

My mother will read this post on her computer.  She is up with the times.  She is amazing.