Thursday, May 27, 2010

My Baby is 16!

My oldest turns 16 today! It's so hard to believe that sixteen years ago I was a nervous, new mom, totally unprepared. This morning the girls asked me about my labor. It was quick and easy. I went in to the hospital at 9:30am and had her around noon, with only a half a dose of demoral. She was an impatient little one, eager to get out of there. In fact, one of the nurses told me, "You have the most impatient baby I've ever seen!" I should have heeded the warning.

One of her younger sister's first sayings was, "End of cussin, Nane-a! End of cussin." She heard, too many times, "End of discussion, Jaena," come from my mouth. And this was when Jaena was only three years old!

At five, she told me that there was no such word as "muffler" and that she was smarter than me. At FIVE!

Today though, she has turned into a polite, loving, respectful 16 year old. I'm not sure how or when. Maybe I did something right in the discipline area. I know there was a lot of disciplining done in those younger years. She didn't let me slide on anything.

One of my favorite things is listening to her play the piano or guitar when she thinks I'm not listening. She has a talent, a gift. And it makes me happy to hear her using it.

She's gone through some hard things in these sixteen years. stitches on her birthday, repeating first grade, not making the cheer squad in high school. But these things have all made her a stronger person. And that is a lesson I needed to learn too. Protecting a child from pain makes them weak. Every hard experience strengthens. And she's a strong, independent, responsible sixteen year old.

I only have three more years with her. NOOO! How do I stop time?

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Mom Memories, Part VIII

My last memory is of books. Mom was always reading a book, and most of the time it was the Bible. Thank you Mom for instilling the love of reading in me, especially those Women’s Missionary Society books that opened the world to me through reading about the lives of Christian missionaries. One of the hardest parts of this illness, Alzheimer's, for my mom is her inability to read. She has been robbed of one of her greatest joys. But Dad reads the Bible to her and they listen to books on CD together. One of the best pieces of advice my mom gave me was that when sleep won’t come, when your worried about something, read the Bible. She says it always calms her spirit. I know my mom’s desire is the same as King David’s when he said, “Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word.” 

Monday, May 24, 2010

Mom Memories, Part VII

We’re sitting in a car and Mom encouraging my Dad on the way home from a church visit. My mom has the gift of encouragement. She knows how to make you feel loved and important. I’m sure my dad would not be the man he is today if he didn’t have my mom there encouraging in every step he took. She was an encouragement to so many pastor’s wives too. I remember listening to her conversations with tired, hurting women. Mom is a quiet woman, but when she speaks it is always to say something loving or helpful. She does not speak mean or critical words about others. My mom lives out Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Proverbs 31:26 says, “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”

Friday, May 21, 2010

Mom Memories, Part VI

I’m kneeling by the couch and Mom is softly starting to cry as she prays to end our morning devotions. The last thing before leaving for school or church on Sunday was devotions. It was as much a part of the morning as breakfast and the brushing of teeth. And it is where I learning to give my day to God and ask for His leading each day. It’s also where I learned to pray, and especially to pray for others. I’ve heard probably every person in this church prayed for at one time of another. My parents believe in prayer and live a life of prayer. We prayed before leaving on trips, when we finished a visit at a person’s home or hospital room, when the car wasn’t running well, when we saw an accident, when someone was sick, and the list goes on. Talking to God was as normal as talking to each other. And my mom’s prayers were and are so very tender and full of thanksgiving to God. James 5:16 says, “…The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” I know God answers prayers because I’ve heard and seen the results of the prayers my mom has prayed through the years.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Mom Memories, Part V

Mom is rubbing my face during a migraine, placing an ice pack on my forehead and later, the taste of a grilled cheese sandwich and chocolate milk after I wake up. I had horrible migraines from the age of five on and my mom knew how to take care of me. She taught me how to feel empathy and compassion for the hurting around me. Some of my most vivid memories of my mom were when I was in the most pain. I saw her selfless love for me as she made sure rooms were dark, the house was silent and I had all I needed to get though the pain. It is because of her demonstration of such care, that I am know how to help my own daughter’s through their migraines, broken legs, and wounded hearts. 

Monday, May 17, 2010

Mom Memories, Part IV

We are standing in a room folding sheets together, holding carefully to each corner. Some of my favorite times with my mom were the days we spent at the campground cleaning Shepherd Hall in preparation for camp. She taught me how to fold a sheet perfectly, even a fitted sheet, how to organize a storage room, how to sweep, dust and clean sinks, toilets and showers. But most importantly, she instilled in me the joy in doing these services for people who would never realize you did it for them. She taught me to have pride in a job well done, especially in a job done for someone else. (Somehow cleaning my own room was never as fun as cleaning a dirty bathroom in a dorm. It’s still that way today.) Proverbs 12:14 says, “From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man’s hand comes back to him.” There is no greater joy than serving others.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Mom Memories, Part III

Dad, Mom and I are standing in the hot kitchen canning green beans. Another important lesson my mom taught me was the value of hard work, to keep at it until it was done, even when it’s a hot, hard and miserable job. It was important for me to recognize the joy in hard work and the benefits that a few hours of work can have throughout an entire year as we sat down to eat each night.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Mom Memories, Part II

I hear Mom softly singing of “In My Heart There Rings a Melody” as she dusted. I Chronicles 16:9 says, Sing to him; sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!” Most of the time the only sound in our home was the sound of Mom singing her praises to God while working. (I’m not sure that is the same memory my siblings have. It may have been that Mom was just happy that now there was only one child’s voice to break the silence, instead of a houseful of noisy, fighting kids.) My mom also taught me the value of having the television on only when watching a show, so that the rest of the time can be spent appreciating the silence that allows one to hear God’s voice.  



Monday, May 10, 2010

Mom Memories

Yesterday was Mother's Day and my mom's church recognized her as 2010's First (Church's) Mother of the year. I couldn't get there for the celebration so I wrote something that they read to her. I'm going to share it in my blog over the next few weeks as a way of honoring my mom.


See I was a "surprise baby." Mom was 40 and Dad 41. The story is that on the way to the hospital Dad kept muttering, "I'm 41! and we're on the way to the hospital!" I think he was in a little bit of shock about the whole thing. But they were, and are, the best of parents. They had four other children to perfect parenting on and I was the beneficiary of all that amazing parenting knowledge.


So...these are some of the memories I have of my mom.


I hear Mom softly singing of “In My Heart There Rings a Melody” as she dusted. I Chronicles 16:9 says, Sing to him; sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!” Most of the time the only sound in our home was the sound of Mom singing her praises to God while working. (I’m not sure that is the same memory my siblings have. It may have been that Mom was just happy that now there was only one child’s voice to break the silence, instead of a houseful of noisy, fighting kids.) My mom also taught me the value of having the television on only when watching a show, so that the rest of the time can be spent appreciating the silence that allows one to hear God’s voice.  

Saturday, May 1, 2010

My Exciting Book Find

I was so excited this past Thursday, figuratively jumping up and down in the library. I found a book I'd been wanting to read for about a year now at my local library's weekly book sale. And I only had to pay $2.50 for it!

My hunt for this book takes a winding path. Follow along. The local book club (which sadly no longer existed because of library budget cuts.) read a book by Anne Patchette titled, "Run." I fell in love with Anne's writing and read several more of her books. One of those books was a memoir about her friendship with a fellow writer, Lucy Grealy. Lucy had cancer as a child and had to have several reconstructive surgeries on her face throughout her short life.

Lucy wrote the book, "Autobiography of a Face," the book I'd been searching for and finally found. I'll review the book for you when I'm finished. So...wait for more to come.