"Let your conversation be always full of grace..." Colossians 4:6
It has been a difficult few months. I have found myself asking "why" way too many times. I have seen serious illness all my life...my mother, my grandmothers, my grandfathers, even myself. But, there is just nothing like how I have felt during this season of illness in my daughter.
I have tried all my life to model my mother...a woman who loves the Lord and her family and does all that she does with grace. She has been through so much, from her childhood through her becoming a great-grandmother. She always reminds me, ALWAYS reminds me, that God works everything for good...and she lives by this. I wish I was more like her. I remember her sitting at my bedside after I had my stroke and reminding me gently that it didn't really matter how much I didn't want all that to be going on...it was. And how I dealt with it would be an example to my children and to so many others. I have thought about those conversations with my mom and tried to be the same strength to Christine.
I remember her telling me not too long ago that it was okay to be tired and to cry and to just let it go. She listened patiently over the phone and then she reminded me how very much I am loved, by the Lord, and by her. Just a couple of days later, I received a note from her, reminding me of this.
She always endures with grace. There have been instances where I know she was disappointed in a situation, but she just reminded whoever was struggling that the grace of God covers all situations and believing that will give us peace, and help us through our troubles. She has been a constant source of encouragement for my children, and especially recently for Christine. When Christine was born, there was no question that she would be named for my mother, whose middle name is Christine.
As I have tried to work through my own feelings, I have been blessed by my mother's "conversations filled with grace".
And each day, I become more aware of how blessed I am to have a mother who knows the true meaning of living a life of grace.
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2 comments:
What a precious encouragement that is to me as a mother. It is not that I must present myself as strong to my children but that they must see the grace of God as all-empowering in my life and theirs. I certainly see that evident in you and can't imagine Christine having a better mother than she does to help her through these difficult times. I know that we have a very limited concept of Heaven and what awaits us in eternity, but I think that it must be full of rest and health for your sweet family. I don't go a day without thinking of all of you. We're praying!
What a sweet tribute to your mother, and great reminder that God's grace is and will continue to carry us through. Hang in there! You're a great mom! Hope you have a Happy Mother's Day!
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