With Mother’s day coming this weekend, I want to make mention of some mothers I’ve known. These women may be the same women in your lives that impact you with their different types of qualities, all leading to strength, endurance and love.
We have our biological mothers, our step-moms, and the mother-in-law. Some of us have grandmas who became moms as well. We see a trend happening where many grandmothers are stepping up and raising their grandchilden. We even have aunts that can be a mom to us as well.
I’ve written here and there about a woman who has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, which is in now in remission, praise God! She has such a “mom personality.” She’s the kind that doesn’t judge or fix. She is the type to watch and stay quiet, yet all the while she’s praying for you and your ability to give your kids all that you can. I know that while this woman was fighting the nasty, debilitating effects of chemo, she would say a prayer for me and my children. That is strength. The strong mom.
There’s another type of mom I know who fixes. But I say that kindly. There’s not a time that I can’t call her and simply vent. She will gently ask me questions like, “Did you apologize after you said that?” Or she may say, “I did that too once and I did this or that to get over it.” This is the type of woman you’ll hear from 3 or 4 days later asking how you are after all of that? Or I was thinking about you when I heard this song, listen to it it may help. The caring mom.
I know a woman who is strong in her way of seeing things around her. She’s strong in her faith and her “giving it to God” ability. She has four grown children. Two of them she has to give to God more than the other two. I’ve seen glimpses of worry and stress she has for them over the years I have known her. I have also witnessed her to very soon give those over to God as well. She is always hopeful, always letting things go and always there to help me see the simplicity of problems that I can make HUGE. The faithful mom.
I watched a few mothers of teenagers too. I feel for these moms and I fear for my turn at it! But I will remember them and their ways of getting through these years with their children. These moms are going the extra mile, literally, driving to and from God-centered functions with their teens on a weekly basis. They are invested on placing their children in wholesome, friendly-fun environments no matter the cost to them. These mothers are the moms I see at the alter the most, going to spiritual war for their children. These are the prayerful moms.
I have heard it said there are 2 types of people. Those who stand with their families and draw a circle or hedge about them and care for them in that circle. The other type are those who stand with their family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers and draw a circle or protective hedge about them. The latter are leaders, those who can’t help but to go beyond the reach of their families, that look outside of their walls and gather in the weak, the slow, the faint. This mom is a protector and a guide. She is like a mama bird on her perch looking out around her, checking and seeking to make sure all is good around her. She has arms open wide any time of the day for all of those around and in her circle. This mom is the Pastor’s wife.
There is one other mom…the best and greatest of all. To be continued!
A New Life 