When I think of Mother’s Day and what it means to me, I can’t help but think of my Mom. My Mother is determined, passionate, and faithful.
Determination should be her middle name. My Mother is the oldest of nine children. From a young age, she had responsibilities most of us would never have until we were much older. She cared, loved, and nurtured for her younger siblings. In many ways, she was an extension of her own mother. She did not grow up in a wealthy home and quickly learned what it meant to put food on the table from her father. Listening to my Mother talk today, I know she witness determination and sacrifice from him. My Mother had and still does have a deep connection to her father. Her Dad’s influence on her life is evident in the woman she is today. Mom, Grandpa is so proud of you. You once asked me, “Joy, do you think he’s looking down on me today?” I said yes then, and I’ll say it again today. “Yes, Mom! He sees you. He’s cheering you on from above!” My Mother pushed herself to be the best she could be with what she had. She’d always say to me, “Joy, I don’t care what deck of cards were given to you. I don’t care if you have been kicked down to the ground. If you still have blood pumping through your veins you keep on fighting. You can fight through anything. You push yourself back up and you dust the dirt off. ‘I can’t’ is not in your vocabulary. Look at your hands, Joy. What do you have in your hands right now? Start there!” Did I mention she is a warrior too?
You can’t talk about my Mother without talking about her passion. My Mother’s passion inspires me to explore my own interests and talents every day. After my Mother graduated from high school she married my Father. They were high school sweethearts. My Mother’s love and support for her husband helped provide for his dental schooling before they began the journey of parenthood. When my Mother loves something she puts her whole self into it. My Mother’s passion for my Father was always evident to me growing up. She saw the potential in my Father. She was his biggest cheerleader. She stood beside him through thick and thin. The woman would do anything to keep her marriage together. Their love for one another produced ten children. I am honored to be called one of hers. Growing up, however I wasn’t always sure of this. Let me explain. As most children do, I went through an awkward stage where I was embarrassed of almost everything about myself. I was embarrassed at the vehicle my family drove, a 10-passenger van. I swear people knew it was us before they even saw the white van come around the corner. I was embarrassed when people would ask me, “so is your mom pregnant again?” Or when they’d ask, “so what number in your family are you?” Or, “can you resight your siblings’ names again?” As a girl of 14 with pimples on her four head, interactions like this made my skin crawl with anxiety. I wanted to hide in a hole never to return. What I learned from my Mother, however, is that other people’s perceptions and reactions towards us do not matter. Their reaction is their own choice. And the reaction we have is also a choice. She knew who she was and what she wanted out of life. She was passionate about herself and her future. She’d remind me of the following, “if someone looks at you weird Joy, who cares. What they think of you doesn’t matter. It’s what you think of yourself.” It’s funny because I almost had this same conversation with my son recently. He was concerned about what other people thought of him. When I responded I could hear my Mother’s words. I thought to myself, “I sound just like Mom!” And then I smiled.
Faithful to ourselves in all areas of life; this is a big and difficult goal of mine. My Mother understood the importance of faithfulness. I believe she learned this discipline at a young age. Like I mentioned earlier, my Mother grew up in a household where you received what you earned. Nothing was given for free. If you wanted something you needed to work for it. My Mom would always tell me stories about how her father provided for their family. Her dad never graduated from high school and yet he built from the ground a successful construction company. He worked tirelessly for his family. She would tell me about a time when she looked at his beaten hands while he ate his dinner at their kitchen table. Weathered and worn, his hands spoke of a man determined to provide for his family. His faithfulness was evident through the scares and bruises on his hands. Her father’s faithfulness to her mother and siblings paved the way for her own faithfulness. My Mom would tell us stories of grandpa taking out his leather-bound Bible every evening. She’d say, “It didn’t matter what we had going on that evening. We could have a big game we were playing in or plans with friends. He would make sure we stopped to take time to read the Bible together.” Regardless of what was happening in their lives, my grandpa made sure to make time for Jesus every day. He’d say to her and her siblings, “you can read a lot of books in your life, but this book right here reads you. This is your compas through life.” Not only was he faithful to family and work he placed his relationship with Jesus Christ first. My Mother is a living example of this to me. Regardless of what life throws at her, she places her faith in Christ first. In happiness or sadness Jesus receives the praise. Her faith is what has carried her through it all. Determination to serve her Heavenly Father, passion for the life she has been given, and faithfulness to herself sums up the woman I am proud to call Mom!
Mom, thank you for being your authentic self. Thank you for sharing with me stories from your past. Thank you for encouraging me even when I didn’t deserve your support. I love you for who you were. Who you are today. And who you will be tomorrow. Because of your influence in my life, I know I can withstand anything life throws at me. Happy Mother’s Day!
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