I was lucky to have a GREAT Mom. She was a pistol! She wasn’t always easy, but she loved us and sacrificed a lot of things for us. I never saw my mother sleep. She was awake when we got up and was always awake when I went to bed. She went to business college after I started school, and had a higher GPA than I did in college. My goal in graduate school was to have the same or higher GPA than she did.
I’ll never understand why God decided to take her early. I was certainly not ready to be a motherless child, even though I was an adult. I have to trust that He knew what He was doing, that He is always good and that His ways are not my ways.
That being said, Mother’s Day isn’t easy.Because I’m NOT a mother, and because I don’t have my mother with me any longer, it makes me sad. I have some dear, sweet friends who have lost their children, and my heart always hurts for them on Mother’s Day as well. I think it must be harder for them than it is for me!
After my mom went to Heaven, my dad married again. I was not really too excited about that and I’m not really good at hiding my feelings. It’s been really, really hard to think of her as my step-mother. But Ms. Betty took good care of my daddy. She loved my daddy and he loved her – and that is good enough for me. I’m sorry I couldn’t get over myself earlier.
But, like I said earlier, God is good. I have been blessed with lots of people who “mother me.” The Ladies Auxiliary at my church has a group of ladies that take good care of me. One of them hems my clothes for me and fixes them for me when I mess them up. Another brings sandwiches to our meeting because she worries that I don’t eat supper before I come to our meeting. They all LISTEN to me. That’s the greatest thing.
I have some other ladies from my Sunday School class who take care of me as well. One lady makes me pumpkin muffins, which she knows I love. They make bows for me and make things look pretty when I can’t do it myself. They LISTEN to me and give me advice. They just take care of me.
I have another friend who is extra special. She had a loss much greater than mine. Her daughter Jennifer was my friend. We didn’t have much in common, but the first time we met, it was like that “click” when you just KNOW. She was one of the bravest people that I ever met in my life. She accomplished some amazing things. She went to heaven three years ago this August. Her mom Kathy is my friend too, which is slightly odd when you think about it. But her mom has filled an empty spot for me.
One day, after Jen passed away, her mom called me and asked me to do her a favor. She said she needed something. I told her I’d do whatever I could. She said she needed a daughter. She missed having her daughter. I told her I needed a mom. I missed having my mom. It seemed like a perfect match.
After my mom passed away, one of my wise friends told me: “It will get better. God will help that empty spot fill up. It won’t be the same, but it will be good.” You know what, he’s exactly right. I can’t replace Jennifer for Ms.Kathy and Mr. Donald. They can’t replace my parents. BUT, I can help fill up their empty spot, just like they can help me fill up my empty spots. Ms., Kathy listens to me when I’m whiney, tells me when I’m being ridiculous and just need to stop and lets me know when I’m being irrational. Sometimes she has to tell me to get over myself. I ask her for advice and help. She helps me do all kinds of things. We measured flour and salt into Ziploc bags to make dough that would turn into Olympic medals. She bought and cut straws for me for our Mother’s Day craft tomorrow. (My pumpkin muffin making friend experimented for me!) Tomorrow, she’ll help me hot glue.
Mother’s Day is all about honoring mothers. I’m thankful for Betty Jimmerson, my mother. I’m also thankful for the other mothers that God has put in my life. 