Thursday, October 23, 2008

A Tribute!


Today I get to join my friend Jenny at Special Considerations in Thank You Thursday. Jenny reminds us that in a society where we spend so much of our time thinking of ourselves we need to stop and say thank you to those who have influenced us, helped, supported, encouraged or just been kind to us in some way. So, today I take time to honor and say thank you to someone who has influenced every aspect of my life.

As I write this I stand on the brink of a new decade in my life. I pray it is filled with peace, joy and gratefulness. I also pray that it is filled with special moments with my mom. How could I start this new season without saying thank you to the woman who carried me for nine months and has been instrumental in helping to shape my life.

Mom, if I were to write you a thank you letter this is what it would say.

Thank you! You have been a guiding force in my life as you taught me to love Jesus and hold on to Him through any trial or joy I would ever face. I remember as a small child,though dad didn't allow us to go to church, you always talked about God and Jesus and how important they are to us. I cannot remember a time in my life when I didn't love Jesus. I don't know if you realize that you made Him my friend when there was no one else. I have been able to answer God's call to ministry because you set a solid foundation in my life as I grew up. There is nothing else more important than that in raising a child.

Our home was not always pleasant growing up but you were able to raise four wonderful Jesus loving kids who, though each of us has had times of faltering, have all served the Lord in different capacities through our adult years. You now have 11 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren and I watch you tell them the same things about God and Jesus as you told us. Many of them are already serving the Lord and the others I know will follow because you again are helping to set a solid foundation in Christ in their lives.

Mom, I also want to say I know the hurt you have felt in the loss of your littlest child whom you were never able to wrap your arms around. The one who you never got to tell about Jesus. I know you have struggled with that for nearly 40 years. Your littlest child got to see Jesus before ever taking a single breath and is helping Him prepare a place for each of us someday. Mom, I pray you find peace in knowing that one day (NOT YET!!!) you will get to see your littlest angel heavenly body to heavenly body and finally wrap your spirits together. What a day that will be, when we all get to see the angel we lost.

Mom, thank you for the beautiful sun shiny day we sat out on the back patio of your home (and Ken and Cindi's) and you acknowledged the abuse I went through as a child. No details need to be shared but I will never forget that day as it changed the way I look at life now. Healing began with that acknowledgement.

Thank you for raising kids who have known how to have fun together. As I began looking at pictures this past week, I found most of them are of all of us laughing and being silly together. Many of us have been through difficult times these past few years but knowing how to laugh has helped ease the pain.


"Laughter (A cheerful heart) doeth good like a medicine." Proverbs 17:22

I could sit here all morning writing specific times when you made my life easier because of your presence but I just want to say thank you. Thank you for being my mom, for giving me life, for encouraging me in times I wanted to give up, for teaching me about God, for being faithful when it would have been easier to run, for loving through trials, for teaching me moral absolutes, especially in a world that does not seem to acknowledge that, but also loving me when I made mistakes.

You are a mom many would love to have but you are ours and I am grateful that God chose you for us. Thank you for being my mom for 50 incredible years. I LOVE YOU!!!!


Certainly Considering It All Joy,
Cindy

7 comments:

  1. What a wonderful tribute to your Mom. That blessed my heart so much!

    Hoping your next 50 years will be great!

    Thanks for asking about my Mom. She is doing well considering. She sounds quite like your Mom. I too am blessed to have such a God fearing Mother.

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  2. Oh, what a beautiful tribute to your mother! I know she will treasure the kind words you wrote about her!

    I've actually been planning on writing a Thank You Thursday post to my mother, too, and each week I get busy and it doesn't get written. (The one to my mom is going to take me a little more time and thought than some of my other posts). I'm hoping to get it written for next week. Thanks for encouraging me to do so!

    And as always, thanks for joining me in Thank You Thursday!

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  3. I am hoping the chemo does not keep me from wishing you a Happy Birthday tomorrow but if it does I just want to send a big warm hug and a special birthday wish for you. Happy Birthday my special friend.

    Love Cindy

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  4. Very touching. I love the "(NOT YET)"! I'm sure your mom will appreciate it very much. I always want to shout from the mountaintops... "Hold on to them while you can!" In an instant, they can be gone, and the memories just don't come close to the real thing.

    Great job.

    Angela

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  5. Tomorrow is your birthday.....

    I am in the decade with you.... I call it the "awesome decade"....because I believe God is going to do awesome things....

    Happy Birthday!!!!!
    Julie

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  6. Cindy,

    I just finished my post on Ms. Spirituality and realized it was the 24th so I wanted to wish you a "Happy Birthay" from someone who is more than a decade older than you.

    Pat

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  7. Cindy,
    I was so touched with your letter to me. But it doesn't seem like me. I read the obits every day that I work and always read all these beautiful things about their mothers or fathers and never thought of me having one like that, but you just did it. It was so beautiful and I will be reading it alot so I can soak it in.
    You know Cindy that I could not have raised you without the Lord at my side every minute and I don't even really know why He was there? I just know that I love the LORD and always have as far back as I can remember. So I have always believed that THE LORD raised you and loved you and put all the good in your heart and all the Love for HIM in your heart. So see Cindy I never could take credit for your Love for the LORD and the raising of my children. MY JESUS DID IT ALL. HE just just used me and I AM SO THANKFULL FOR THAT because I AM A VERY BLESSED MOM.

    Thank you for the beautiful words filled with love and understanding. Your my beautiful, filled with the LORD, Daughter.
    I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH THE LORD BLESS YOU REAL BIG!!!!!!! MOM

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Hi Friend, I read and cherish every single comment you leave! You bring Joy to my heart! Blessings, Cindy