With Mothering Sunday coming in a couple of days here in the
UK, I just want to sing the praises of my dear Mom, who will be 100 years old
in August. I had the most inspiring and wonderful conversation with her tonight.
Despite her macular-degeneration-blindness and dementia-challenged brain, she
was inspired to hear about the evening of worship and preaching that I attended
in Aberdeen last night (which was awesome). We went on to share faith with each
other and she talked of the privilege of being able to offer hope and faith to
those with whom she lives in a residential home. She can’t remember any of them
so it is like meeting strangers every day, who she can’t even see, and yet she understands
that she is still, somehow, part of God’s plan and she can still, somehow,
point others to Christ.
She is an amazing role-model to me, having persevered in
faith through significant challenges and terrible tragedies in her lifetime. The
loss of her father to cancer on the eve of her high school graduation, a month
before her youngest brother was born. Tragically losing her mother not even a
decade later. Holding my sister Judy’s hand as she stepped from her cancer-ravaged
body into eternity at the age of 37. Having her only living child and all four
of her grandchildren living thousands of miles away in a different country. Quietly
and steadfastly nursing my dad during his last days, when she was 86. None of
it stole her faith, only enlarged it. Tonight, she spoke warmly of her
gratitude to her own parents for their faith and the way they lived it out
during the depression years.
We agreed that Christ is the hope of the world, and that as
the light flickers during these dark days His light in us is needed more than
ever. From the kitchen, where he was preparing the salad for supper, Don
overheard our conversation on Skype, and came and spoke to her warmly,
emotionally, of his admiration for her amazing fortitude and faith.
It won’t be Mother’s Day in the States for another two
months, but I want to celebrate my special mother here and now, while she is
still alive, still giving selflessly, still offering words of wisdom and advice.
I thank God for my dear Mom, and for the privilege it is to care for her, even
from such a distance. She won’t read this, but I trust that she senses my hug
and feels my love. I love you, Mom, and owe you such a depth of gratitude.
(Apologies for the cheesy emotions – very un-British I know.
Just had to do it while I can. And I am, after all, still American, even after
all these years.)
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