Lessons I Learned from My Strong Heritage of Faith
In case you are unaware, Mother’s Day is this coming Sunday. Some of you already made significant plans to celebrate your mom. Others of you are in a slight panic as you mentally contemplate your week and also how to best honor your mom.
Celebrating Mother’s Day
I have no big plans for Mother’s Day this year. In the past, I would be finalizing my Mother’s Day sermon and wondering if I have time to shop for a new outfit. In addition, I could be scheduling a dinner with my son, while also waiting expectantly for something from my daughter to arrive in the mail.
For the past six years, I haven’t carved out time to create a special card for my mom. I don’t go online and scroll through flower arrangements to send to her. My mom now spends her Mother’s Day celebrating eternity in the presence of Jesus.
My Mom and Grandma Lucille
I’ve missed my mom more this past year than I have in the previous years. So much has happened in my life, so many changes, and I want to share them all with her so badly. She would be thrilled with my sweet Pastor’s husband new position. In addition, she would be an excellent source of encouragement, wisdom, and prayer support for us as we navigate our new life.
My mom was an amazing woman of faith, just like her mom, my Grandma Lucille. For years, I wanted to be just like my grandma. She was smart and spunky. She made me feel so special, as if I were the only grandchild even though I was one of eight.
I recently searched for a document on my computer and came across what I shared at my mother’s funeral. As I reread what I wrote, and as I thought about my mom, I realized she was a lot like Lucille. She was smart and spunky. And she made me feel so special, as if I were the only child even though I was one of five.
In honor of my sweet mama, here is what I shared at her funeral. Only a few of you knew her personally. Another small group of you met her at some point. However, most of you never knew my mom. She wasn’t perfect, but she set an outstanding example for me of a godly woman.
Words at My Mother’s Funeral
I think if my mom knew I was the one sharing family memories at her funeral, she would’ve left me some guidelines.
My Mom the Professional
I asked my sister what word she would use to describe my mom. She gave a great word: Professional. I’m not sure that’s the word I would choose; however, her word is spot on. I was always immensely proud of my mom and what she did. As I got older, I rattled off her accomplishments like I was name-dropping.
When I was little, I assumed all moms worked. However, I evidently experienced some trauma in my young life by having a working mom. My mom told stories of an early elementary paper I wrote that mentioned “someday my mom will stay home and bake me cookies.”
My sister Beth and I went through many things my mom had kept. I came across a booklet of coupons I had given her one year for Mother’s Day. One of the coupons said, “I won’t feel bad when you leave.”
Having a working mom also came with wonder. She had fancy formal dresses that came out every Christmas for a work party. In addition, her closet was filled with Pendleton suits. I remember shopping with my parents when they came to visit my sweet Pastor husband and me. I watched my mom look longingly at every Pendleton suit she came across.
My Mom as Mom
My mom also did what all moms do. She worked at giving us a home where we felt cherished while living within the boundaries of budget and time. I remember Christmas stockings with a can of olives for my brother, Rob, and M&Ms for each girl; directions to put the tinsel on one strand at a time; and making nutmeg log cookies. I remember pumpkin bread as gifts for teachers and friends, Easter Sunday pictures, hamburgers and baths every Saturday night, Sunday morning devotions, choosing our birthday meals and my parents kneeling by their bed every night praying for each of us by name. Plus, my parents attended more sporting events, plays, and band concerts than one can count.
My Mom as Patricia
There were moments when we caught glimpses of my mom as a person and not just our mom. At one point, we found a picture of my mom from her college days in a halter top! My sisters and I mentioned that picture often through the years as we tried to push the boundaries of what we were allowed to wear. I remember a picture one of my siblings took of my mom relaxing on the kitchen counter chatting on the phone like she was a teenager.
We went to church family camp every year and we could hear mom’s laughter from one end of the campground to the other. For my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary she requested we all gather in the mountains for a vacation. One evening we all went to drive go-carts. Along with the go-carts there was a big slide. Both my parents climbed the stairs and raced laughing all the way to the bottom.
My Mom as My Cheerleader
I also remember those moments that told me my growing up was hard for her. The day I turned sixteen my sisters took me to get my license. When we got home, I said I had an errand to run and off I went on my first solo run. My mom came home, asked where I was, and exhibited sad mother panic because her baby was growing up without asking her permission.
I was the mascot in high school. For several years, I stored a large papier mache hawk head in the corner of my bedroom. The last time I wore the costume, my mom sent me flowers with a note that told how she would miss seeing the hawk head in the corner of my room.
My Mom Through My Adult Eyes
I remember vividly the day I left my mom for college. I was blissfully excited and blind to what my mother was feeling. As I look back now with the eyes of a parent, I can see my mother’s sadness as she stood under the light of the doorway.
Some of my strongest memories of my mom came after I moved out of the house. For years, each of us got a letter every week. She wrote them Sunday afternoon and mailed them Sunday night on their way home from church. She often sent newspaper articles and cartoons that fit where we were in that stage of life.
At some point, she moved to emails. If I didn’t respond quickly enough, I would get emails that would ask: Are you dead? I admitted to her I often waited to respond to see what snarky email she would send. I recently came across an email conversation she and I had when I requested her meatloaf recipe.
Wisdom from My Mom
“Read your e-mail when we got home from prayer meeting last night…I crawled into bed and went to sleep praying for you. This morning, I couldn’t help but think, wouldn’t it be nice if you could wake up in the morning without a care in the world and everything running smoothly? Then, you could do whatever you wanted and just thoroughly enjoy the day. But I guess life isn’t like that and the world is full of people who are discouraged and despondent and facing serious problems. The only thing different for us is we have the Lord.
“Wish I had answers for you but obviously we don’t. You will just have to wait on the Lord to show you His leading. We will be praying with you as you seek that guidance… don’t be in a hurry until the Lord makes it plain.
“I know how you must be hurting and I wish I were there to give you a hug. If I were wealthy instead of so good looking, I would send a plane ticket for you to come for a visit. It’s times like these when you wish you could take away all your children’s hurts and trials. But if I could do that there would be no stretching of faith or growing…Are you familiar with the song ‘He’s been Faithful, Faithful to Me’? That’s what you hang on to.
“God knows where you are and He knows the future and what’s best for you. I can say without question, that when God takes away one thing and changes our plans, He ALWAYS has something better in store for us. We have proved it over and over… Just keep trusting and follow His lead.”
My Mom, A Godly Woman
This week in my quiet time I read Romans 12:1 and I realized it describes my mom perfectly. “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God: this is your true worship.” (CSB)
Several times over the 7 weeks I spent with my mom in September and October I heard her say she didn’t want to fail God. This week I realized it wasn’t said out of fear. My mom was so aware of how good and faithful God had been to her over her entire life that she wanted to live out her worship of Him in a worthy manner.
Blessed by My Heritage
I am grateful for the impact she has had and will continue to have on me throughout my life. She lived out what it looks like to walk with God. I am blessed beyond measure.
My mom taught me many lessons about life. However, as I think about my mom, I am grateful I am smart and spunky just like her, just like Grandma Lucille. God gifted me an amazing heritage of faith and commitment to the ones God places in our lives.
In addition, both Grandma Lucille and my mom, were content to be who God made them to be and to live wholeheartedly where God placed them. Neither had an easy life, both endured great sorrows. I want to celebrate and continue the heritage God gave me.
We Must Be the Example
I don’t know about your family, your heritage. I do know God placed people in your life who reveal His love and character to you. God allows you to witness the faith of others as they live life at its best and worst.
There is great benefit in making the time to identify the lessons you learn from others. God blesses each of us with examples who teach us how to fully live. Then, in turn, we are the examples for someone else. May we be who someone else needs to see the love and grace of God.
