Today is this lady's birthday.
She's my mama.
I've learned a lot from the woman. She taught me to work hard for what I want in life, she taught me to always say thank you, she taught me to help with the dishes when someone makes you dinner. But of all the things my mom taught me, I think the most important one is this. She taught me to be nice. To everyone. No matter who they are, no matter if I like them or not, no matter if they have a lot of friends or are a total loner. She taught me to look for people who need a friend, to sit by people who are alone, and to always be sensitive to other people's situations. I learned all this not from lectures, but from watching her. I can't count how many times my mom stayed late at a church activity to listen to a lonely friend, offered to baby-sit a neighbor's kids, or took a struggling mom out to lunch. I've seen her weed widow's gardens, I've seen her buy and make gifts for anyone she cares about, and I've seen her quilt blanket after blanket after blanket.
When my mom was made a widow, she wasted no time feeling sorry for herself. I have been amazed since I have lived with her how much she does for others. Her life is completely devoted to service. She babysits her grandkids regularly, she starts up books clubs, she tutors boys who struggle with reading, she takes all the sickies on the street dinner. I look at my mom and think how easy it would be for her to be upset with God, to claim that her life isn't fair, and to demand that He owes her something. But instead she has completely devoted her life to other people and making them feel important. And maybe that is her gift, when all is said and done. She makes the people that she is around feel like they are loved. That they are cared for. That they matter.
So Happy Birthday, Mom.
I hope when I grow up I can be like you.
Happy Birthday to your Mom!! I love sharing my birthday with such an amazing woman!! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your Mother!
ReplyDeleteThis is so sweet! Sounds like you got a lot of her great qualities!! :) Happy Birthday to your amazing mama!
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful and so is your mum! Happy Birthday to her!
ReplyDeleteThis is so sweet! WIshing a very happy birthday to your mom!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to your mom! I'm a huge mamas girl. I have so much respect for moms, it's the hardest job out there!
ReplyDeleteWow! What a woman! Penblwydd Hapus to her as we would say over here in Wales! X
ReplyDeleteOh, that made me tear up a little! Your mom sounds amazing, doing things selflessly for others is hard and she has a gift. I hope someday when my little's are grown they will think of me at least half as well as you think of your mom.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! That is a lady truly shining the light of our Savior! I want to be like that too.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday...to a great YW leader, a awesome neighbor, mom of one of my most treasured friends...
ReplyDeleteMoms are the bomb.com happy b-day to your momma!
ReplyDeleteMy mama'a bday today, too, and like yours she is full of compassion and kindness to those in need! Must be something about November 11th....
ReplyDeleteWooHoo happy birthday to BonBon's mama!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your mom, Bon. She sounds like an amazing woman. What a blessing to watch someone so special as an example.
ReplyDeleteMade my whole day!! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to your mom, I always love when people have nothing but nice things to say about thier parents.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great lesson for you and the rest of us...Happy Birthday mom!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post. You are a lucky girl to have such a wonderful example of a mom. I love people who don't feel victimized or sad, but who go to work helping others. I hope to be more like that as I do my best!
ReplyDeleteOh, and thanks for your comment on my blog! I hope your sister feels comforted with her loss. It is so hard, but I know that it gets easier with time!
ReplyDeletehttp://chrisani.blogspot.com
Happy belated birthday to your mama!
ReplyDeletehttp://johced-ourjourneytoeverywhere.blogspot.com/
xxx