Accolades aside...

I thought about just sitting down to write all the accolades I could think about for Mother's Day.  Mom was sweet...she was loving...she baked cookies...she always wore the prettiest clothes and never lost her temper...

The truth is ... My mom was tough.  She demanded that we do what we were told when we were told.  She never let us out of our duty to church and God.  She never let us slip in our duty to family.  She was tough on me in school.  I was terrible at school.

This women was tough.

As a kid, in the summer we tended a huge garden, pulled rows upon rows of weeds and nearly got heat stroke from having to rake our giant yard in Carlisle, PA.  We canned what we took from the garden, corn, green beens and picked strawberries until either our buckets or stomachs were stuffed full. (a very hard childhood indeed).   To my mother's dismay I helped dad chop wood for our wood stove that was at one time our primary source of heat.  We had many, many hand me downs.  This is why I can't say my mom had the latest fashions.  She seemed more interested in doing what the Lord was calling her to do, than money or things.  She just did not think they were that important. We had chores that were done Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.  Each night the table was cleared, we washed, dried and put away all our dishes; the kitchen floor was swept, then mopped.  It was done right or done again.  When we got older Mom would sometimes read to us as we worked.

See, she wasn't too tough.


My mom made quick meals that could feed anywhere from 6 to 8, 9 or 10 .  We always had extra children around.  She and my dad were foster parents.  I was changing diapers for a set of twins when I was just a little one myself.  (Yes girls, cloth diapers - this was kind of back before you had that much of a choice in it). Oh the travesty, being held responsible for family at such a young age. Then before my 16th birthday she sat me down to ask what I would think about moving to a children's home, in the middle of nowhere Virginia and adding 16 more girls to our family.  What????  Do what God expected her to do when it meant leaving all we (she) knew?  (Leaving her own mom and dad.  I don't remember them giving her a pat on the back for this decision).  Because of that move, many young girls were led to the Lord through both my parents' dedication.

She was tough.

Little did this poor woman know but all her hard work and dedication to the Lord would be put to the test as she watched some of us as we struggled at different parts in their lives.  Some more than others.  Me being the biggest part of the some but...
She was tough...

Our relationship as mother and daughter has had some real ups and downs, as most do.  Today I can say my mother is by far my biggest supporter.  Our relationship blossoms from her dedication as a mother and a Christian.  With all honesty I can say, she truly is one of my best friends.  She still mothers me when I call her in bewilderment.  She still lets me know I am wrong, when I am.  She still tells me she loves me.  She still shows me what a mother should be.  In all her toughness, in all her rules, in all her Bible reading and church going, after all the chores were long done and I began chores of my own, after all her being tough, she is in the relationship with me that I want to be in with my daughter some day and in the relationship with her Lord that I want to be in as I grow.  She has the strength and toughness I want to have as I move along this motherhood way.

So I just have to say..

Mom, I love you!!  

Happy Mothers Day!