Happy Birthday Momma!

Today is my mom's birthday. At her request we lumped her birthday in with our Mother's Day celebration a few weeks ago. I don't like that today any more than I did 2 weeks ago. I think the actual day of birth should be special but since it was her day, it was her choice. I desperately tried to sneak in a little more celebration but she's wise to my efforts by now. She's smart like that.

Of course you know from many of my other posts how highly I value my mother. That's not to say we think alike on everything -- we absolutely don't. But we manage to appreciate our differences and enjoy spending time together in spite of them. Isn't that what relationships worth having are all about?

As I was thinking about what to post, I thought about my mom's relationship with her dad and how much different it was than mine. I did not know her father - he died shortly after my first birthday. I heard a few years ago that how a child relates to God is directly related to the type of relationship with their earthly father and this is particularly true of girls. I've mulled that over many times since I heard it and I think it's true. Since that is the case, it gives me another reason to have great respect and awe for my mom (as if I needed one). She did not have a loving, doting father on any level. His children were a means to an end for him - a few more bodies to work and provide money for his drinking habit. There was no concern, no protection, and often not enough food for them to eat. How she was able to trust an unseen God after being unable to rely on a seen father is amazing. To say he failed her miserably is likely an understatement. Yet she did trust in Christ.

She knew the father she wanted for her children would have to be vastly different than that and she chose very wisely. She married someone she knew would work with her in raising us and together they were protective of us in such a manner that we had an innocent, loving childhood. But it was never at the cost of their marital relationship. They stood together, unable to be divided by conniving kids! Much unlike most parents today, they were never so blinded as to believe we could do no wrong. They knew we were capable of anything and everything and let us have the consequences we were due. Yet they loved us through it all. Fiercely.

So to you my dear momma I say Happy Birthday! Much of who I am today is the result of your influence. I love spending time with you. I count it an honor to do the few things you allow me to do on your behalf.

Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also and he praises her. ~ Proverbs 31:28

And so I do mom. We all do. Dad did too. He was crazy about you and we all knew it.