“…A woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.”

Proverbs 31:30-31

When I reach deep into the recesses of my memory bank, she is there. When I decided to run away from home because I didn’t want to go to bed, she was the one who encouraged me to go ahead. And she was the one waiting at the door laughing when I returned quickly after being frightened by a “boogey man” in the front yard.

When I think about all the times I have messed up, I remember her. I remember the day I dropped a cake that she had laboriously decorated for a school bake sale, how terrified I was to tell her it was ruined, and how she never raised her voice, never made me feel like a failure.

When I think about all the times that I have succeeded, I see her there. I remember how she studied and prepared for her college classes and how she taught me, by example, the kind of courage it takes to pursue a dream.

When I think about some of the deepest pains in my life, I remember her, how she came to get me in the middle of the night, me—an “all grown up” love-sick college girl crying in my dorm. I remember how on the worst night of my life so many years later, she was there right by my side.

When I think about my faith, I hear her. I remember how she sat and prayed for my salvation and how she patiently answered my questions and helped lead me to the Lord. I remember how she always encouraged me to always study God’s word for myself, to seek His will for my life, and to follow Him in all things.

When I think about family, I thank God for her, my mom, who has taught me that family isn’t just a matter of blood, that it’s more about who you love, and that love is best demonstrated through what we do and not what we say.

When I think about home, I think about her, creating a place where the door is always open and the fridge and cupboards are at your disposal, where it’s OK to tuck your feet under you on the couch or to curl up and take a nap, where you are welcome to just be you.

Our family is unique in many ways. We gather not out of obligation but because we genuinely enjoy each other’s company. We don’t just know about each other, we know each other. We sincerely do life together. And we learned how to do it from mom.

I am so thankful for a mother who demonstrated for her three girls the life of a Godly woman, who through her words and actions modeled for us strength, courage, fortitude, love and faith. I am thankful for a mom who gave us the ingredients for successful lives and families of our own and continues to support us through every phase, stage, and season—the good and the bad, the celebrations and the sorrows.

Thank you, Mom, for always being here for me, for the wonderful example you have set for me, for all you have done and continue to do for me. I love you more each day that I live.

Happy Mother’s Day!