I come from a long line of dedicated mothers. Those ancestors have passed their devotion to the craft on to their daughters and so on and so on. Being a mom is probably the most wonderful experience a woman can have. At the same time, the occupation is filled with hard work, putting up with dirty diapers, scrapes and scratches, visits to the ER, the bringing home of various critters and, most importantly, not knowing what to do. The last one is so typical for all moms. I think not knowing what to do applies especially to these women who make sacrifices every day. Those who put up with complaints about cleaning their rooms – those who don’t fully appreciate what you’re doing to meet their needs before your own – those who make mistakes and fall down along the way. A mother is the first face your child will probably see when it breaks into the world. They will fall in love with you almost immediately. Most moms feel that way.

We don’t always tell you how much we love you. We try to show rather than tell. We pray a lot for you. We also pray that God will guide us through this process. There are times when we feel unappreciated, overworked, down in the dumps and downright failures at the job. Our minds quickly change when we’re bestowed with a bouquet of wilted dandelions, or a watercolor painting of the same wilted flowers. Our hearts jump for joy at your successes. We cry with you when you don’t get that part in the play or miss getting on the team. Our tears are often blended with yours.

We see the result of our handiwork, not while we’re doing it, but much later on, when you’ve grown up and have your own life away from ours. We see success when you become an adult and show love to others or when you give of yourself because you love someone else. You then become a reflection of what has been instilled in your life all along.

Being a mom is one of the greatest responsibilities ever. You honor her with your love, with what you become, how you face the truth of living in a broken world, how you place your trust in God when you just don’t know what to do. As I look back at mothers, grandmothers and forward to the next generations, I am confident that what was placed in those little hearts so long ago will go on and on and on.