Counting My Blessings
“Her children rise and bless her.”
Proverbs 31:28 (NIV)
It is no secret that I love books. We technically don’t have a library in our home, but I have lots of books and bookshelves scattered all around the house. Last week while looking for a book in our guestroom, I came across my Mama’s Bible. Honestly, I don’t even remember putting it there. I do remember, however, not really being emotionally ready to open and read it following Mama’s death 19 months ago. But that morning, I picked up Mama’s Bible and opened the cover to see her familiar-and beautiful- handwriting. Mama had written two verses in her Bible’s front cover page:
“The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.”
Psalm 28:7
“For the word of the Lord is right and true;
He is faithful in all He does.”
Psalm 33:4
I began flipping through the pages of Mama’s Bible and several items fell out onto Daniel’s desk. One was a picture of my family from the early 1990s. There was also a prayer calendar and a couple of baseball articles from Robert’s stint in minor league baseball. I was really surprised to find Robert’s baseball articles. I don’t remember Mama ever coming to one of our son’s games, but finding those articles in her Bible brought a smile to my face. I knew Mama had prayed for Robert.
Sunday was Mother’s Day and I had some time to reflect on the Moms who have had a profound influence on my life. My Granny Muir was certainly one of them. (I’ve written about her prayer life and hospitality here and here). Granny modeled a “Mama on her knees” prayer life and a “generation to generation” mindset. She hated family conflict and worked tirelessly to build bridges between generations. Granny’s love of family and love of cooking often intersected and gave me my own hospitality framework. By that I mean Granny truly lived a “if you feed them, they will come!” lifestyle. That mindset served me well as Bruce coached and we hosted FCA gatherings, cookouts, or Bible studies in our home. We strived to follow Granny’s example and make people feel welcome, wanted, and worth the trouble.
Beyond Granny Muir, my Mama taught me many life lessons including the following:
Work hard
Get a good education
Have a marketable skill- every Mama should be able to take care of her kids
Live within your means and be content with what you have
Be willing to draw a line in the sand and take a stand
Some things are worth fighting for; most things are not
Learn to cook
Prioritize church and family worship.
Read, read, read! Mama was right when she told me, "A good book can take you anywhere in the world."
Family is important or as Mama explained it, "Blood is thicker than water!"
I am also grateful for Mimi, my wonderful mother-in-law. Widowed suddenly at age 41, Mimi simultaneously became a single working mom with four children under 16 and the president of a family owned business. Mimi has taught me many lessons through the years about strength, perseverance and gratitude. She has also modeled aging gracefully; maintaining a love of learning; and enjoying one’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Mother’s Day wouldn’t be complete without also thanking one more Mom for her profound influence in my life. Our daughter Meredith is a Mom with three beautiful daughters. I have to confess that Meredith is a much kinder, gentler Mom than I ever was. Meredith is teaching her girls to love God; create beauty; bake; serve; cultivate kindness; and be sensitive to the needs of others. Meredith truly enjoys her children and is generous in sharing many ordinary life moments through photos and videos. Like my Granny Muir, both Meredith’s heart and home are open to family and friends as she serves and loves others well.
I am so grateful for these Moms who have shaped my life with their prayers, words, love, and lives. They served and sacrificed so that I could grow and flourish. And by God’s grace, my Granny’s prayers from sixty years ago are being answered not just in my life, but also across four generations of Muir/Evans/Hamblen women.
Who are we praying for today? And what will our children and grandchildren discover when they open our Bibles after we are gone? Will they see us pointing them to Him?
“May all who come behind us find us faithful.” Steve Green