Mom never had it easy. But, She knew what mattered most, and how things work out despite life’s obstacles.
Mom got married when she was only eighteen, and about nine months later had her first baby. About every two years after that her family grew by another child, till she had eight. That’s a lot of mouths to feed and diapers to change! A lot for one person, especially when your spouse is working twelve hours a day trying to provide for it all.
Mom didn’t have a life of leisure. She worked hard ALL THE TIME: cleaning, preparing meals for our huge family, and helping to make ends-meet. But she loved us enough to keep going with a smile on her face every day. She always had a hot breakfast welcoming us each morning, and fresh cookies coming out of the oven after school!
She was a good example… I remember looking for my mom one day. As I started to open her bedroom door, I saw her on her knees praying beside her bed. I always felt like my mom was a prophet or something… And when I asked to do something with friends She’d often say, “I don’t feel good about it.” That always made me cringe because she knew too much of what I wasn’t saying. I knew my mom was “tight” with the Lord, and that He answered her prayers, especially her prayers for us.
Growing up in a house with eight siblings was often loud and chaotic, but we always had what we needed, and life was good.
Then It Was My Turn
Years later, I was a young mom and struggling with my own little family. I called my mom and vented my worries to her. She’s always had a good listening ear! After telling her my woes, she knowingly said,
“Put the Lord first, and do what’s right. And everything will work out. He will bless it to all work out.”
She was right. And THAT has been a blessing to my family and I ever since!
Over the years I’ve sincerely tried to put the Lord first, and do what’s right. Don’t get me wrong, I make mistakes along the way just like everyone else. But my ultimate intention has always been to do what’s right. And just like my Mother said, everything has worked out. Life isn’t perfect, it gets messy and stressful at times, but life is GOOD!
Love, Juliea