It was Mother’s Day 1985.  Relaxing that evening, after a pleasant day with  family, my thoughts turned to my mother in Georgia.  Living In Michigan I did not have the opportunity to see her as much as I would like.  So, I decided to write her a letter.

It has not always been easy for me to express my thoughts in person.

“Dear Mother,

Last night before I fell asleep I was thinking of “Mother’s Day” and how special my mother is to me.  I don’t know if I ever called you “mom” or maybe “ma-ma” at a very young age, but “mother” just the sound of it means – comfort – especially as a child only a mother can comfort when you’re ill or hurting – I’m far from being a child- but even yet when I’m sick I want mother to know and comfort.

Mother also means encourager and helper.  I remember how you helped me can peaches in Texas for a home economics project and helped me sew my first skirt.

You encouraged me to do my best.  Mother is also an example – how you endured hardships and made the best of the circumstances you found yourself in.  You devoted yourself to your husband when some would have given up.  You devoted yourself to us in so many unselfish ways.

I remember so many outfits you sewed for me – that blue shiny dress in Columbus, Georgia with lace collar (4^th or 5^th grade); a lavender sundress in Texas – the royal blue dress and jacket I wore in the Cobb County Pageant; and the prom jacket with pastel sequins (which I have kept for 20 years – never worn but just something you made – I hated to part with it.)

When I think of you I think of potato salad (no one can match – even though my sister Terry says she can!); dressing, banana pudding – I could go on and on – no one can beat my mother’s cooking.

Also – how you love your grandchildren only matches your love for us.

Just a few thoughts to let you know I love you Mother.

Love & prayers,
Pat

She wrote back a simple letter:

Dear Pat,

You’re a very special daughter, you brought tears to my eyes in the letter you wrote to me on Mother’s Day.  I appreciate all the good things you remember.  I don’t dwell on the bad things cause we all make mistakes and as we grow older we mellow and learn from our mistakes. 

I love you and have a special place for you in my heart.

Love, Mother

Now, I realize God prompted me to write this letter to my mother that May.  A simple letter but so timely as three months later my mother died suddenly of a heart attack.  I’m so glad I wrote expressing my appreciation and love for her.

And it also gave me the opportunity to hear from her.  She did not express herself very freely in person either.  So, her letter is even more precious to me. My mother valued others above herself.  She rarely complained about her struggles and forgave easily.

If your mother is still alive, please consider writing or better yet, expressing to her in person your love and appreciation.

 

Philippians 2  (NIV)
Imitating Christ’s Humility

2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.