My Three Mothers

The rosebush in the picture today was given to me a few years ago by my stepmom. She has several at her house and rooted a limb for me. Just something about this old-timey rose bush reminds me of Mother's Day. I want to share with you today a little something I wrote for Mother's Day back in 2000 when I was writing a monthly column for a local Christian publication. It gives you just a small glimpse of the three wonderful mothers I have been privileged to have.

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Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." Proverbs 31: 10

I'd like to tell you about my three mothers. The Mother that brought me into the world was with me for only sixteen years. Then she went home to be with the Lord. But during the years she was with me, she taught me many things about the Christian life. She was the best Christian woman I ever knew. In fact, I believe that many of the blessings I enjoy today as an adult are the direct result of some of the prayers she prayed for me when she was alive.

She was an old-fashioned person. She had old-fashioned values and an old-fashioned faith in God. She was always telling me things like, "Pretty is as pretty does" and "Two wrongs don't make a right". She taught me by example to be honest, thrifty, and kind. She taught me how to sew Barbie clothes and, eventually , my own clothes. My Mama was the anchor in my life and when she died in March of the year that I was sixteen, I didn't know how I could go on with my life. Only by the grace of God did I struggle through the next few years. "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." Proverbs 31: 26

When I was nineteen, I got married. Then my new mother-in-law became my "second mama". She taught me to garden and to can vegetables. I had never done any of that because I grew up in town. She was one of the very best cooks I have ever known. We would get together when the garden came in and can two or three canners full of vegetable soup. Then she would give me half of all we had canned and keep the other half for her and her husband. But the funny thing was that I always got the half that was just not quite as good as the half she kept. :) We could eat it at her house and it was the most delicious soup I had ever put in my mouth. I could eat some of the same batch at my house and for some reason it just didn't taste the same. She just had that special touch. I have missed her the past twenty-plus years that she has been with the Lord. "She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness." Proverbs 31: 27

The year after I got married my widowed Daddy remarried. My new step-mom became my "third Mama". She has been such a blessing to me over the years and still is. God surely must have wanted to give my Daddy a special blessing when He gave my step-mom to him for a helpmeet. She has shown me how to enjoy life. Whether she is cooking for a crowd, fishing for crappie, taking a walk or pulling weeds in the flower bed, she is enjoying every minute of it. "Her children arise up, and call her blessed: her husband also, and he praiseth her." Proverbs 31: 28

I truly count myself as blessed for having three of the best Mothers a person could have. Each one of them had/have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and because of that I know I will never really lose them!

"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised." Proverbs 31: 30

I hope each of you mothers reading this have a happy and a blessed Mother's Day!

God bless you....

Marilyn