mother's day

just for the record.. i think i have the best mom in the whole world..

i know a lot of ladies.. yet i can't imagine what it would be like to have a different mom..

my mom is incredible..

but the word "incredible" doesn't really do my mom any justice though..

it is amazing to me that there was once a time in my life that i didn't really like my mom.. i thought she was way too hard on me.. that she didn't really understand me.. and all sort of other nonsense.. (in reality.. she wasn't hard enough on me.. and she understood me better than i understood myself) but over the past few years.. i've begun to see my mom in a totally new light..

ESPECIALLY in the last 2 years.. since her health began to deteriorate.. and she began the agonizing process of tests.. blood work.. doctors' appointments.. and constant research.. all in the attempt to figure out what illness was wracking her body with so much pain.. and she is still searching for the answer..

in that time.. she has blossomed into an incredibly Godly woman.. i'm sure that my mom was always a Godly woman.. but it seems that in her pain she has been driven to her knees in prayer and in seeking God for His strength and wisdom.. every morning i wake up and i can hear her doing her devotions.. she has a few preachers that she listens to on a regular basis including James MacDonald whom she likes to play quite loudly .. i always seem to go off to work in the morning with the theme of "Walk in the Word" stuck in my head :)

maybe it was because i just didn't take the time to actually talk to my mom before.. but now i love to talk to her.. when she asks me to come with her on errands.. i go because i know it is going to give us opportunity to talk.. i love to talk to my mom because she always turns my focus back to Jesus.. but not only from talking with her.. but from the notes of encouragement she will leave hidden for me.. and the Bible verses she shares..

i love how my mom makes it well known to us, her children, how much she loves my daddy.. and how she goes out of her way to think about him.. and get him little things that he will enjoy.. and how she is always building him up in our sight in the way she talks about him and serves him.. she has set a marvelous example to her 5 little girls on what it is to be a Godly wife..

my mom also loves to have a good time :) and if you put my daddy.. and my mom together.. and throw a couple of other random ingredients in there.. a marvelous time occurs.. my mom and daddy love to laugh and once they get started.. we all laugh until tears are streaming down our cheeks and we are rolling on the floor.. begging each other to stop so we can breathe..

so.. i really do think i have the most incredible mom ever..

there are so many aspects of my mom that i love.. her passion for Jesus.. her servant heart.. how she doesn't just see a problem.. but she always comes up with a solution.. how she puts 110% into everything she sets her hands to.. how she faithfully teaches my sisters and brother.. not only academics but character and Godliness.. how she loves my daddy with everything she has.. how she always has a listening ear.. a word of encouragement.. and a prayer on her lips..

she has set a great example.. one that i hope to live up to someday..

i love you mom !!