Mother So Sweet

Some of the fondest memories of my childhood are of my sweet Mother. Never have I seen or known a lady more devoted to her family than she. Oh, how she could calm my fears and make all the wrongs of my life right again. Just the sound of her voice and the touch of her hand could make even the darkest place seem brighter. Whether it was a wounded knee or a wounded heart, mother could fix it with a simple caress and a word of prayer. Daddy was our protector, our defender, but Mother was our healer. She was, and always will be, like an angel to me. I do love her so.
Mother had many responsibilities when all of her children were young and living at home. In addition to caring for the home and making it a haven for her family, she held the position of a pastor's wife--a position I know she found difficult at times. You see, Mother has a quiet personality, not at all like her outgoing husband and children. She found the spotlight frustrating at times and I remember hearing her pray quite often for God's guidance and direction. She never lost sight of the fact that she was Daddy's strongest support and his greatest asset. She took her role very seriously and, many times, said that her job was to make sure Daddy's ministry was a success. Even today, she still feels the same--Mother loves the work of God and remains a strong part of Daddy's ministerial efforts.
But to my four brothers and I she remained the sweetest mother. We all loved her so much and would do anything she asked simply because of our tremendous respect for the life she lived before us. We were also priviledged to hear her voice in prayer. Many times it was in the early hours of the morning or sometimes in the midnight hour. If we listened closely, and long enough, we would hear her call each of our names and intercede for our specific needs. How loved that made us feel! No greater gift could she bestow upon us, her children, than to hear our names fall from the lips of this dear Servant of God. In all of our heartaches and all the despairs that have fallen upon each of us, my brothers and I knew that we would make it through them all because Mother kept us covered in prayer. A true prayer warrior! A faithful believer!
I dont' believe there is anything in the life of a mother that could hurt anymore than the loss of one of her children. I have seen my mother lose, not one, but two of her sons. I will never forget the grief and sorrow that covered that beautiful face. As long as I live, I will know the sound of mourning for I heard it escape from my mother's heart--I heard it rush forth in aguish of soul and I will never be able to abolish its memory. Mother grieved inwardly and spent many hours following my brothers' deaths in lonliness and despair. She yearned for the sound of their voices and longed to hear their footsteps. Mother mourned the fact that her sons had lost their lives before they really had a chance to live. Don was taken at age 26--David passing at age 39. She mourned, most of all, that she must continue on without them. It was so heart-wrenching to watch Mother grieve while I remained powerless to help her.
In the days that followed the death of her sons, however, I saw something beautiful develop in my dear Mother. She found a way to turn her mourning into a ministry that would help others and began to reach out to women she knew who had also lost a child. She found words of comfort that only those with a common loss would know. In placing the healing balm of God's comfort in the lives of others, she began to experience it for herself. It wasn't long until I heard Mother's laughter again. I began to see her smile when I came into a room. I soon heard Mother and Daddy remembering their sons and finding healing in the memories. I asked my Mother a few months ago how she made it through those dark times. She looked at me with those lovely blue eyes, smiled and said, "I made it one day at a time, leaning on the Lord.".
My dear, sweet Mother is such a blessing to me. Through all the days of my life she has loved me so fiercely, clung to me so tightly, and never failed to bring my name before the Lord in prayer. The sound of her voice is enough to calm all my fears, set the world right again, and bring the joy of the Lord to my heart. She is my example, my teacher, my mentor. She really is my Mother, so sweet.