Mother's Day //

Emotionally this feels like a tricky day for me, as I know it might be for thousands of other women who have lost children and/or are struggling with infertility, and for children who have lost mothers.

The writing of this post has been in the back of my mind all week as Mother's Day was getting closer, as I have wanted it to be something from the heart and speak encouragement to those who might find today more of a struggle.

So here it goes...

The other day I walked onto my parents back porch and saw a fat Robin hanging out on the garage roof giving me the stink eye, and I looked up to see her nest, nuzzled in the high windows of the porch. Filled with these four stunning blue eggs.

I giggled in excitement!

Every sign of new life I come across fills me with a surge of hope.

It's really quite thrilling.

Shortly after that, built onto Bryant and I's tiny home, I discovered a house wren's nest, filled with four little white eggs.

Giddy as could be, I look for her, and the robin whenever I go near their nests.

Today, mother's day, I sat in my parents living room, the house filled with moms, dads, children, and laughter. I glanced out to the back porch, and there was the faithful mamma robin, just hanging out on her nest keeping her eggs warm.

I was so glad she was there, and as I sat back for a moment smiling oddly to myself about her "mothering", I noticed my mom in the other room, with a silly play crown on her head, telling a story, doing most of the talking with her hands, and I was filled with a surge of hope... yet again.

I admired her from a far, as well as the other moms who filled the house, these are women who know how to love and love well.

The generous kind of love, be it the shirt off their back or a word of rebuke... whatever they think fits best, the kind of love that lets you go through their cupboards and take whatever you want, but will give you "the look" if you're taking something bad for you (yet mom ALWAYS has cookies...), the love that goes to every basketball game, soccer game, track meet, play, dance recital imaginable, and is the loudest group in the room, the love that has, at any point in time, four empty beds ready for the next weary traveler or family member in transition.

The kind of love that deserves the highest of honor, but never looks for it.

The kind of love that chooses discipline, the love that speaks the hard truth, the kind of love that uplifts and upholds integrity and strong character. The kind of love that serves and gives generously, but will not be taken advantage of or walked over.

When I sit in my parents house on mother's day, surrounded by some of the mother's that my mother has raised, I feel an overwhelming surge of hope. I looked at my mom and saw her legacy walking, running, talking, yelling, all around her. She was a glimpse of glory in that moment.

I thought about how many prayers and tears she shed for each of her 8 children, for her 27 grandchildren, her great grand children, and her grandchildren who are in heaven.

I recognized that I could never thank her enough, I could never out honor her for her love, for her sacrifice, for her discipline, for her character, for her laughter, for her embrace, for her cooking, for her cleaning, for her teaching, for her nurturing, and for her strength.

She deserves so much more than just a single day, and that is true, I believe, for all mothers, no matter what part of the process they are in.

It has warmed my heart to see the posts and messages from people about mother's who have lost children and to you I want to say: you are loved, you are valued, your babies are valued, they are not forgotten, they are important, what has happened to you, what you are walking through, though it be at times a silent grief, is important, it is not a small thing. And this is what I hear God saying to you:

&thenhesaid: be strong and very courageous, your joy will return to you in full measure, overflowing.

So to my beautiful mom, my amazing sisters, aunts, cousins, friends, to the mom's in the making, and the mom's in waiting... you are a unique reflection of the heart of God that is such an honor to witness. Happy Mother's Day!