Mother's Day

I had the opportunity over the last couple of weeks to see both of our girls giving presentations in front of an audience… and I couldn’t help but to smile at how comfortable they were and the oratory skill and humor they employed, in order to draw in those being addressed. 

I guess having a couple of outgoing parents who were constantly in front of groups of children, youth and adults at church, attributed to some of their comfort on stage, but you know?  The more I watched, the more of their MOM I could see in each of them.  The innocent twinkle in their eyes as they laughed, the way they used different distractions as a means to adlib and bring a positive response from the crowd and their engaging smiles that kept everyone connected to their presentations.

All four of our kids are very adept with public speaking, but these recent experiences with our two girl’s was especially rewarding, as both of our daughters were extremely shy when they were young.  It wasn’t until her senior year that our older daughter came into her own and not until attending Bible college for our younger daughter. 

From the stories that Piper told, I don’t think that she was ever considered to be shy in her childhood, so while they may not have received that attribute from their MOM or me… for that matter, Piper had a special relationship with our girls that definitely shows forth today in the way that they mimic their MOM in the manner in which they carry themselves, love the Lord and reach out to others.

And speaking of MOMS… I’ve heard it said that men tend to marry women like their MOMS… and while Piper was very different from my MOM in her physical appearance, had some opposite views on many of the norms in society, and in the presentation of their faith… where my MOM was very reserved and felt it to be kept quiet, personal and clearly separate from her public life… Piper, on the other hand, was very vocal and simply lived and included her faith in everything she said and did!

But where they were both very similar, is in the way that they could walk into a room and rapidly command the attention of everyone present!  My MOM was a strong-willed Italian woman who was very outgoing, gregarious and full of fun!  Piper’s approach was more subtle but just as effective with her engaging smile, very evident, sweet spirit and contagious sense of humor!  Both of them were very quick-witted, self-confident just about anywhere they went and had the uncanny ability to make ANYONE feel welcome and loved.

Proverbs 31:11-12, 26-28 describes the Godly Wife and MOM who fears the Lord and loves her family saying,

“Her husband trusts her with all his heart, and he does not lack anything good. She helps him and never harms him all the days of her life… 

She speaks with wisdom, and on her tongue, there is tender instruction. She keeps a close eye on the conduct of her family, and she does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children and her husband stand up and bless her” (God’s Word ©)

Then in the last verse of Proverbs 31, the Psalmist concludes his admiration of the Wife and MOM by declaring,

“Reward her for what she has done, and let her achievements praise her at the city gates.” (Proverbs 31:31 - God’s Word ©)

I believe that the greatest reward that we can give to our MOM’s and the highest achievement in which to give them public praise, is in seeing their legacies, their personalities and all the lessons and love that they spent their lives giving us, in vivid display in the lives of their children… as they combine all of that with the unique and individual experience and touch of their own lives… and then, pass it all on to the next generation!

And from what I see in the active display through me and my siblings, as well as in the lives of Piper’s and my four children… and five grandchildren… My MOM and Piper can look down from heaven and smile while they lovingly view the parts of them that they see in us down here!

And I bet that you could say and SEE the same thing in your family as well… RIGHT?

Have a blest celebration of MOTHER’S DAY and joyfully keep your MOM’s light shining bright, by living your life to the fullest extent and to the brightest illumination possible!