girltalk Blog
2006 at 11:38 am | by Carolyn Mahaney
My Mother-in-Law
She raised my husband from the time he was just a couple of weeks old. Unable to bear children, she took him into a loving Christian home.
She wept with me and prayed fervently for me when we were told we would not be able to have our own children. She rejoiced with me when we became pregnant, praising God for miracles.
She prayed for my husband and led him to the Lord when he was only a young boy.
She prays for my daughter that she too will come to know Christ as her own.
She was a loving wife for decades. Faithful and devoted, an example to me of what a Christian wife is.
I wept with her when he passed away and rejoiced with her for the many memories and years they shared. Her faithfulness in all things as a wife is a trait I want to emulate.
She opens her home and displays gifts of hospitality.
She encouraged me as I took on hosting a holiday for the family and shares her knowledge with me, so I may flourish with my gifting in this area.
She does more for others with a heart of joy than any other woman I know.
She spurs me on to do the same by her example.
She raised her two children, was a wife, served the church, and was called to be a nurse.
She continues to work to provide her children’s family with little extras as they start out. Blessing us in the years that are “hers.”
She let her son go.
She gained a loving daughter-in-law and friend and student.
Kelly Cooley
2006 at 7:31 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
As I (Mandy) am sitting here thinking about my mom, my mind is flooded with so much that I could say about her. If I had to choose just one word that would best describe her, it would be JOY. My mom is a Proverbs 31 woman on every account, but when I think about her in relation to this Proverb, verse 25 comes first to my mind, “…she can laugh at the days to come.” You see, my mom is a woman of grace—her anchor, her rock, her trust, her foundation is the Lord; and her relationship with Jesus and her love for our Savior is where her joy springs from.
Three words that I (Emily) can think of to best sum up my mom’s character would be faithfulness, devotion and joy. Growing up, it was a daily routine to observe my mom rising early before the rest of the family, spending her first moments with her Bible and a daily dose of Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening. Some of my most cherished memories are of time spent early in the morning, snuggling close to my mom as she finished out her devotions with prayer, thanking God and laying her requests before Him. As years went by, it became apparent that Mom’s devotion to spending time with her Lord and Savior each morning and communing with Him truly was the foundation and strength of her life—in good times and in bad.
(Mandy) About 5 years ago, our father became ill with a serious blood disorder. The disease moved him, my mom, and my three youngest siblings out of the state and away from friends, family and their local church, while I and my oldest brother stayed at home. After about 6 months, my father passed away and went to be with the Lord. During the end of my dad’s life, as my family and I spent several difficult weeks in the hospital with him, my mom showed me what it truly meant to love and be committed to and faithful to one man. Now as a newly married woman, I am so thankful for the grace the Lord gave to my mom to love and care for my father through their entire marriage but mostly through the hardest part of her marriage—saying good bye to her husband for the final time. I am so grateful that when she could have given up, and walked away and said this is too hard, she instead obeyed the Lord, and stayed by my dad’s side and served him and loved him when he needed her most and showed me that it is possible to love and care for and be faithful to my own marriage vows and to the one man that the Lord has graciously given me—until the day when I might have to say my final good bye to him.
(Emily) I’ll never forget Mom’s response to my many questions of “why?!”—“We have to trust God,” she said. “Don’t ask why, and don’t try to figure it out, trust God. He is sovereign and He is good.” In the following weeks and months, the pain was intense. We all took turns crying and holding each other, struggling to find a new “normal” as a family. Throughout this time, my mom drew nearer and nearer to God; she had moments of despair, of not wanting to wake up in the morning, not wanting to move on with life and accept the changes that God had brought, but still each morning she devoted her day to the Lord. She drew her strength from God’s Word and each day discovered the hope in God’s eternal promises to carry on.
(Mandy) In the days following my father’s death, I watched my mom experience sorrow, and loneliness in a way that I think can only truly be understood if experienced; yet at the same time, I also watched her draw nearer to the Lord and find her complete dependence and strength and, yes, even again, new joy in the Lord more so than ever before in my life. Since then, my mom’s anchor in the Lord has only deepened and I’ve seen her grow in greater love with Jesus and consider Him the most precious treasure in her life. I’ve seen her step-out in faith and obey the Lord doing things that’d she never on her own choose to do, yet once done for the Lord, I’ve seen her experience God’s joy and favor.
(Emily) As the years have passed, bringing graduations, weddings, a grandchild and more changes, Mom’s joy increased. It has become evident to all, that her joy is in the Savior, not her circumstances, and she has chosen to acknowledge His sovereignty on her life. With open arms, she has embraced the new life and responsibilities that God set before her, all the while growing in strength and wisdom from her times with the Lord. Today, Mom exemplifies what it means to be a woman of God. God has graciously provided a job that she can do from home, so she is faithfully home schooling my little brothers and has created a warm, inviting and hospitable home. She serves in her local church and is a wise friend and encourager. She delights in her family and she overflows with joy and peace. Looking back over the years, seeing all that God has done and brought into our lives, the various circumstances, the blessings and the heartaches, the numerous changes that we never saw coming, I see my Mom, in her quiet and humble strength, proclaiming that God is faithful, that God is unchanging, and that God is good. I cannot thank God enough for her example, for giving her to me as my Mom.
(Mandy) If you were to talk to my mom now, you would hear her say in word and in action that God is good and faithful! My mom would tell you that there is much hope in the Lord and in trusting your life to Him even through the hardest of seasons. She would tell you that even though the Lord’s ways may not be understood they are trustworthy. And she would tell you that there is nothing better than knowing Jesus as your Lord, Savior and Faithful God. She would tell you that the only true source of joy in all of life springs from knowing the One who created joy for us to experience, the One who gives us abundant joy here on the earth and the One who is Joy Himself. My mom, “laughs at the days to come.”
Mandy Reel and
Emily Morgan
2006 at 4:40 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
Thinking about my mom brings tears to my eyes. It’s funny how the older I get the more appreciative I am of my mom and sometimes I wish I could really spend more time with her. As I’m writing this, she’s halfway across the world, sleeping, and I hope she would feel that love of this tribute.
We grew up in a poor family and my mom was a housewife as she did not have the level of education needed to have a good-paying job. However, she does the odd job here and there, like cutting and washing hair while us kids play around in the background. Although we don’t have much, we were happy.
I remember the times when we don’t have much and buying grapes was a luxury. She would give it all to us kids only pinching a few for herself. Although she would have to divide those grapes by weighing them so we kids would not fight over who’s got the bigger bunch. Or just letting us kids have our fill of a meal first before she has hers.
She may not have a lot of education but she knows the importance of having a good education. She would sit with us kids every night after dinner to make sure that we have completed our homework and that we read up on what the teacher was going to teach on the next day so that we understand better in class. She helps out in whatever areas that she can, for example in arts and living skills subjects.
Her faithfulness to the family is beyond words. When I was 16, my school shifted to a new building that was very isolated and the only way to get there was by private transportation. My mom will rise up early every morning just to make sure I have my breakfast and take me to school, which starts at 730am. We did not have a car and only a scooter. Even though her health deteriorated slightly due to the morning chill five days a week for a whole year and pain in her wrists due to the motion of the scooter, she never complained. All she thought about was my future.
If I were to write done each and every sacrifice that my mom made for me, it would take a long, long time. These were just a few from the top of my head. My mom does not know God personally as her Saviour yet, but she is a big reason I am who I am today. I could never thank God enough for her as my mom. I pray that one day she will accept Christ as her Lord.
Mei Lai
2006 at 12:43 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
This year, I don’t honor my mother for how she has served those who come behind her; I honor her for serving those who have gone before her. My mother’s world changed dramatically last year. In one year, my parents flew back and forth to Las Vegas and New Orleans many times to attend to ill parents. In April of 2005, my mother’s mom died and just three days later my father’s dad died. Just four months later, the flood in New Orleans resulted in my parents taking in my grandmother Cannon as well as my severely mentally handicapped Aunt. My mother was to be the primary caregiver for both. Yet in a whirlwind of airplanes, memorial services, floods, and hospitals my mother stayed the course of humble servant-hood.
The day before my grandmother arrived I remember my mother looking shocked and numb. We were packing away her dining room in order to make room for two beds and a dresser. The table where we had so many Sunday dinners was disassembled. The beloved Turkey dishes for thanksgiving were put away. Every piece of silver and crystal wrapped in paper and put in the garage. My mom would tell you that she mourned the loss of part of her life that day.
My mother was weak, but this positioned her to receive power like I have never seen demonstrated in her life. My mom fed, clothed, bathed, and cared for my 54 year old aunt with the tenderness she had for her own babies. This was amazing to behold. To compare the fear and anxiety of the day before Aunt Cathy arrived to the grace that caused my mother to truly view it as a privilege to serve this way has affected more profoundly than my mother’s example in any other area. My mother says over and over that God did this. She takes no credit, and stands amazed at the grace in her life. Part of the means of that grace was her unwavering commitment to study God’s Word and pray, something my mother has faithfully modeled in every season of her life since her conversion.
Sadly, my aunt died just months later after succumbing to a battle with pneumonia. My grandmother moved back to New Orleans recently, but has decided she will eventually live in Maryland. Even as I type my mother sits in a hospital room in New Orleans caring for my grandmother as she recovers from back surgery. My mom doesn’t know how long she will be in New Orleans, but once again God is giving her power and strength to serve her mother-in-law.
My sister and I have always called my mother a steel magnolia. She is from the south, and her favorite tree is the magnolia tree. Magnolias are sprinkled throughout her house as a reminder of her southern heritage. They are reminders to me of my mother. In the midst of intense heat, she stays strong like a magnolia. The source of her strength is not the bloom itself, but the roots of faith that dig deep to reach the streams of living water that are her source of life.
I miss you mom. Thank you for your faithful example of humble servant-hood, perseverance, and pursuit of the means of grace. Truly words will always fall short for how much I love and respect you.
The Magnolia Tree
For my mom on Mother’s Day
The Magnolia tree in New Orleans
Lifted up her limbs
Toward the heat of summer sun
Drinking daylight in.
Never do the steel blooms wither
Never do they fade
Even through the fearful flood
Her blossoms show their grace.
Her source of beauty does not lie
Within her hearty flower
But the root that reaches
For deep waters is her power
So whether the day brings blessed rain
Or blazing summer heat
The steel magnolia thrives and drinks
From a Fountain hid beneath.
Such glory does the tree display
In blossom laden bower
Passersby can’t help admire
Strength with Beauty’s power.
Laurie Reyes
2006 at 9:07 am | by Nicole Whitacre
My
only fear in writing this is that I somehow may not be able to convey
the impact that my mother has had on my life. I’m the girl I am today
because of my mom’s faithfulness to train and correct me in the ways of
the Lord. As I reflect where I could have been apart from her
diligence, I’m amazed by her love for me and awed by God’s grace that
He has poured out and continues to pour out on our relationship as
mother and daughter.
When I entered teen-hood several years ago, my eyes were opened to
the wisdom that God had placed in my mother for my life. Over time our
relationship took on a transformation that I will cherish for a life
time. My mom became my best friend. And even now as I write this I’m
brought to tears remembering all the times when she encouraged,
corrected, talked, listened, gave godly wisdom, laughed, or just simply
hugged and cried with me! It would take forever to recount the specific
instances where I know she said or did something that significantly
changed my life, but I can say her example is one of the greatest gifts
I will ever receive. She is the wife, mother, and homemaker that I
desire to emulate. She is efficient and portrays love while doing the
tasks God has set before her and one of the biggest strengths that I
see is the way she always seeks to do what will most serve her husband
(she excels at being selfless)! She is a quiet servant both in and out
of her home. She does not seek to be praised. And just as she has
affected my life, I have seen the ways she has given to others and
affected their lives as well. She seeks the Lord with all of her heart,
and I have gotten to see first hand how she relies only on the strength
of her Savior in the recent diagnosis of her breast cancer! I both
deeply respect and love my mom!
“Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also.” Proverbs 31:28
Krista
2006 at 8:09 pm | by Janelle Bradshaw
My Mom, A Woman of Notable Beauty
My counselor, teacher, biggest fan and best friend;
We posses a friendship that no conflict can bend;
She holds a high-ranking place at the true beauty prom.
Who is this person? You guessed it, my mom.
I have been struggling with the sin of not feeling smart,
But my mom advised me to look into my heart.
Time after time, she has helped me to see
That God has made me fearfully and wonderfully.
And that joy in God for how He made me is worth the fight
For a gentle, quiet spirit is great in God’s sight.
A few weeks ago my mom took me away overnight.
We had a great time and it blessed me to see,
How my mom really enjoyed being with me.
Together we fellowshipped about my devotions;
This set my mom’s excitement all to motion.
She was excited about my relationship with Him;
This encouraged me to pursue it again and again.
My mom also rarely ever raises her voice,
But she graciously helps me make the right choice.
She helps me shun the world and not be proud
But to stand for righteousness in a crowd.
Mom, because of my godly relationship with you,
I am learning to develop the beauty that is true.
And together I know we can continue this way
By relying on redeeming grace everyday.
Karen
2006 at 4:54 pm | by Janelle Bradshaw
My mom is not only a great mom; she is the best mom ever! I would never trade her for anything. She is constantly willing to change in any way that would help our relationship. She always makes it easy for me to talk to her about boys, struggles, or anything. She never makes me feel bad about thinking or telling her about guys. She never makes me feel scared to tell her stuff, or confess anything that I might have done wrong. She always says “you can always come to me about anything.”
Although we might have a very different view on style or modesty, she continually brings me back to the Lord. Just this morning she surprised me and took me out for breakfast! (I love those little surprises very much.) She printed out all of the paragraphs on modesty from girltalk and brought them with us to breakfast. We looked over them and laughed about mistakes we’ve done in the past and didn’t even realize it.
But the very best thing my mom has ever done for me is adopt me into this great family. By God’s grace I was adopted into a family that knew Jesus died on the cross for our sins. I always wonder what would have happened if my mom (and dad) hadn’t adopted me. I wouldn’t be able to praise my mom in this paragraph and I wouldn’t know God the way I do today.
My mom is always looking for a way to be a better mom to me and my two older brothers. This shows me that kids aren’t the only ones who have to ask for forgiveness all the time. My mom shows a wonderful example by always being willing to change and to grow as a godly woman and it makes me want to be just like her! I want to be the same example for my children that my mom has been for me.
My greatest memory of her is when I keep her in my room just talking about our day, or how I am walking with the Lord. Even now, she often spends hours of the night with me, talking. The fact that she homeschools us is incredible. With my older brother, Gabe, going to college next year it shows that she has been successful through one of her kids. Once she said, “one down, two to go.” Hopefully Joe and I will make it to college too! With my mom and God’s help, we can do anything.
The final best thing about my mom is that we will sometimes have “fights” about who loves one another the most. So all I can say is that it doesn’t matter if I win this contest. What really matters is that I love my mom before anything. Wow, I really love my mom. Happy Mother’s Day, Mommy
Amanda, Age 12
2006 at 12:45 pm | by Janelle Bradshaw
My mom, Warreen Iozzia, is 88 years old and lives with our family. She is wheel-chair bound from years of falls, broken bones and severe osteoporosis and widowed since the loss of my father, her husband of 59 ½ years when he passed away in 2002. She is by all accounts a remarkably ordinary woman, and one, I believe, worthy of honor.
She was the youngest of 8 girls, born to a farming family in Georgia just prior to the Great Depression. As with most during that era she grew up with a love for God and a solid work ethic, and though she was born with a condition that pre-disposed her to brittle bones from an early age, she kept busy with farm life and was expected to do her share of the chores. She contracted scarlet fever at a young age which left her deaf, and as an adult, began wearing a hearing aid. She moved to Washington D.C. prior to WWII for work, and met my father, a U.S. Marine, fell in love and married, only to see him immediately shipped off to war in the South Pacific. They spent most of the first 4 years of their marriage apart.
Once they set up a home together, they discovered, after 15 years of marriage, that her fragile body couldn’t bear nor carry a child and so, they began to pursue adoption to fulfill their desire to begin a family. Through the recommendation of a nurse and close friend and a series of sovereignly ordained events, I came into their lives as a newborn in need of a home. I became their one and only child.
Though my mom had physical limitations, she provided the most wonderful experience a child could grow up in. A stay at home mom, she introduced me to a love for learning and the arts. Books were read to me constantly and music was always played in our home. Creativity was encouraged and game time was commonplace. Though she was never able to drive and therefore, take me places, she created a world at home that was magical. Through the years, all of my friends loved to spend time at my house.
As mom has aged and her physical limitations only increased, without a doubt, her joy and love for others has more than kept pace. She has lived through the death of her husband and most of her older sisters and yet, she remains steadfast in a loving God who has cared for her. She is the most grateful person I know. Even though she relies on others for almost every basic daily need, she never ceases to say, “Thank you’” for the smallest kindness shown.
She is my hero and deserves her crown awaiting her in heaven one day.
Jeannie Harvey
2006 at 9:20 am | by Janelle Bradshaw
My mom is a great mom because she’s a very kind and loving person. She is constantly teaching me about God. She’s a great Christian to me. Mom always works hard for my family. She cooks and helps me in school and with just about everything I do. Mom has brown eyes and beautiful brown hair. She likes to hug and kiss me. We scrapbook, read, take bike rides, and shop together. I love my mom so so very much! I love to spend time with her because she is so special. Mom, your the best mom in the world. I love you!
Danielle, Age 9
My mom is the best mom in history! I am going to share a couple examples of how she serves. First, she cooks for seven just about every day. Next, she cleans the house and we learn with her. And she teaches us school and about God. I think the most important thing is she disciplines me. She has a quiet time every single morning. I know she loves me and cares about my soul and relationship with God. I can’t express how much I love my mom. I don’t know what I’d do without her! She is so special and I love being with her.
Brittany, Age 11
2006 at 4:30 pm | by Kristin Chesemore
My mom is the worthiest woman I know to honor. When I consider the life she has lived as a single-mom for so many years and the way she has sacrificially laid down her life day after day, well, I am left speechless and in wonder of how to thank such a person.
My childhood memories mostly start after my dad left, and they are filled with images of a woman who, hour by hour lived in service to her 2 daughters. She would awake every morning serving us, go to work at a full-time job and then come home to ALWAYS cook a hot meal for us. And then, if there were church activities in the evenings, off we went to drive the 30 minutes from where we lived so we could participate. This often meant she needed to find something to do, while she waited for us. I never once remember my mom ever doing anything that wasn’t in service to us and I never once remember her complaining.
Her time was not her own. Even things such as hobbies, meeting with friends, or even trying to find another husband, never crossed her mind. Simply put, her life was completely dedicated to two little girls and that clearly spoke volumes of the gospel to our watching eyes. And what’s more amazing is that everything she ever did (and still does) was done with joy!
There was a time during my early teens, when my mom was very limited in how much time she could devote to teaching me certain homemaking skills, child-training skills, and other things. It was just not possible for her, working full-time. So, in the mornings of my summer vacation, my mom would drop me off at another house – a family in the church who had young children. It was here that I learned many skills pertaining to being a wife, mom, and homemaker. She wanted me to be around them – to have the opportunity both to serve and to learn. I learned SO much, but never once was she bitter or jealous for not being able to do this herself. Instead, to this day, only gratefulness fills her heart toward this family. The skills I learned from this mother have so served me as I am now a wife, mom, and homemaker. But I know that it was primarily because of my mom’s heart for me and due to her service to me, that I could learn these things.
It was not until I was married that I began to realize the extent of all that my mom has done for me over the years. And then when I had my daughter and found out how hard mothering can be, I was freshly amazed. I don’t even work full-time and I still can’t imagine how she managed to be the homemaker and mother that she was to us. All I can say is that, “isn’t grace amazing?!!!”
Her life so testifies to the amazing grace of our Savior. Her life to this day continues to amaze me by how much she does, in now caring for her elderly mother, leading both a care group and a discipleship group at our church, babysitting for grandkids to name a few, all while still working full time. The service never ended, even after my sister and I were married. It just extended to different people and in different avenues. It all points to grace, enabling grace to do all that she does. And to a watching world, the gospel is clearly being demonstrated.
There was a quote that Carolyn mentioned in her post, “Washing the Feet of the Saints.” When I read it, I thought right away, “what a picture of my mom.” John MacArthur writes, in reference to washing feet, “The menial task of washing the feet spoke metaphorically of humility (Jn. 13:5-17). The requirement, then, stresses that a widow have a humble servant’s heart. She gives her life in lowly service to those in need.”
My mom’s life is completely characterized by giving her self in lowly service to those in need. I am so grateful my children now have the opportunity to know her as I do. I look forward to the day when my now 2-year old and baby (to be born in less than a month) are old enough, so I can point them to my mom and say, “girls, you are rich children because of the legacy your Noni has left you. Many of the blessings and the grace that you receive is in large part because of her life and the sacrifices she has made.” Even more so, I look forward to That Day, when I will be one the loudest, cheering her on, as she stands before our Lord to receive her reward. I believe she will receive one big, “well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Heather Castro
I want to honor my mom for the way she honors her mom.
In doing this, I cannot overlook the fact that my mom rises early each day (4:15am) to meet with the Lord and is active in going after her heart. Because of her faithfulness in meeting with God, He has poured out grace, in posturing her heart to serve her 84 year old mother and to lay down her life in a way that is foreign in our culture.
One year ago, my grammy moved in with my mom. This was an answer of prayer for us all, to have her closer and be able to care for her. Prior to this my mom was actively seeking the Lord in preparing her heart to serve Grammy and also to return unkind words and actions with love. As we all know, God uses whomever we live with to expose our hearts, but it is even harder when that person is not a believer. Gram is adamantly opposed to Christ and the church.
In these past months, I have watched up close the influence of my mom’s example on my Gram. When conflicts arose, Mom admitted her sin and she humbly returned to seek forgiveness. Her witness affected Grammy, such that in one instance when my Gram had done something against my mom, she called my mom at work to apologize. Gram NEVER did this before.
With all this, I have observed my mom be more aware of her failings and her impatience with Gram. Yet recently, when Grammy was asked to describe mom in one word, she chose “Kind.” And I would like to share why she would characterize Mom in this way.
After the Lord, Mom has made Grammy her utmost priority. Not that she neglects serving our church in any way, but she evaluates what she does in a new way. She amazes me in how she currently serves as a care group assistant in the singles ministry as well as leading a discipleship group of young women. She works a full-time job, has a home and yard to care for. On top of that she now cleans Gram’s suite and has taken the financial burden of the extra utility costs. She truly has laid her life down for her mom.
Every weekend she carves out time to get Grammy out of the house. For the most part it is shopping, other times it is taking off work to take her downtown to see the cherry blossoms. It can be to see a movie or going out to eat. This could be viewed as fun but it is also hard work. Due to Grammy’s arthritis she cannot walk for long periods, so it requires Mom pushing her in a wheelchair wherever they go. And this is always done with much joy and never a complaint.
We ourselves have seen the fruit of Mom’s sacrifices and labor’s in Grammy’s life. Grammy’s heart is softening. And I think, no I know, it is that she observes the Gospel being lived out before her as Mom cares for her. This is God’s common grace on Grammy and an effect of Mom’s love for her.
Kelly Plunnecke
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My Mother-in-Law
