A Mother's Day

Proverbs 31:25-28
She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.

Today marks another first…The first Mothers Day since Amy’s passing. As you can imagine, it’s been a rather solemn day. Please keep the kids in your thoughts and prayers as everywhere they’ve turned for the past 3 weeks, they’ve been constantly reminded of the absence of their mother. I wonder what must have gone through Vinny and Hope’s minds as their teachers had the kids prepare Mother’s Day projects and gifts over the past week or so…Today Brittany sang in church with the Youth Praise Team. As she sang, tears streamed down her cheeks, but she pressed on. I wonder if she realizes the example of strength, perseverance and servitude she provided to so many today.
Amy was a wonderful mother. She loved and cared for her children and self-sacrificially placed them and their needs before hers on a continual basis. Even near the end, her concern was not for herself as much as for her children and how would they carry on. She was a fairly strict disciplinarian and demanded a lot out of her kids, but it certainly wasn’t for her own betterment. She cared and loved them enough to press them…to challenge them to be better…to strive for their dreams and to let no one tell them they can’t succeed or aren’t good enough…also to ‘toe the line’ as it were, in order that as they grew older, they would adhere to the lessons learned through trial and error…discipline and praise. And as one by one, they leave the shelter and protection of our home, the sense of right and wrong…what’s acceptable and what should be avoided, will be instilled deep in their character. The job’s not finished, but Amy’s portion is…and I must carry on.

Vince