Hope you enjoyed a happy Mother’s Day, former procrastinators. May the Lord bless each of you with a memory or lesson to cherish and to pass on.
My mom helped other people enjoy life. She recognized windows of opportunity to do that and stepped through them. How long will your daughter want to play with dolls? How often does a first-time event happen? How long will health hold up? She refused to delay.
There are special ways Mother brought personal joy to me. She was a “Joy Allower,” a “Joy Setter Upper,” and a “Joy Sharer” in in my life. I’m so grateful. Can I be like that?
A “Joy Allower.” My cousins and I enjoyed playing with dolls. We three girls collected little clothes, tiny dishes, and miniature furniture. Imagination and creativity reigned when we got together. Plus, we had my mom who said “Yes.” Mother would let us take over the living room, push back furniture, and construct elaborate sprawling doll houses. We used encyclopedias to create levels, candy box inserts for bookcases, etc. I once made a record player out of a toothpick box. (Must I define record player?) We’d call Mother in, explain our designs, and demonstrate our creations; she’d admire our handiwork. Dollhouse-in-the-living-room binges might last ten days. We could leave everything set up as long as we played with it. When play stopped, the day had come to clean up and restore the living room to order. Mother never rushed us.
A “Joy Setter-Upper.” Prior to my first formal, Mother arranged a special shopping trip for the two of us. We boarded the train in our town (a line soon discontinued) and rode it 40 miles to the city. My first train ride. We had a wonderful girl time shopping. We ladies ate lunch in the department store tea room. On the ride home, we opened our packages and admired our purchases. My new formal cost 20 dollars. There was a pair of long white gloves and an evening bag I still use. Mother initiated, then we were grateful and happy together.
A “Joy Sharer.” Mother delighted in our children. They were answers to her prayers. She held out on being called “Grandmother” and she got it. She beamed when she’d say of our son, “Nobody else says Grandmotherrrrr like he does.” She was thrilled to hear our daughter share Bible verses. God’s word coming from her grandchild was a deep joy.
She was constantly interested in our children, wrote them in a shaky hand, sent fun gifts, and made phone calls. She travelled to visit us when it was hard for her because she knew how much we wanted her and Daddy to be in our home. And because she wanted to be with us and the grandchildren who were two of her greatest joys.
The ways Mother helped others enjoy life brought great joy to hers.
In what way can you be a “Joy -Allower” this week, a “Joy Setter -Upper” or a “Joy Sharer”?
Leave a Reply