Mom\u2019s Day is this Sunday.<\/p>\n
In honor of the moms out there: to the ones with children of their own and the ones who mother other people\u2019s children, Thank You! The world is a better place because of you. This is a tribute to some of the moms that have corralled, guided and loved me over the years.<\/p>\n
I am blessed to have lots of moms.<\/p>\n
First there is my mom. She\u2019s dynamic, smart and beautiful. She can hold your attention with her life stories (which are many), shows me up on a dance floor and creates memorable experiences for everyone she meets. Her gift of hospitality is unsurpassed. She lives in England, so our mother-daughter talks are over a cup of tea via Skype.<\/p>\n
I have a step-mom. She\u2019s the glue that holds my dad and our family together. She is intuitive, incredibly creative (an artist really) and makes everything she touches beautiful\u2026and is she a good cook!\u00a0\u00a0She\u2019s one of the most giving people I know. Her gifts come through her craftsmanship and service to others.<\/p>\n
Then there are all the other people who\u2019ve mothered me along the way.<\/p>\n
There was Leanne, a girl I barely knew in the 6th<\/sup>\u00a0grade, who saw that I was sad at recess one day. She asked me what was wrong and listened to me. From then on, she\u2019d check in on me and listen when I needed to talk. Those tumultuous days in junior high were softened by Leanne\u2019s kind and generous spirit.<\/p>\n By the time I entered college, I was ambitious and determined. Independence was the measuring stick I used to determine my success.<\/p>\n Then\u00a0I met Olga. She lived across the hall from me and would later become a roomie. Olga possessed an inner peace that drew me to her\u2026a centeredness that I didn\u2019t know existed, let alone needed. Her friendship and blessings were a welcome respite in my world of striving. She connected me to a community of young women I have loved since then.<\/p>\n Cathy (a friend of Olga’s) soon entered\u00a0my life. Her Irish Catholic grit was not well received at first. But nothing says I love you better than, \u201cGirl, you can do this. It\u2019s a mind game. You can do this.\u201d She has been relentless in calling and encouraging me over the past few years. I pity the person who says, \u201cI can\u2019t,\u201d to Cathy.<\/p>\n As a young mom, Marybeth and Georgina filled a gap in my soul; they\u00a0took my hand and said, Let\u2019s pray.<\/p>\n Alena, who is like a sister to me, has been there for me since day one. She consistently shows up. She may not say a word or have words for me, but her presence is strong and she knows my heart. Her brand of support is abiding and serving to a fault.<\/p>\n Carole entered my life more recently. She is one of the most nurturing people I know. She has encouraged and cared for many, many friends over the years. I was the beneficiary of that love when my marriage frayed. Carole literally \u201ctook me in\u201d when I was lost and thought I had nowhere to go. She let me drop my bags at her place, without question, without condition and without judgment–something I desperately needed. Carole is a soft and loving woman \u2013 now and always. Everyone needs a Carole in their life.<\/p>\n There are so many more women I could tell you about\u2026 these are just a few.<\/p>\n Then there are the men who’ve taught me so much about love.<\/p>\n I know many men, who are better at comfort and support than their female counterparts. They are more intuitive, sensitive and caring.\u00a0\u00a0Some may call that feminine, but that’s just not so! I have come to believe that mothering is not a feminine quality \u2013 it\u2019s a godly quality.<\/p>\n Think about it: God wants us to develop into the best version of ourselves; God wants to protect us from harm; God loves us even when we are unlovable; God wants us to hang out with awesome people who are good for us, not jerks; God wants the very best for us and is willing to sacrifice for us.<\/p>\n That\u2019s what moms do.<\/p>\n And dads.<\/p>\n And friends.<\/p>\n And good pastors.<\/p>\n And caring bosses.<\/p>\n Mothering is not a job for one person. It really does take a village. It took a small army of amazing people to help me become the person I am today. I am incredibly grateful my all of my moms, starting with the one who gave me life.<\/p>\n On Mother\u2019s Day, remember the village that\u2019s helped raise you. I am sure, if you pause and reflect, you\u2019ll see a long line them. \u00a0Thank them, whether they are on this earth or on to the next. And please remember to pay it forward.<\/p>\n The world desperately needs you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mom\u2019s Day is this Sunday. In honor of the moms out there: to the ones with children of their own and the ones who mother other people\u2019s children, Thank You! The world is a better place because of you. This is a tribute to some of the moms that have corralled, guided and loved me […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1467,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,24,23,32,1,33],"tags":[108,65,107,114,115,109,37,105,103,102,101,104,106,113,112,111,110,116],"yoast_head":"