By My Side

I grew up with you in the home.  I watched you keep a clean house.  I watched you prepare delicious and nutritious meals.  I watched you handle wisely the money Dad gave to you, and watched you organize your shopping so we always had plenty.  I watched you do the mending in the afternoons...sitting in the rocking chair next to the window in your room.

You were there when the little neighbor boy was mean to me.  You were there to read to us after we were all in our pajamas.  You were there to brush our hair into little pig-tails every morning.  You were there to play the piano and sing with us.  You were there when neighbors popped in for a visit, and you were such a gracious hostess.  You were there to teach us hospitality.

You were there to faithfully teach us the Scriptures...around the breakfast table every morning you taught us Bible memory...you helped us memorize hundreds of Scriptures and dozens of passages. How thankful I am that you were there...you took time for the important things in our lives.

I watched you every morning through sleepy little eyes, sitting at the dining room table, faithfully reading your Bible.  Through little eyes, I watched you as you served the Indian preachers who came to Daddy for counselling.   I watched you bravely walk down the banks of the rivers with your accordion to play for the many baptisms in our missions. I watched you prepare meals and clean up after us with little or no water.  I watched you at night as you strained water through a cheese cloth so we would have enough drinking water the next day. And I watched you clean beans and rice...sometimes killing little bugs in them.... You made the best beans and rice!

I watched you get us ready for bed in Ixtapa with the light of a karosene lamp.  All eight of us had a clean bed and clean pajamas.  What a comfort it was to me to look across the room and see you there, just before I closed my eyes to sleep!

I watched you serve sandwiches and lemonade to the homeless bum whom Daddy cared so much for. He sat at our table many times and you served him as if he were a very important guest.

I watched you nurse Daddy back to health during dengue fever. I watched you clean up after sick babies...change diapers for my siblings...and wash out cloth diapers for my baby sister.

I watched you be the nurse when Dad's patients came for a diagnosis.  I watched you serve cold lemonade to unsaved neighbors while Daddy talked to them about salvation.

I watched you home school eight children.  Patiently.  Thoroughly.  Organized.  Stedfastly.

Stedfastly, You have lived your life as a missionary's wife, and now as his widow.  Faithfully.  You never quit, never ran away, never gave up, and never got bitter. Even when so many turned their backs on you...you never left. You were by our side every day. You were always there.

You were there to encourage us to reach our full potential for God's glory.

And you're still here.  Just as stedfastly and faithfully.

By our side.

I am so privileged to be by your side today.  Celebrating your life as a mother.  You've done it so well. I can honestly say there is no better mother than you.  You have loved us, in spite of all we have put you through.  You didn't let your hurt be more than your love.  Only a mother can love the way you love.  Purely. Lastingly.  Un-grudgingly.

You are worthy of honor on this day.  I praise you for your works.

I Love You.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.