God is in CONTROL

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

MOM

I found this picture of my Mom last week during my "summer purge project" when I tackled the photo boxes I had been filling up for years. I"d never seen this one before and it had to be one that was taken of her for a church bulletin board or directory.  It's not in clear focus -- not nearly like Bethany's digital specialty camera would do -- but it creates a softness about her that touched my heart. She was a gentle lady,  a little self-conscious -- definitely a behind-the-scenes woman.

Eight years ago today she went to be with Jesus - and as I was standing at the sink this morning, I was flooded with memories of her.

   She always loved tuna -- there I was making tuna salad -- it wasn't only tuna salad -- she made creamed tuna on toast -- tuna casserole -- I ate a lot of tuna growing up.
  She could s-t-r-e-t-c-h a dollar.  She grew her own fruits and vegetables and used them to make her own ketchup, relish, pickles, jelly, and canned all sorts of vegetables and fruits. She sewed everything for us when we were growing up --,her favorite words were, "we could make it for less."
She worked up until the last minute on everything.  I followed suit today  -- by  finishing a birthday gift last - minute, just like her.
 
She loved children and thought their antics were worth telling and re-telling.  Her 35 years of Sunday school teaching and working as a Media Aide in the elementary library gave her plenty of material.
  She could make anything grow!  I learned the names of so many different flowers from her.
 Every holiday was worth decorating for -- our house was an old small farm house -- but I never thought of it that way because she always had it fixed so nicely. She decorated for every holiday except Ground Hog Day!







She believed Sundays were all about the Lord and that you should dress accordingly.  In my childhood EVERYBODY wore hats to Church!










 She  could teach herself to do ANYTHING. If not, she took a course to learn it.  She built cabinets, just like her father before her, and taught my brothers. She took painting,  tailoring, upholstery and milnery classes.  She could crochet, stitch little houses, create clocks out of almost every thing.  Because she was always learning -- she never seemed old.


Her painting lessons created this!















  She loved to take pictures (for that reason I have so many albums and boxes of her photos to sort.  She would be proud of the accomplished photographer Bethany has become.  Terry used to tease her about the time on a camping trip she took so many pictures of the raccoons only to discover that there was no film in her camera.
  Having company was special..  She canned lots of green beans and always served them for company dinners. The aroma of green beans cooking always makes me think of those dinners she'd prepare.




  She believed being a Mom was the most important task I woman could have -- and Grandchildren -- why, her grand kids were the light of her life! 


She was my best friend and confidant.  Even as early as childhood - if I picked up a dish towel to help with dishes -- I had a captive audience and a wise listener.  Maybe that's why I ended up in the kitchen so  often -- she was always ready to hear me out.

She believed idle hands were certainly the devil's workshop,  and that busy kids were happy kids.  


These projects always brought some sort of reward!

helping grandma settle the yard at their new house.
Marshall can attest to that, as she always had a list of jobs for him to help her with when we'd visit.  You NEVER said you were bored around her -- or she'd find a cure for that boredom.  LOL 



 She was tireless in her efforts to take care of my Dad.  She believed that was her life purpose -- Together the two of them managed his Muscular Dystrophy for 40 plus years - allowing him to continue working.  We learned so much about being a caregiver from her.  


  
  She saw God as her refuge -- she read His word through several times and talked to him about EVERYTHING -- She and Dad believed it was their responsibility to pray over all of their family every day.  We always knew they were behind us, praying.

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