A Mom's Love

Yesterday was Mothers’ Day, which I always enjoy.  Every year it gives me a special reason to let my mom know how much she means to me.

 

We’ve always been close and even to this day I consider her to be one of my most trustworthy friends.  I can share anything with her, knowing she truly cares and will listen and encourage me when I need it most. So today, Mom, I thank you publicly for your love and continuous support in everything. 

 

I think most of us have someone (whether it’s our mom or someone else) we appreciate who’s been there for us in good and bad times.  How do you show them how much they mean to you?  I’d love to hear your thoughts. Let’s keep the conversation going.

 

 

 

 

 

Carried

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Joshua 1:5

 I followed him up the stairs, sensing something was wrong. When I got in the door, Dad was on the floor, heaving on his side, barely able to breathe. 

“Dad? Can you hear me? Dad!” No response. I tried to think straight, despite my panic. 

“Mom! Mom!  Get in here!” I called out the window. She wasn’t in the side yard.  I ran and opened the front door.

“Mom!  MOM! GET IN HERE!”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Dad.  He’s on the floor!”

 “Call 9-1-1!”

“I did!”

She and my neighbor rushed in and saw that he was still breathing. “We should put him on his back,” Sharon said. They rolled him over. Moments later, he stopped breathing. “Mouth-to-mouth” Sharon said. Then his heart stopped. “We need to do CPR.”

 “I don’t know CPR” Mom said. Sharon told her to breathe into his mouth and she pushed on his chest until his pulse returned.  They had to do it twice. The paramedics arrived, took over, and got the necessary information before they left.

As awful as that was, I can see how God orchestrated it all perfectly.  I’d watched Dad go in the house and followed him. If I’d brushed it off and stayed outside, no one would’ve known anything was wrong.  And it may have been too late by the time we did.

Sharon had come over to see what we were up to that morning. Because she was there when Dad was down, she helped Mom put him on his back and gave her a crash course in CPR. She contacted the church, so people came to the hospital to support us.

About 10 friends stayed with us in the lobby while we waited for the doctor to come out. They walked through it with us. Over the next few days, Mom and I remarked about how we felt like we’d been carried the whole time.

God’s like that.  We all go through hard times, whether they’re financial, medical, relational or otherwise.  But we don’t go through it alone.  God’s right there with us and will carry us through. The next time tragedy strikes, remember you’re not alone. Call out to God. He’ll be there.

One Step At A Time

 

Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I Psalm 61:2

Camp was always a lot of fun. For years, I went rock-climbing and rappelling. The belayer, tied into the rock at the top, was secured with specific knots to ensure safety. The person scaling the rock before the climb begins, the belayer and the climber communicate to make sure each is ready. “On belay?” “Belay’s on.” “Climbing?” “Climb!”

I began to climb, looking for and grabbed hold of handholds and footholds to pull myself up. Sometimes I had to jamb my hand or foot in a crack, secure it, and shift my weight to hoist myself up. Keeping in mind my goal was to reach the top motivated me to continue up the rock, despite the periodic scrapes and bruises along the way.

It often looked impossible because I saw nowhere to place my feet or hands. But, the belayer and those at the bottom had a different perspective and they could see the bigger picture. They suggested other possible routes for me to take. Following their direction allowed me to reach the top, eventually.

Only years later did I realize how this situation is akin to my life. Many times, I set out toward a goal and have a plan to get there but can’t do it alone. God uses people with a different, bigger perspective to help me along the way. Listening to them gives me the support I need and encourages me to persevere, taking it one step at a time.

If your goal seems out of reach, or you can’t see how to get there, look to God and seek His path for your life. He alone can see the big picture and will lead you in the right direction.