Just Like My Mom: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, MOM!! (And Sister, and Sisters-in-Love (that's you, too, Anni), Mama Jo, and Diane!)

What makes for a Happy Mother's Day?

Oh, I'm sure the answer is a bit different for every woman.  Breakfast in bed.  Flowers.  Jewelry.  Baubels.  Cards.  Candy.  I'm sure those could all contribute to a heavenly day for many a woman.  Here and now I'm going to answer for myself, though, of course.  ;)

My Mom always ask my siblings and me for the one thing she wanted most.  She asked us to be kind to one another and completely obedient for the whole day of Mother's Day.  That's all she wanted.  She didn't need flowers.  She didn't want jewels.  She didn't need a THING in the world.  She did, most assuredly, accept all tokens with grace and appreciation, but she was always disappointed.  Why?  Cause we never could come through that one day a year (or two, cause she often asked for this same precious gift for her birthday) without bickering, outright disobedience to her, or some other form of unwanted behavior.

I get it now.  I TOTALLY and completely GET IT!  I also understand our Father in Heaven's declarations: "If ye love me, keep my commandments," more fully, though, I'm sure, not to the fullness with which I some day will understand His declarations as a result of being a human in a fallen world.  Understanding a bit better here and there, though, IS something!  :)  These declarations of the Lord are found throughout the Bible and Book of Mormon... restated over and over again in various forms.  I GET IT!!!  I do appreciate the "things" and what they represent of my children's and husband's love for me, for sure.  When those things are given, I am grateful for the expressions/representations of their love and do try to accept them with grace and appreciation.  But the only gift I really want from my children is the same one my Mom asked of me and my siblings.  Just kindness and obedience.  Just for one day (or two, cause I think I ask for it for my birthday, too.)  Haven't got it yet, but I'm still hoping.  Probably, just like my Mom did.  Year after year, over and over she asked and hoped.

Thank you, Mom, for teaching me the most important lessons and leading us by example.  I'm sorry I didn't GET IT (SO much of it!!) until these later years of my life... but at least I didn't make you (us) wait 'till you were on the other side!  ;)  I'm so grateful for your endless supply of hope in and for my siblings and me.  I'm grateful that you have loved us without condition.  I'm grateful for your examples of service and acceptance.  You are truly an Angel, Mother!  ^_^

Thank you, Mama Jo, for loving me and mine like we were always yours.  You are a bright and shining example of Christ's Love and I'm so grateful He brought us to where we could become yours!  We all love you!!!

Thank you, Evelyn.  Thank you for being an amazing woman who is an awesome example to me of the kind of woman Christ would have us all aim at being.  ^_^  You are a woman of strength and faith, so much like our Mom and I'm so GLAD you are my sister!  I'm thankful, OH so thankful, that you accept me as I am rather than holding who I used to be over my head and tormenting me with my past transgressions.  You are an example of forgiveness.  I'm grateful for your kindness, for your easiness in sharing of your wisdom.  I'm grateful for the opportunity you provided me to be in the presence of your family and to meet the littlest niece I have in your family.  You are a gift.  I'm GLAD you are my sister!

To my Sisters-In-Love, I'm going to address you in the order in which you became known to me.  :)

Caroline, you are awesome.  I'm so glad Josh chose you to be his wife.  The woman with whom he would work through this life, come what may.  The woman with whom he will strive to be raised to Glory for the eternities.  Out of all the women he could've chosen, I'm GLAD he chose you!.  You are a wonderful Mother.  You are a sweet and GOOD person.  You love God and have an amazingly strong Spirit.  I love you.  Thank you for dealing with us in all our craziness.  Thank you for loving us and accepting us and being a part of our family!  I love you!

Anni, I love you.  I miss you.  I wish I knew what I could do to be rewarded with your acceptance.  I'm grateful for who you are because who you are has impacted who Jessie was when I met him and who he is today.  I love my man, so no matter what, I will always ALWAYS love you.  You are family.  I love you.

Barb, you are such a sweet woman!  You are an wonderful Mother.  You are gentle, quiet, calm and exude peacefulness (even if you don't feel it ^_^).  I appreciate and value your example.  My Brother made a superb choice when he made you his wife and eternal partner.  I'm thankful for you and grateful that his choice of you blesses me to have the opportunity to call you Sister forever!  I love you.  I'm GLAD you are my sister.

Diane.  I'm GLAD you married who you did.  I'm thankful that you love him and bless our lives by being his wife.  I'm glad you love Jessie and Anni.  We love you.

Sage.  I didn't address you in the title and I don't know if you'll ever see this, but I feel compelled to address you here and now.  You have, above any woman not directly attached to me as family (blood or adopted), have influenced me in my pursuit of enjoyment of my highest calling more than any other woman ever has.  You have always spoken your heart and changed mine in so doing.  You have truly been a Sage in my life.  I'm more grateful to you than words can declare.  I believe, with great swellings, that YOU are among the most important reasons that Father brought us to the area in which I was blessed to observe and meet and come to know you a little bit.  You provided me the wise words, feelings, thoughts for which I esteem you a Sage.  You also administered to me of a healing balm, much like that which could be made of the herb sage.  You are a truly amazing and wonderful woman.  You are an example of striving in Christ to be His and to become ever more like Him.  I'm so much more thankful for you and to you than I can ever convey!  I love you.  I'm GLAD I know you.  I miss you achingly sometimes.  But I'm thankful that you love me still!

To all the other mothers I have not directly addressed:  I know the Lord has put you in my life and I'm SO grateful to know you.  I love you.  I'm GLAD you are who you are because without you I could not progress to become the woman the Lord would have me be... the Mother He wants me to become.  THANK YOU for being who you are!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!