A Mother's Day Gift to My Children

I was blessed today to spend the day with my husband, my three children and my son-in-law.

Knowing that our paths are again taking different directions, and we may not be together again as a complete family for several months, I treasure these times and hide them away as memorable events.

Even though it is Mother's Day, a day set apart to honour and respect the mothers in this world, I wish to focus my attention on my children and give them a gift this day.

In so many ways they have been the "teacher" and I the "student". It has been their unique personalities and creative giftings that have shaped my journey as their "mom". They have taught me about unconditional love, they have shown me what perseverance looks like, they have given me joy and sheer delight when I didn't think I could laugh again.

So today, I salute my children for their continued belief in me - their expressions of love towards me when it wasn't deserved, their patience with me in struggling to understand them - their forgiveness extended to me when I embarrassed them in front of their friends, and mostly when I made the wrong call about a situation - I just happened to get it "all wrong".

I am blessed to have them - to know them - to watch them grow and develop and become their own person - and to see that change year after year. I thank them for making me able to laugh at myself and not take myself too seriously.

I thank Sandy particularly for pulling me out on the dance floor the very first time and then discovering I loved to dance! I thank Bill for bursting out of the box to make his own way, when I kept trying to put him in all the time - over time Bill, I finally figured out who you were and let you be that. I thank Jodi for the times she played the piano and ushered me in the "holy of holies" and there I met God in worship.

So many wonderful memories to recall - and they are all because of my children - so today, this Mother's Day, I honour Jodi, Sandy and Billy. It's been a tremendous privilege to be their "mom". They are everything to me and I love them with all my heart.