Recently in the news Ann Romney ( the wife of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney) was criticized for having made the choice to be a stay- at - home mom to raise their family. She was criticized to have never worked a day in her life. Wow! I am glad that many many people came to her defense including Michelle Obama and the President himself. Raising children is not an easy task - it takes very much love, and patience, and the giving up of one's own desires for the good of the family.
So with that I want to turn my thoughts over to my own Mom who did this very thing - she has been a stay at home Mom and together with my Dad lovingly raised me and my 5 sisters.
Jeremiah 29:11 -
So with that I want to turn my thoughts over to my own Mom who did this very thing - she has been a stay at home Mom and together with my Dad lovingly raised me and my 5 sisters.
Jeremiah 29:11 -
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
The LORD has plans for each of us and now that my Mom is in her eighties we can look back and get a picture of some of what that was.
Before my Mom and Dad met, my Mom's parents decided to move from Manitoba to Paraguay along with many other Mennonite families. The Mennonites were seeking to find a place of peace where they would be able to raise their families.So in preparation for the journey to Paraguay( thinking never to return to Canada) my Mom, a young lady, had to get rid of her possessions which included her "hope chest". A "hope chest" was dishes and things girls would start to collect as young teenagers which they would then hope to use once they would marry the man of their dreams. She recalls the agony of leaving it behind. Then my Mom, her parents and siblings along with a couple of thousand other Mennonites boarded the ship to sail to Paraguay. Sailing there took approximately a month and as she recalls she was sick most of the time sailing. As it turned out though, life was not as promising in Paraguay as they all had hoped and they headed back to Canada within six months and back in Canada my Mom met my Dad. God had it all planned.
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This is a picture of my parents as a very young couple.
My Mom was a very hard working person not only keeping the house, cooking with a wood stove in the early days, doing laundry with the old washing machine and no dryer, she was always helping Dad on the farm however she could. She was always by his side in a supporting role whether it was with farmwork - fixing the combine, running the baler, milking cows, but even more importantly she supported Dad in his work as a preacher. Always with him at his side whenever or however she was needed. As I think about my Mom, I remember the loving care she gave to me as a little girl. She would come to help me say my prayers each night. I would kneel in bed to pray and she would kneel beside the bed as I prayed. Then she would tuck me in so I would get a good sleep. If at any time in the night I woke up, and couldn't sleep, I would call " MOM" and she would be right there. She would read a Bible story to me regardless of what time in the night it was, then she would tuck me in again and she would say -" I'll stay right here with you until you fall asleep" and she did too. It didn't matter if it took half an hour or an hour for her little girl to fall asleep, she stayed there by my bed to bring security and comfort. She was selfless and loving through and through. This also showed up in her giving spirit to the neighbors. She is a truly generous and caring person.
My Mom's faith has grown strong over the years. She has been a great example to us to see her reading her Bible and other Scriptural literature. Being sure of one's salvation and that we be ready to meet the LORD at any time is something that she stresses consistantly. Since Dad's passing, she has blossomed in showing her love for the LORD even more.
When my Dad became ill with cancer, she again stood strong with him going to appointment after appointment with him and caring for him. The last six months of Dad's battle with cancer were spent in the hospital. Mom would go to the hospital in the morning and stay there with Dad the entire day, come home in the evening and the next day do it all over again. It seemed Dad had peace when he was so sick, just to know she was there with him and know she would be there with him the whole way through.
Heavenly Father, You have given me a wonderful Mother...Thank-you , Amen
The LORD has plans for each of us and now that my Mom is in her eighties we can look back and get a picture of some of what that was.
Before my Mom and Dad met, my Mom's parents decided to move from Manitoba to Paraguay along with many other Mennonite families. The Mennonites were seeking to find a place of peace where they would be able to raise their families.So in preparation for the journey to Paraguay( thinking never to return to Canada) my Mom, a young lady, had to get rid of her possessions which included her "hope chest". A "hope chest" was dishes and things girls would start to collect as young teenagers which they would then hope to use once they would marry the man of their dreams. She recalls the agony of leaving it behind. Then my Mom, her parents and siblings along with a couple of thousand other Mennonites boarded the ship to sail to Paraguay. Sailing there took approximately a month and as she recalls she was sick most of the time sailing. As it turned out though, life was not as promising in Paraguay as they all had hoped and they headed back to Canada within six months and back in Canada my Mom met my Dad. God had it all planned.
.JPG)
My Mom was a very hard working person not only keeping the house, cooking with a wood stove in the early days, doing laundry with the old washing machine and no dryer, she was always helping Dad on the farm however she could. She was always by his side in a supporting role whether it was with farmwork - fixing the combine, running the baler, milking cows, but even more importantly she supported Dad in his work as a preacher. Always with him at his side whenever or however she was needed. As I think about my Mom, I remember the loving care she gave to me as a little girl. She would come to help me say my prayers each night. I would kneel in bed to pray and she would kneel beside the bed as I prayed. Then she would tuck me in so I would get a good sleep. If at any time in the night I woke up, and couldn't sleep, I would call " MOM" and she would be right there. She would read a Bible story to me regardless of what time in the night it was, then she would tuck me in again and she would say -" I'll stay right here with you until you fall asleep" and she did too. It didn't matter if it took half an hour or an hour for her little girl to fall asleep, she stayed there by my bed to bring security and comfort. She was selfless and loving through and through. This also showed up in her giving spirit to the neighbors. She is a truly generous and caring person.
My Mom's faith has grown strong over the years. She has been a great example to us to see her reading her Bible and other Scriptural literature. Being sure of one's salvation and that we be ready to meet the LORD at any time is something that she stresses consistantly. Since Dad's passing, she has blossomed in showing her love for the LORD even more.
When my Dad became ill with cancer, she again stood strong with him going to appointment after appointment with him and caring for him. The last six months of Dad's battle with cancer were spent in the hospital. Mom would go to the hospital in the morning and stay there with Dad the entire day, come home in the evening and the next day do it all over again. It seemed Dad had peace when he was so sick, just to know she was there with him and know she would be there with him the whole way through.
Heavenly Father, You have given me a wonderful Mother...Thank-you , Amen
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