Mother's Day Memories

Happy Mother's Day today, as we remember our mothers and those who were "mothers" to us throughout out lives in one way or another.  This post is going to be a cut and paste from some previous posts that I've done in the past... This is probably my most favorite Mother's Day picture...back in 1980 when we lived in Nova, Ohio, while hubby was attending seminary at Ashland Theological Seminary. We are standing in front of a lilac bush that was just beginning to bloom.  Click HERE for the full story of this picture.  Me with my three sons: Matthew in the space helmet, Benton in the suit, and Scotty picking a flower...sweet memories...

 This picture below was taken in February, 2014, just a few months before our #2 son Matthew passed away from cancer.  These are all the Steiner "men" in my life:

 L to R: Hubby, #1 son Benton #1 (and only) grandson Noah, #2 son Matthew, and #3 son Scott.  I am blessed to have been known as Wifey, Mom, and Grandma by this crew of handsome men. 

Here is my mother....

My mother at age 70. In my mind, she was still this beautiful when she passed away almost 20 years later.
Dorothea Tedlie Mursch
1917-2006

This is a picture (below) of me with my mother, way back in the late 80's I think.  This was taken on a very special day that we spent rambling around an old abandoned house in north Georgia. There just happened to be some lilacs blooming on that property, and since that was my mother's most favorite flower ever, my Dad took this picture of us enjoying the lilacs together.  Such a beautiful memory of a wonderful day together.

Click here for THE STORY of that special day.

And then of course I want to remember my dear mother in law too. There are many stories about her scattered throughout this blog, as she spent a good bit of her last several years of life with us in our home.  If you want some interesting stories about life with "Nanny", go to the right sidebar here on the blog and under "Some Special Topics", click on the first one "Caregiver", and you will be able to live through some of our adventures together.  She was a very special woman, one whom I will never forget. I was blessed to be her "daughter-in-love".

Vivian Martin Steiner, "Nanny"
1923-2018

You can also CLICK HERE for a "Tribute to My Mother-in-Law, updated  for Mother's Day, a few months after she had passed away.

In closing, I want to thank the Lord for the wonderful women He placed in my life. My own dear mother, and also my dear mother-in-law. Not to mention the many other women of influence throughout the years, many who were like "spiritual mothers" to me during my years of serving alongside my husband in the ministry.  I needed a lot of wise counsel during those years, and God always seemed to bring just the right women along at the right time to help lead me in the right direction. I am not sure I would have made it without their kindness and Christian love.

Praying that you have also had a blessed and beautiful day today. I know for many this has not been a great day, due to distance away from loved ones, and perhaps some have not felt like this was a day they could celebrate for one reason or another.

I believe that Mother's Day really should be a day of tribute to all women, regardless of whether or not they are mothers.  Many women, who may not have been mothers in the physical sense, have been more like mothers to other people's children than perhaps those other's own mothers were. I like these words from the famous Proverbs 31 "A Portrait of a Virtuous Woman"

"25.  Strength and honor are her clothing;

She shall rejoice in time to come.

26.  She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and on her tongue is the law of kindness.

27.  She watches over the ways of her household,

and does not eat the bread of idleness."

29.  "Many daughters have done well,

but you excel them all."

30.  "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing.

but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."

31. "Give her of the fruit of her hands,

and let her own works praise her in the gates."

That is the kind of woman that we should each aspire to be, regardless of whether or not we are married, have children, or live alone. Our worth comes from the Lord, first of all...not from our marital or familial status.  

"A woman who fears the Lord....She shall be praised."

That is the most important quality in a woman ever.

Amen?

May your day be filled with blessings and peace today.