Photo Credit Brittany Castillejo

It is Mother’s Day and my tea bag is steeped in a reflective cup of hot water focused on the Moms in my life.

Where would we be without our Mom’s?

For starters – we would not be here.

I’ll spare you the details as none are needed. The answer to the obvious question is self-evident.

I am grateful for my Mom, Babe.

I was the first of five children born in my family, with my birthday being Christmas Eve.

When others learn of my birthday falling on the holiday, the immediate thought which typically is expressed is, “you must have been short-changed in the getting present’s category”.

I typically counter with “I am the best Christmas present my Mom ever got!”

The truth is exactly the opposite.

My Mom was one of the best gifts I ever received.

She was not and is not perfect. She would be the first to admit it. However, she loved me and my siblings with her actions.

Five children under one roof leads to long days, making ends meet, and an ongoing stream of one drama or another – not to mention climbing Laundry Mountain for what might seem like an eternity.

I helped her discover the “rubber room” on more than one occasion. She made plenty of sacrifices on my behalf and for that I am grateful.

Mom – I love you!

My thoughts turn to a couple of other moms in my life – my daughters, Jessica and Bethany.

They are now experiencing the right of passage from being mothered to mothering.

Jessica has two children – Danalyn, three and a half, and her newborn, Garrett, now closing in on four months.

Bethany has a soon to be two year old, Naomi.

As a Dad peeking in the parental rear view mirror, I marvel at their transition to this dimension of their lives. They too are not perfect nor will they ever be in their role of being a Mom.

However, both of them have grabbed the wheel and are steering their own paths in this most worthy calling in their lives.

They love their children, spend time with them, and invest in the persons each of them will become.

Jessica and Bethany – you both are doing a wonderful job with your kids and I love you much! You are making a difference in this world by being the great Moms you each are!

I would be remiss to exclude Brittany, their newlywed sister, from the role of a Mom.

Although Brittany does not have children of her own at this point, there will be a day she calls us to make an “announcement” of another branch on the family tree about to bud.

Those details will be forthcoming at an appointed time and when it occurs, it will be to the delight of both sets of grandparents!

At this time she is getting plenty of training in the role of “Aunt Brittany”.

The three Amigo’s previously mentioned love her dearly.

Brittany – you have a caring heart and are gifted with children. When the day comes, you will make a great Mom! I love the person you are and are becoming!

As much as I love my Mom and am proud of my children who are now embracing the role of motherhood, there is one person, my wife, Jackie, who is the centerpiece of my attention this day.

I can best describe those things in my heart with an open letter to her.

 

My Dear Jackie,

My mind and my heart are swirling with thoughts as another Mother’s Day is here.

I have been in a reflective mood most of the week in thinking of the sentiments I want to express to you.

I know there are still embers in your heart, and there always will be, as you think of your own Mom who is now with Jesus on this Mother’s Day.

This is the second Mother’s Day since your Mom moved on from this world – I know she will be in your thoughts much this day.

When you think of her allow the tears to wash your soul and also allow a chuckle or two to embrace you.

Although we will not be at services at our church fellowship this day, I cannot help but think of her long standing monopoly on winning the flower basket awarded to the “oldest female in the congregation”.

She had a several year reign as such and must have felt it was time to let someone else take the coveted prize!

I am grateful to God for placing the desire in her heart to have you at a later stage in life.

As we have been on grandparent duty this week, many memories have flooded my heart. I have heard the cries of a baby and the giggles of a toddler turned into a young child.

Echoes of the past have warmed my heart. Those moments we thought would never end did and now are being regenerated in our children’s offspring.

God is always a God of second chances – sometime it is proverbial and sometimes the second chances are practical.

It seems like yesterday we learned that Jessica was on her way to us.   Thirty three years ago, in May of 1981, we sat in a doctor’s office and got the good report. We were ecstatic!

Those were the days when one learned the sex of the child at the moment of birth. Personally, I am glad it was that way for the birth of each of our girls, the mystery revealed as it happened!

We were equally blessed as we learned Bethany and Brittany would call us Mom and Dad.

We snapped our fingers, changed a few diapers, helped with some homework, fended off the boys as long as we could until one day I walked each of them down an aisle to give them in marriage to their husbands – Jeff, Michael, and Stephen, respectively.

Time waits for no man.

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about the time represented by “the dash” between one’s birth and eventual passing. The post was entitled “What Will You Do with Your Today?”

In thinking of you this Mother’s Day, you have exemplified one who has lived her “dash” well with respect to being a Mom and a wonderful example for our children.

Our daughters only need to look to your loving, tender, and gracious heart for an example as they raise their own children.

If the job of parenting was a solo act left to me I cannot imagine how they might have turned out.

Beds most likely would never have been made. Bows, ribbons, and yes, bonnets would never have been in the vocabulary.

Bath time would have been like a scene out of an “I Love Lucy” episode and talking about girl stuff like “times of the month” or boys would have been all botched up!

I would have had to been at the mall all of the time – “thank you Jesus for the gift of my wife!”

You were there, and then some, to pick up all of the slack.

Personally, I could have expressed more appreciation to you as we experienced this stage of our life.

I simply should have been more deliberate and expressed my appreciation more often.

I ask your forgiveness for not doing so – I am doing so now.

I want to thank you for giving me the gift of being a Dad. It has been one of my greatest joys!

Without you, I would not have had the honor and privilege and blessing of knowing our girls. I am deeply grateful!

I am honored to have shared the joys and trials of being a parent with you. It was not easy by any means, but it was well worth it!

As you well know I do not have the “plumbing” nor do I have the tender capacity, which at times seems unending in you as you cared for our children.

Proverbs 31 speaks of a virtuous and capable wife who greatly enriches the life of her husband.

My life has been eternally and deeply enriched by you!

You are wonderful woman and a wonderful mother.

Your example IS the reason for our daughters becoming the young women they now are.

As this day unfolds I pray that you be blessed in the company of our daughters and their children and that you simply enjoy this day.

I am honored to be your husband and to have shared the journey thus far with you.  You bring out the best parts of me.

I love you dearly….always….Bruce

Happy Mother’s Day!

In what way(s) can you let your Mom or the Moms in your life know how much they mean to you?