No, I am not an official mom yet. Yes, I pray that God answers that desire in my heart, and gives me the most beautiful gift of being a mother someday. But in the mean time, I will continue sharing love with so many others. I can be a mother figure in so many ways. In the book "These Beautiful Bones," by Emily Stimpson, "God calls all of us to love every person in the world with a mother's or a father's love." It talks about women's motherhood is directed inward. In development, in nurturing, in comforting. All that enveloping love. From one's mother is where he learns love. But more importantly, the book taught me about spiritual motherhood. "Women need to be receivers.... receiving the gift of all the people God sends our way, welcoming into our world friends and strangers alike." So many little acts of kindness can quench the ache of loneliness in someone. "Practice Attentiveness." Not only listening, but understanding. Being present. "Cultivating Gentleness." Being gentle doesn't mean weakness, it means "controlling one's strength." Like thinking before speaking. "Teach the Virtues." Not using others to get what we want, but to respect them, their thoughts and feelings, while showing how much we value them. "Be An Advocate." "We are called to never give up, hold fast to hope, and trust always that God, in His perfect providence, is working out all things for the good. If mothers do anything, they believe to the end."
So I think-- yes, this day is made for "true" Mother's-- but I strongly believe all women are mothers no matter what. One never knows what someone else is going through, struggling with, or full of joy for! I think on this day, it's especially important to reach out to those that lost a child, are aching for a child, those who have lost a mom, or may just need a little extra love. And I pray that those struggling, hurting, aching... I pray that they connect their sufferings with our Blessed Mother Mary. She knows, she understands, she trusted God. I pray these special women keep Her close.
A little bit of my "children"... thank you to all their moms for letting me be a little part of their lives!
I want to share one more thing... Last night at Mass, it was the 100th year anniversary of the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima (blogpost from Fatima coming soon), so we were celebrating Mary by her crowning, and then it was Mother's Day-- so as Father put it, a triple dose of graces! :) Anyways the music was just so beautiful, and they of course sang my favorite songs--- Immaculate Mary, Holy is His Name, Sacred Silence, and then the closing Hail Holy Queen. That song made me think of a very special and dear friend of mine, Sr. Consolata. She passed away 4.5 years ago (at 100 years old), but she was someone I still miss dearly. She taught me CCD from 3rd-5th grade, and then was my Confirmational sponsor. We stayed close, writing letters/emails til she couldn't anymore, visits, hugs, prayers. When she wrote me letters, she always addressed it with my full name... baptismal, middle, and confirmation. It was most beautiful. I will keep them all til the day I die. Such special notes. So, after Mass, I decided to go and bring her a flower at grave for Mother's Day. I was thinking, that she was never the "true definition" of a mother either... yet she was a mother to so many others throughout the years. I wanted to go and thank her for being a mother to me. And for teaching me so much about Jesus and Our Blessed Mother. She loved to paint and quill, and she painted the most beautiful picture of Mary. And she shared that love with everyone she met. When I got to the cemetery, I thought I would be able to find where she was buried, but I haven't been there since her funeral. But I wanted to find her so bad. Well Mary was helping me, I know that for sure-- Cuz I found her!! I knelt there praying, and talking to her, thanking her for sharing so much love with so many others. It was so beautiful, in the quietness, peacefulness of the memories. And I can't wait til I get to give her a hug someday in Heaven again!
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| From her 99th Birthday! (how great did she look!) |
And then this morning, walking into work--- this beautiful rainbow formed across the sky! The ENTIRE thing!! I just wanted to stop and stare at it, but I couldn't be late to work. So I quickly took a picture in the rain, and just thanked Jesus for sharing such a beautiful symbol with all of us on this beautiful Mother's Day! A symbol that is a gift, of promise, of complete and unending love.
And a special "I Love You" to all the mama's out there (especially my own)! Hope you had a blessed and special day!!
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