It is my Mum’s birthday today.
(Feel free to say happy birthday to her. Her name is Gail, but please refer to her as Mama Gail. That is the name she developed through her maternal abilities and of course the title of being the greatest cook on the planet.)
Having written two birthday tributes to her already (Love To My Mother and For My Mum available at the click of the link), it occurred to me that I might not have that much more to say about my Mum in thanking God for her.
That’s not a big deal to my Mum or me, because I can keep telling her those truths and she can continue to deflect and carry on loving her son. It is a concern for what to write about her here.
You could argue I don’t need to write about her. I would counter that by saying I do not do so out of obligation. I do it out of a desire to really publicly praise God for undoubtedly one of the most influential human beings on my life.
Thankfully as I considered the matter more, it blended in well with some life issues I was recently contemplating. It revolves around that word …
Perseverance.
The word is not all that old fashioned to me, but I don’t notice it being used that often in conversations or in reports or media coverage of whatever. Despite that it’s a great word, and one I’m growing to appreciate more and more.
I link it to it’s cousin concept, longsuffering. You will suffer long if you have the spirit of perseverance.
My Mum indeed endured great hardship whether in her years growing up and looking after her siblings, to her years along with her husband, looking after her three children. I don’t want to paint a picture of a gritty and grim life where she could barely rub two pennies together. It wasn’t that hard. Yet my Mum certainly had to go through a lot in terms of social expectations, a close-minded religious community that threatened to crush her emotionally and spiritually were she to highlight discrepancies.
As she grew in confidence in what God called her to do, she faced opposition to it overtly in terms of people telling her that her ambitions could never be achieved. The harder part was facing it subtly in terms of the lack of support from those who should have given it. Under these circumstances it would have been understandable to either buckle under the pressure, or worse still look to succeed in defiance and hold grudges against those who impeded her.
Those options were ever present before her. I watched her wrestle with these obstacles and also struggle with her view of herself. In all of this was a great passion to pray, an earnest desire to be obedient to God and honesty in her own shortcomings with a faith in God to carry her through.
My Mum certainly persevered on behalf of her children. Whether supporting my older sister in some tricky times, or never giving up on my younger brother when others might have, Mum persevered. In me, I know my Mum would consistently ignore those who doubted me or thought little of me.
Mum was (and maybe still is) my biggest supporter – she believed in God for me to do great things. Great things for God. She believed it since my birth and has not stopped believing, even when my behaviour and life decisions suggested otherwise. That she has persevered this long says much for her character.
A lot of my emotional expression comes from my Mum. Despite my best efforts to appear as chilled and reserved as my Dad, there remains in me a well bubbling with passion that occasionally explodes in exuberance or despair, frustration and hilarity. That’s inspired and derived from my Mum. It comes from watching her persevere. It comes from seeing God’s faithfulness evident in those who keep on pressing on in Him and enjoy the benefits.
At present during some of my own life’s challenges, I am tempted to withdraw, give in and live a life of mediocrity, just going through the motions. I thank God for Jesus who set an example of perseverance under all manner of trials.
I thank God that His example enabled my Mum to display a real example of that characteristic that inspires and encourages me, in spite of myself sometimes, to persevere.
God bless you, Mum.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 
Thankyou…fantastic!
Thanks for popping along and sharing the comment. Lovely to have you dropping by.
beautiful. as a young mom of 3 young children – this part really touched me:
“Mum was (and maybe still is) my biggest supporter – she believed in God for me to do great things. Great things for God. She believed it since my birth and has not stopped believing, even when my behaviour and life decisions suggested otherwise. That she has persevered this long says much for her character.”
I SO want that to be true of me. That I am my children’s biggest supporter. Never stop believing for God to use them, do great things in them and through them – no matter what it looks like on outside!
Thanks. very encouraging
Dear Randi-Jo
Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comment. I certainly joing you in your prayer to be that kind of parent, and am grateful to God that in our Father we have the model to help us live out that characteristic! Keep up the good work in being significant maternal influence not just on your children, but on others who come across you through their relationships.
Ending a rough week in parenting, God, as always – stepped in beautifully and encouraged me so much reminding me that He is the perfect Father and will take our imperfect efforts and perfectly use them. We have to trust that He is sovereign & He will use our imperfect selves for our good & His glory! mustard seed faith!
Thanks for the encouragement back again.
And thanks also for the reminder that I can use maternal influence not just on my children but on others who I’m in relationship with. I never really thought about that. THANK YOU!