mother's day cards

My Dad didn't become like my Mom right away. The first few years after she died, he looked lost in every picture.  My sister was 16, I was 20, my brother was 21 and in trouble. We only knew how to do family with her.  He needed her. 

But we needed her, too, and over time, he intentionally tried to be them both.  He did the dad things, and started to do the mom things, too...our mom things. The thoughtful things. 

He flew to Florida to fly home to Ohio with me when Matt had to stay in Haiti and I was 38 weeks pregnant. He was there the night Lily was born. He kept Lily when Sofie was born. Lily and Sofie when Nora was born. Came to Haiti to meet Ben and keep Lily, Sofie and Nora when Matt and I had to take Ben to Port-au-Prince. Told me to bring as many friends home on Fall Break as I could. Met college friends and I in Cinci
nnati and bought us all flowers.  Called me twice a week for twenty years, to hear about all the things...to ask about kids and jobs and church and life. Sent cards for all the birthdays, all the anniversaries, and tomorrow will be the first Mother's Day I won't receive a beautiful, perfectly chosen Mother's Day card from him.  

My dad was a really good mom and dad, and tomorrow is also the first Mother's Day I didn't stand in the card aisle easily find and mail the perfect Mother's Day card for him. 

I'm so thankful I had such good parents. They taught me how to love well by loving the Lord and I well.

This Mother's Day, I'm determined--instead of focusing on what I have lost...how hard I have worked...what I deserve--to be content doing the same Sunday morning shoe search for my kiddos, to be content making breakfast and settling disagreements, to be content to serve. To serve like my parents did. To serve like Jesus did when He came not to be served, but to be a servant. 

Happy Mother's Day. Kiss your babies and your mamas and the mamas He's brought alongside. Maybe be like your mamas. 

But our real joy on Mother's Day surely comes from finding ourselves poured out again, and finding Jesus right there.