My sweet mama died years ago. Even so, I think of her many times each day, especially on her birthday (September 24th). Although I can no longer visit her or give her a gift or even call to chat a bit, I yearn to honor her in some way.
As I thought about what I could do, a familiar verse (Proverbs 31:28) from the Old Testament came to mind. Although the words stored in my memory are from the King James Version (the translation Mama and Daddy used), I also like the words from modern versions that express how I want to honor Mama on her birthday. For example,
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Therefore, I want to use written and spoken words to say I do love Mama, and that I thank God for choosing her to be my mama.
Although she wasn't financially well-off like the woman described in Proverbs 31, Mama did many of the same kinds of tasks she did. For example, she got up early every morning to cook a hot, country-style breakfast on the wood-burning cookstove. She took good care of our family and the farm animals and the garden that provided much of our food.
Mama didn't weave and spin like the Proverbs 31 woman did, but she sewed pretty dresses for my sister and me whenever she had enough money to buy fabric and buttons and lace. She also made beautiful quilts from scraps of outgrown clothes and fabric leftover from sewing projects so that we could stay as warm as possible on cold winter nights in our drafty, uninsulated house that was heated by the living room fireplace. Her stitches were so even and tiny that some folks thought they'd been done on a sewing machine.
Like the Proverbs 31 woman, Mama spoke words of wisdom and was kind to everyone. She had a gentle and quiet spirit and bravely accepted each hardship without complaining.
For these reasons and for the innumerable other ways she showed her love day after day and year by year, I want to take this opportunity to publically praise her and to say, "Mama, you are still much loved, much cherished. Although you are gone from my sight, you'll always remain on my mind and in my heart."
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