A Picture

Mother's Day.

It wasn't too long ago I wrote a post about rejoicing our mother's heart. As I wrote it, I was thinking ahead to mother's day and wondering why we don't take the time to show special love to our mothers all through the year. I think those of us who are stay-at-home daughters are specially blessed, to have the chance to be at our mothers' sides so much and to learn from them. We also have the extra time to show them love in a practical way, by helping to bear burdens and offering encouragement.

But every child - and we are always a child when it comes to our mother - has the time to show love if they will make the time.

I could use this post to say all sorts of fancy, poetic thing that are appropriate to the day. I could try to sound like the inside of a flowery card. But everybody says things like that this day. Instead, I want to single out one thing to tell you about my mother. Just one thing today.

As you read this - if my computer has done a good job - it is Sunday, May 10th, but I'm writing it on Friday, May 8th. Today we are all extremely busy, preparing for our trip up north. Voices ring from all corners of the house, and a dozen "To Do" lists can be found on any empty counter or table.

I spent my morning in the kitchen. My youngest sister, Lezley, who didn't have much to do compared to the rest of us, hung around telling me about the bug hunt she was preparing for. She asked to borrow my gardening gloves and I granted permission, but I don't know if I ever made eye contact with her through the whole conversation, so busy I was flying from stove to table and back again.

A short while later she marched through the kitchen again, armed with gloves, and a bug-catching kit from the dollar store. "Mommy and I are going bug-hunting!" she exclaimed.

They were. I left the table and went to the window to watch. The camera was sitting near by, and I snapped a picture through the window just as Justin joined them to inspect their newest find.

To me, this picture is more than just three people staring at a bug.

It is my mother taking time out of her busy, busy, busy day to show love to her child.

It is my mother's heart of a teacher that beats inside her, as she names the creature they have found.

It is my mother's humbleness shining through as she plays along with Lezley's imagination and follows her around the yard.

It is my mother's spirit rejoicing that her children are around her, and that they are eager to learn. She does not feel it a sacrifice to be out there, is not longing to be back finishing her To Do list. She is glad to be doing what she is doing - snatching opportunity like precious gold.