Happy Birthday To You!

To my wonderful mother - who not only carried me in her womb, successfully delivered me despite my unusually large head, nursed me, changed
My Beautiful Mom - Lorraine MacLeod

me, washed me, clothed me, and just outright loved me profusely - but also taught me. Now, my mother may not think she is overflowing with academic knowledge, but what cannot be disputed is that she, along with my Dad, taught me the most important lessons of life.


My mother taught me about God. And she taught me that our whole lives flow out of what we know and believe of God. Through this she taught me mercy, compassion, empathy. She never used those words with me, but she taught it when she cradled me in her arms as we were driven to the hospital. On the way to tend to my burns that had me screaming in agony, all that silenced me was my mom singing and praying while rocking me. She taught it again when she spent literally hours in the driveway listening to a friend's problems and praying with her. She showed it everyday when I opened my lunch at school to find my "note". Everyday

She taught me that God is sovereign. She never used that word with me, but she taught me when she turned to God in prayer for every problem, big and small. She taught me when she admitted that she didn't know why our friend died, but refused to doubt God. She showed me while kneeling in the living room where soft muffled sobs emanated from the recliner's cushion as she prayed for her family, as she prayed for me. She invited me into this "prayer closet" one night. I don't remember what we prayed, but I remember that we did.

She taught me to have fun when she "played catch" with the dish cloth as I helped her clean the kitchen. She showed it again when she tried to "rap" for me and my sister after she first yelled about someone putting a hole in the bag of apples. When Jill and I laughed and said it sounded like she was "rapping" she proceeded to lay down a "phat beat" and rapped, "who put the hole in the apple bag". Eminem would've been impressed (Not that I listen to Eminem, Mom).

Oh yeah, she also taught the importance of high standards, moral values, honesty and integrity (Okay, I have listened to him Mom, but not on a regular basis! - "Brodie, stop emulating a rock star"!!!) She modeled honesty and integrity by laying down the rules of the house and obeying them herself. I know she is not perfect, but she is never a hypocrite in my eyes. My Mom has high standards, but they are standards she holds herself to and standards that were meant only for our benefit. Thank you Mom, for teaching those values. Boy, I haven't even gotten to the music, the food, the family-togetherness, the sensitivity... I gotta save some for mother's day! If you haven't gotten the idea yet, my Mom is the best!

Happy Birthday Mother!!! It is with great pride that I publish this post on the world wide web to honour my Mother for all to see. I ask that God's blessings abound in your life today. I hope you like the earrings - they cannot compare with the wonderful gifts you've given to me...

Love Brodie