Other Ways My Mother Had Helped Me

I have written a number of posts in this blog about the negative things that I had endured from my mother.

But little by little, as I have received, enjoyed more favor from my loving Father, I have found more good memories entering into my recollection.

I often share the story about how my mother quit smoking, a perfect example of God's grace accomplishing what our efforts never could.

I cry with deep joy that I still remember that day. I was just three years old, but I remember seeing my my mother fall down on her knees and simply tell God the truth:

"Lord, I have no faith in me. I have very little faith in you. Please, I do not want to smoke anymore."

THAT DAY, she quit smoking and never went back. Ever!

YES! Be honest with God, and let Him work in you--that's what sets us free!

Something else that I remembered about my mom.

My dad liked to provoke me about my eating habits, even though he was heavier than I--and he would readily admit it today. One day, New Years Eve 1999, in fact, he reproached me because I used to eat cake frosting right out of the can, forget putting it on the cake!

What's wrong with that!

My mother just ripped into him: "Now, let's not forget about your eating habits, Sandy!"

BAM! Thanks, Mom!

And I also remember when my dad used to reproach me because he had teased me so mercilessly about buying me a "Barney" toy. I really didn't like Barney, just because, but as a young kid heading into middle school, it was considered really embarassing to have anything to do with that purple, freaky dinosaur. Now, I don't even care.

What bothered me then, and has bothered me since, is that my dad got so much joy out of making me so angry--as a kid that day, when he had so deeply provoked me about it, I did not talk to my father for two days. He had tried to embarass me in front of my peers in a public place. That is really bad! Dads, don't shame or your kids! THAT IS WRONG!

"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4)

At any rate, my dad was laughing about that all over again one night, while the whole family was driving home from a fancy dinner. Instead of just letting him get away with it, my mother savaged him, "You know, you think that your father would be someone who would be on your side."

Then I jumped in on it, and I started laughing out loud: "Yeah, you know, instead of shaming his son, a father should be doing what he can to build up his son. But Dad decided not to do that, right!"

We both burst out laughing--and at my father's expense. He kept his mouth shut the rest of the evening.

The latest thing that my mother had done for me, that I am recalling now, took place when I was in high school. I had gotten so busy with studies, with work, with extra curricular activities and all the rest. I felt so bad that I had not been talking to God.

And one Saturday morning, after I had finished breakfast, I remember sharing this with my mother.

And she said to me: "Don't feel bad that you haven't been talking to Him. Just come to Him as you are."

That gave me such peace. I think about that right now, when I have failed, sinned, struggled with internal issues. For the longest time, I thought that I could not come to God, that I had to get things straightened out in my mind, in my flesh, in my circumstances. I realize now that when things are all out of sorts, that is precisely when you come to God!

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)

So with that, I write:

Thank you, Mom!