By Samantha McKenzie
My mother taught me of faith – real faith – the faith not expressed with mere words but the kind of faith that permeates life decisions and gets etched in a heart, a little soul: A silent message that God is always with me…

My mother taught me about endurance, an endurance that spanned continents and strange lands and kept her pushing on with nothing more than her feminine hands, about holding on for the good of the cause, for making do with nothing much and making the nothing much look like everything…

My mother taught me about culture, about life’s nuances, about grace and poise, about roles and gestures, customs and courtesy, good manners and all the arts of life…the arts now gone, but not in her, not in me.

My mother taught me about hard work, how to earn a good day’s pay and the intrinsic value of a job done well…about obedience and sacrifice, of motherhood under trial, about friendships, faith sisters, prayer circles and good counsel…

But most of all my mother taught me how to hold to God’s unchanging hand, that while the winds still blow and the tides they change, the moon goes through cycles, stages and life just ages, there is an eternal opportunity to have a life changing relationship with the Creator and His Christ…

She taught me about Jesus,

The power of prayer and the hope for a comforting goodness that exists in the Father

…in which we have built our lives on…

And by His stripes we are healed…And by her stripes I am healed…

…And Things I Learned Along the Way

What I’ve learned along the way is that there is only one God and that mother’s wit and wisdom come in all shapes and sizes and transcend land, water and…distance in those instances doesn’t actually exist…and we are never really alone.

Along the way I’ve learned that hard trials are necessary and that strength and courage get made in the fire and Godly principles are worth fighting for…and storms don’t last. Joy comes in the morning and thank you is easy…I’ve learned to love the nature of women and write her story, for the many stories untold and life without her wisdom is lonely.

I’ve learned that people are genuinely good and why the road to hell is paved with good intentions and the rain falls on the just and unjust alike. And good people die young and there is something for them on the other side.

I’ve learned that there is no better example than a mother, who is wrapped in the bosom of God, trusting only in Him and that no small act of kindness goes unnoticed.

I’ve learned of God’s greatest gift of love, mercy, forgiveness and Jesus’ greatest example of service and humility. I’ve learned that if all the sea were made of ink and all the forest my scroll, I could never exhaust my pen in thanks and honor to you…Mother.

If I could imagine your reward, your personal message from your Lord,

It would only be…“Job well done, my good and faithful servant…”