What Do You See?

What do you see when you look at this picture?  I know many of you will say immediately that you see me.  In a way, you would be right but for those of you who don't know her, this is my mother.  This picture was taken when she was close to the age I am now and it has always been one of my favorites.

What I want to share with you today is what I see when I look at this picture.  I see 5'2", eyes of blue and oh what that 5'2" can do!!!!
First I see a wife of  65 years, standing by her man through thick and thin, in sickness and in health.
Next I see a daughter who loved, respected and cared for her parents in anyway she could.
I see a sister who remained devoted to her own sister till death and adores her younger brother even though some of their views are very different.
She is an aunt, great-aunt and great-great aunt who is loved by all her nieces and nephews.
Her life is full of grandchildren and great grandchildren who have many stories to tell about how she has impacted their lives.  Most of them, like myself, don't get to see her much but I guarantee you they never question her love for them.
She is a mother of four children, two boys and two girls.  Raising us was no picnic, I assure you.  We each came with our separate health issues but she encouraged us to overcome the physical challenges we were dealt.  She did everything she could to help us to grow up to be independent, responsible, loving adults.
Now let me share with you some other things about this amazing woman.
She has great inner and outer strength. She can play ball, fix a toilet, repel down the side of a mountain, paint a house, drive a forklift, shoot the rapids, ride a horse, park a trailer, fix the hand-controls on my car and beat cancer, just to name a few.
She is a nurse with no degree other then care-giver.  When I was a child she gave me many hours of physical therapy.  When my daddy had his tractor accident she had to learn how to care for him at home doing things that only a nurse should have to do. She never complained, she just did what had to be done.
She is so smart and is a hard worker.  She helped my aunt and uncle get their business started and then worked as a bookkeeper for them for many years.  Not finding it easy to retire she worked for their local Mission up until last year.
I see a wonderful friend.  Mom and Dad have many wonderful friends who I am proud to say are family because they have embraced them as one of their own.
I see a child of the King who loves her Lord Jesus with all her heart and who has done her best to serve Him  as best she could over the years.
She is classy, feminine, funny, dramatic, compassionate, talented, energetic and giving.  I could go on and on.
When I was in my 20's and 30's I thought I was a good mother.  In my 40's I began to question that and in my 50's, I had to come to the realization that I wasn't so good at it.  I think all mothers wish they could go back and change some things that we did or didn't do when we were raising our kids.  Good thing we have our adult children to tell us how, when and where we went wrong.  However, on this Mother's Day week, I want my mom to know that I love her and I am thankful for her and she did an amazing job.

Happy Mother's Day to all those who have chosen life!