Here is my Mom, right before we left on this big adventure. She is wrapped in a prayer shawl and watching all of us kids goof around with the new scarves Jian had given us.But back to Mom being like a superhero. Superheroes have day jobs, but whenever they have extra time they are doing hundreds of big and little things to make peoples’ lives better – stopping accidents that could hurt people, stopping bad guys, etc. And they rarely get credit and they don’t ask for it. They simply know that even if it’s difficult, it’s worth making just one person’s life better.
No, my Mom doesn’t wear spandex that I know of, but take that prayer shawl you see her wearing in the picture. My Mom is a busy lady, but in her spare time she makes prayer shawls (like a really big wrap-around scarf) for people that are having a difficult time.
She knits them in cool colors and the whole time that she is working on it, she prays for the person who will receive it. She knit a dark purple one for me when I was headed back to ISU one year. I have had it since and in many dark or stressful times I would crawl into bed, wrap myself up in that prayer shawl, and I could be at peace. And they aren’t just for her children, but for more distant friends and relatives who are sick or having troubles.
thought this picture was a great description of my Mom. Here she pins a boutonnière on Johnny before our wedding. She is always doing stuff like that – little practical things that could be left for someone else to do, but she jumps in and does them and does them well. Who will remember the little things like that after all the action of the day? Well, I did, and now you will : ) One of the things that my Mom did that made a very big impression on me was when I was in high school, sometimes I was super busy with school and other activities and I would let the room I shared with Laura get messy. Sometimes I would eventually clean it up, but other afternoons I would come home and it would be clean. Mom never said anything, but I knew it was her. I started to realize that it takes the strongest people to do secret good things like that – and to not ask for recognition.
And even more important was one other thing she did. Every morning she sits in the same chair by the window and does her devotional and prayer time. She either reads the Bible or other spiritual books. I also know that she prays for our family and others while she walks on the treadmill at the YMCA in the mornings. This is all just to make a point – this is one more area that my Mom is genuine and consistent in. She has never tried to get our attention, “Hey kids look! I’m reading the Bible, and you should be doing this everyday too!” While, as a family, we do talk about the importance of reading and knowing the Bible well, it’s the example that gives those words meaning. That Mom is so in love with Jesus can make us curious – hopefully curious enough to dig in and find the Truth and make our faith our own. To me what has the biggest impact on people is this: the witness of a person genuinely in love with Jesus and who cares for people not so they can get recognition or get something back, but just because Jesus is in them. That witness always impresses people. My Mom is one of those beautiful examples.
I know she would deny this, but I feel that she is a perfect role model for a wife and mother. She is a woman who has the heart of Mary, Jesus’ Mom – humble and pure. She has a Master’s degree, but for the past twenty-three years she has devoted herself to taking care of seven crazy kids and my wonderful Dad. I have so many stories of her being a very creative, fun, and wise Mom. We’ll just say that I will be asking for her a lot of advice when we start having kids!
So my Magnificent Mom is like a superhero. She is quietly transforming the world we live in one life at a time, making it a better place. She is saving the world and warming souls with her prayer shawls, her pinning boutonnières, her cooking and cleaning – all these things that culminate in her wonderful example. Her witness has touched each of us kids and with Dad as her co-superhero, they have given us confidence to go out and save the world too. This is one of the greatest gifts a Mom can give.
Mom, I’m so proud to be your daughter, and I hope I grow up to be like you! I love you and happy birthday!!!
Love always,
Rachel and Brendan
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