As we approach another Mother’s Day, I wanted to take time to get some thoughts down about the best mom out there! I know many of you will think I’m talking about your mom! I’m not! LOL. I’m talking about my mom, Ardith McGraw! Many of you who are reading this will know her and will know these words to be true.
Three weeks ago today, my mom, who will turn 94 in 3 weeks, had a pretty severe fall that broke her hip and a pelvic bone. I just got back from spending 11 days with her. Over that time, I found myself reflecting on so many things. How blessed I was to be raised by a godly mom. One who didn’t just preach with her words, but who lived her faith and relationship with God out daily. So please allow me to take a few minutes of your time to explain who my mom is.
I think the number 1 thing people will say about her to me, is her prayers. She has prayed for us as kids and family but also for thousands of others throughout her life. It wasn’t uncommon to come home at night from work or be out with friends, to hear her in her spot, calling out people’s names before the throne. My first experience of knowing she was human in her faith, was when I called home from Bible college to tell her I wanted to go on a missions trip to Columbia with my school. Her response let me know she was not supportive of me going, which took me back a few steps. The next day I had a call from her. With a tearful voice, she said the Lord had convicted her of her fear of letting me go. He reminded her that she had given me to Him 21 years before that and that I was in His hands. So she apologized and blessed my going. Faith got her through a lifetime of storms, from health to finances, to relationships and ministry.
Another quality that I loved about my mom was how open she was to welcoming others into her family and home. We didn’t have a lot of fancy things in life but it was not unusual to have someone at our home. A cousin, a neighbor, a student from the Bible College, or even a stranger. What was hers was yours. That is a lost art in today’s world. I’m thankful that my world expanded with every visit. She was the 8th child out of 9, so as her siblings passed, she inherited many more children as my cousins adopted her as their mom.
She had a heart to serve. She never was in full-time ministry but my mom played the piano for over 50 years at my home church. As an infant, I would lay in my carrier while she played the piano. Back in those days, church wasn’t an hour-long service. She played hours on a Sunday between the two services. She also played for our pre-recorded TV show, which meant our home became a rehearsal spot. I will admit, I missed a lot of my favorite shows while those practices went on. She would listen to an album and write the chords down for each new song she would play. Her love for music and worship continued down to last week as we spent some time as a family worshipping with her before I left.
We get one life. Watching someone age, reminds us all to make the best of what God has given. I have watched her for 60 years, take what was given to her and make the best of it. She endured a lot in her years but with little complaining. She always would see the best in things and she placed her trust in the Father who had never failed her.
I had some alone time with my mom last week and we talked about a lot of things. One of the things I asked her was her favorite Scripture. Without hesitation, she told me Psalm 46:10 “Be still and KNOW that I am God’! Her favorite hymn was “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”
When we are in the midst of life, it’s easy to focus on the stuff, the pain, the injustice, the unfairness. When you have the opportunity to look back, you don’t remember those things. You remember that He is a good Father and that He is faithful. So, moms, I encourage you today, to do an inventory. What would you like to be said of you on your day? Without some intention, it won’t just happen. Take the first step to move toward those goals. You have one of life’s most powerful titles, the title of MOM!
I love you, Mom.
