HONORING MOTHERS

Honoring Mother’s
Anna Darlene Edmondson

“Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (Prov 31:30 NIV)

Mother’s Day holiday was founded by Julia Ward Howe to honor the mothers of soldiers who were lost during wartime. 

However, the modern holiday of Mother’s Day was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother in Grafton, West Virginia. 

She began a campaign to make “Mother’s Day” a recognized holiday in the United States. Other countries adopted Jarvis' holiday, and now it is celebrated all over the world.

Though undeserving, God saw fit to grant me a humble, wonderful mother. 

By age 40 she became widowed, yet managed to care for three sons and me. One particular year, my two cousins were to be placed into foster care, but Mom took them in. And, on several occasions, she handed out food from our freezer to various neighbors in need. 

How well I recall her sewing clothes from bran sacks and making quilts for our beds. Summertime found her picking blackberries, then cooking up delicious jelly that money couldn't buy. 

Working in the garden, hoeing, and canning garden vegetables. She taught us to swim in the pond, milk cows, feed horses, and (even) to kill hogs for their meat. She even made ‘wringing a chicken’s neck’ look easy, but that’s where I drew the line.

Now more than ever, I reminisce about the heartwarming times we had together, her bedtime prayers over me, and regular Bible readings.

I’m beginning to realize that ‘life’ is lived forward, but understood by glancing backward. Precious memories! 

Our Father, bless all spiritual mothers, physical mothers, and mothers-to-be. May we seek You first in our lives.
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