A Mother's Love

When she went to the doctor, he asked her if she wanted this baby, probably because she had had a miscarriage before and also because of her age. My mother said to the doctor, “Of course I want this baby!” She must have been thinking: “What an awful question to ask!” The doctor then gave her medication to keep her from miscarrying, which was later banned in the 70’s. This drug is known to have caused infertility in many of the children born to the women who took it, including me. Had that been known about at the time, I’m sure she would not have taken it. My mother was doing everything she could to have me and I’m glad that she did. God intervened and allowed her to have her little girl.

I’ve seen first hand that a true mother’s love is unconditional. There was nothing that my mother would not have done or at least tried to do for my brothers and me. We were very blessed to have her for 94 years.

She said many prayers for all of us. I remember hearing her praying for all of her family at night when she was living with my husband and me. We were blessed to be able to take care of my mother and father in their last days.

I miss all the good times we had together working, shopping, and attending church services and sharing our faith together. Even when I had trials and quit attending church at 17, she did not give up on me. She kept praying. I came back in my early 20’s more eager to learn than before. This brings to mind James 5:16: “Confess your faults one to another and pray for one another that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man (or woman) availeth much” (King James Version).

In her later years, my mother could not get around very well, and she felt she was of no use anymore. I would tell her that praying for others was the most important job she could do; and she did.

In 2011, I had to have surgery for endometrial cancer. My mother was adamant about being there at the hospital to wait with my husband and my best friend. All went well with the surgery and I’m glad my mother wanted to be there, even in a wheelchair.

Sometimes I think that she lived as long as she did to make sure I was going to be okay. Two weeks before she died we were sitting outside on the deck, and she asked me if I was doing all right since my surgery; I told here that I was. The fact that she asked that question was like a miracle to me, because her memory was not good anymore. I think she knew that she would not be with us much longer.

So a mother’s love is truly a different kind of love. God and Jesus Christ have an even better love than that! Even if you do not have that special mother’s love in your own life, there are always widows and older women who often need help or just need someone to give them attention—and they also need your prayers.

Here’s a scripture my mother loved:

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).