Mom

Happy Birthday, mama.

Am I glad I have a chance to address her today.

She's 89; still feisty and adorable.

As I ponder about her today, I am grateful to God for giving her as an example to me and my siblings to emulate. 

She is warm, kind, generous, gracious, and has a heart of gold.

Like my father, she is independent and loves her children dearly.

She gives more than she receives; that is why she is so blessed.

She loves to have people around her and sets up dinner for friends; young and old.

She entertains and makes herself useful and loved.

Many can testify of her kind acts.

It is an attribute to want to put up with people as she opens her home to many.

Her phone calls to her children and grand children are incessant; she needs to know their well-being.

Here's a photo of mama and her baby.

Guess her age then?

Many of us siblings wonder at the baby she's holding.

Who is the baby? 

When we asked her she replied that it was sister no2, then it was me, then no3 then it was...

So her memory may have failed her but she is nevertheless our dear mother; no matter who she is carrying.

Those were the days when it was the norm to have many babies; no matter what age you may be at. Mothers then went through much at child birth with little medical care and help. We are thankful that she went through all the difficult days and still thrived on till this day with vigor and little complaints. 

Mama worked hard during her younger days; I remembered her sewing right through the nights and stood for hours till her legs swelled; cutting away clothes for her customers. Back then my no.2 sister and I were well-trained by her. We edged her cuttings and hemmed clothes for a pay of 5 cents per piece. We had to work for our pocket money. But it was good; it taught us the value of money and how to save. 

It is a best practice.

Now you know why my no.2 sister is such a good manager of funds.

Though she did not go to a proper school, she has attributes in life that far out beat many who went to school. Her honesty, right behaviour and living skills is a legacy for many to remember.

 This is from the book of Proverbs; and if I have to recite the verses at her every birthday, I would gladly do so. It is her in words.

A wife of noble character who can find ?

She is worth far more than rubies...

...She opens her arms to the poor

and extends her hands to the needy...

She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness

her children arise and call her blessed;...

Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all...

 Happy Birthday dear Mother.

We love you. 

May the Lord's goodness to be abundant in your days to come.