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Sunday, May 14, 2017

A Labor of Love


My mom and me. 93 years young. Isn't she adorable?
Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there! I hope you had a wonderful day celebrating with the ones you love!

It is only appropriate that on this very special day of honoring mothers that I introduce you to my mom, Jessie Winters. She lives in New Mexico and, unfortunately I have not been able to see her much in the past few years. I had the wonderful opportunity to visit her in March, and she is just as cute as can be!  Doesn't she look amazing for 93 years old?

There is much more of the story to be told in the coming weeks and months as we travel together on this blog journey, but for today, I just want to honor my mom and let the whole world know that she has been an incredible mom! She, too, was a single mom and raised my brother and me in spite of all odds. She had the courage to stand up for what was right even if it meant that she struggled silently. So today, once again I say Thank you, Mom, for everything!  I love you more than words can say!


Brittanica and Cortnie.pregnant together. Precious!
Motherhood is a lifelong journey. Just take a look at the picture above, and then look at the picture to the right. Both stages are beautiful! The aged face of a 93 year old great-grandmother is just as beautiful and precious as the young, glowing mamas in their 20's and 30's. Everyone knows that pregnancy is physically taxing, and labor is hard. What we don't realize when we're young mamas is that motherhood is absolutely a lifelong labor of love. Let me give you a quick snapshot of what I mean.

"The test is positive. I'm going to have a baby."
A mom's heart is excited. And scared.

"Oh my goodness, this hurts! I can't do it!"
A mom's heart is strong.

"My body will never look the same!"
A mom's heart is selfless.

"Thank goodness, he's finally sleeping through the night!"
A mom's heart is grateful.

Cortnie and Evan.  So sweet.
"You went potty like a big boy! I'm proud of you!"
A mom's heart is encouraging.

"You're going to do great in kindergarten!"
A mom's heart believes.

"Mom, the kids don't like me. They're mean to me."
A mom's heart is compassionate.

"Mom, he asked me to prom."
A mom's heart is joyful.

"Mom, leave me alone. I need to figure it out myself."
A mom's heart understands. And waits.

"Mom, I don't think I need this whole God-thing."
A mom's heart grieves.

"Mom, I'm struggling with addiction."
A mom's heart hurts.

Brittanica, Johnny and Jovi. Beautiful.
"Mom, I've come back to the Lord."
A mom's heart rejoices.

"Mom, I think I've found the one."
A mom's heart is ecstatic.

"Mom, we're moving away."
A mom's heart is lonely.

"Mom, you're going to be a grandma."
A mom's heart is over-the-moon.

"Mom, we love spending time with you."
A mom's heart is complete.

"Mom, thank you for everything."
A mom's heart is full.

It's crazy to think that life really does seem to go that fast!  A woman gives birth to a child, and she is never the same!  We grow to love our children more than we could ever imagine!  We live for them, fight for them, and want only the best for them. From the first labor pain until our last breath on earth, a mom's love is never ending.

And so, whatever season of life you find yourself in today, thank you, mamas, for all you do for your children. It does not go unnoticed. Every sleepless night with a sick child, every victory you have helped your child achieve, every heartache you've endured with a wayward child, every lonely night you've had feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders . . . God sees it all. God is close to you and is willing and able to provide everything you need. You are needed and appreciated more than you'll ever know.
Mother's Day with Chris.  Special day!

To my children - thank you for being the most wonderful people on the planet! Thank you for honoring God and honoring me as your mom. I am so incredibly proud of all of you. You have blessed me beyond my wildest imaginations. Keep following after God and watch the amazing things He will do for you.

And now . . .

May The Lord bless you and protect you.
May The Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.
May The Lord show you His favor and give you His peace.

Happy Mother's Day!

All my love,
Teresa/MamaT/Mom

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for including us in the story!

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  2. I finally finished reading the post on your blog. It was so good, Mom!!! You have been the physical anchor stabilizing us in this crazy journey we call life. There's no finer lady, classier woman, beautiful matriarch, sympathetic counseler, stern yet gracious motivator to do the right thing, or godly example in being a role model than you. Thank you for spending all those sleepless nights praying on your knees! Because you did we rested in peace thinking everything was "peachy" all the time. I love you tons and I'm so proud of you!

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