When I heard about Guideposts’ 2016 edition of the devotional book, Mornings With Jesus, one face came immediately to mind: my mother’s.
Even with all six kids grown and with families of our own, Mama hasn’t slowed down one bit. I remember the days of carpools, tennis clinics, swim lessons and Girl Scout campouts. The six of us were all going in different directions, and Mama somehow seemed to go in all of them at once. If she wasn’t at the wheel of her car, she was always ready to jump in and take somebody to piano lessons or baseball practice. School fair? You could count on Mama to man the face painting booth. All our friends knew “Ms. Helen.” The house had an open door policy.
Now my mother divides her time between 13 grandkids. Lots of dance recitals and sporting events, birthday parties and graduations from pre-K on up. Sometimes she and my daddy have to split up when the kids’ different schools have a grandparents’ luncheon on the same day, or race together from one school to another. Mama doesn’t want anyone to ever feel left out.
She also loves her boxer and makes time for herself at the gym. But mornings? Mornings you’ll find her at mass, usually with my daddy. That’s how she starts a busy day.