Today, in the UK, it's Mother's Day! And although I am miles away from both my Mum (that's British-speak for "Mom") and my Grandmums (is that a thing?), they are still shaping my London life.
She's always amazed me with her savvy couponing and her endless wit (not to mention her insane capacity for crossword puzzles), and she's taught me how to love others by just paying attention to the little things they love, which I've experienced through surprise gifts of exotic postcards or pomegranate juice. I love her, and I love learning from her! I look forward to many more lessons in the future!
People always say that I look like my dad, but I am so happy when I look at pictures and see bits of her in me. Hopefully my heart will look like hers as well.
I don't even know where to start when it comes to all that she's given me (you know, aside from life, and all that). This is the woman who introduced me to Muppet Treasure Island, Veggie Tales, and the Importance of Being Earnest. The woman who bakes delicious maple scones (let's face it, she bakes delicious everything), makes chocolate for gifts at Christmas, who orders fish and chips almost every time we go out to eat. This is the woman who inspires me by not only running her own business, but by using that business to love on whoever walks through her salon's doors.
But most of all, this is the woman who showed me Jesus my entire life. While he was just some character in Bible stories at Sunday School, my mom showed what he was about by loving the way he loves--sacrificially and unconditionally. She was (is) an illustration in the book of the greatest story ever told, and I am grateful for that.
I realize that this is a broken world. Not everyone gets to grow up with loving mothers in their lives, mothers like Betty and Emma and Lisa. For whatever reason God let these women be a part of my story, I am so, so thankful. Happy UK Mother's Day, all.