Today is Mother’s Day! I hope you are taking time to honor your mother and the women in your life who have been like a mother to you. My mom is now in heaven so I won’t have the privilege of spending time with her today, but she lives on in my heart and I appreciate her more and more as each year passes.
My relationship with my mom was not an easy one as I was growing up. Yes, I was her problem child! You know, the one who has the “middle child syndrome”. I was born sandwiched between two well-behaved and very compliant siblings. I was “Miss Independent” and often challenged the house rules, so I’m sure mom was glad when I finally reached adulthood.
As I look back on my mom’s life, I found she was indeed a strong woman of faith who was loyal and devoted to her family. She ran a tight family ship, demanded a clean and orderly house, and cooked wonderful mid-west meals. There was never a doubt she loved all of us.
Mom received a cancer diagnosis at the age of 62. Because the cancer was a fast- growing lymphoma, the doctors were not sure the chemotherapy would be effective. Mom was determined to fight this cancer through medical treatments and much prayer. Her hope was to live long enough to see her grandchildren grow up. By the grace of God she was healed and not only did she see all her grandchildren grow up, she was able to attend the wedding of each one.
My mom also demonstrated incredible strength and grace when my brother unexpectedly passed away at the age of 37. No mother should ever have to bury a child. I learned so much from her about faith and prayer as our family walked through this difficult season.
Mom loved hosting family dinners to celebrate birthdays and holidays for her kids and grandkids. There was so much love around the family table. She took great interest in our lives and was always there to lend a hand when we needed it and give us advice when we asked for it.
There were many legacies my mom left for our family. The one my sister and I have greatly appreciated was the preparation of her Family Legacy Drawer. This was truly one of the greatest gifts! Not only did she have a Trust and Will document prepared, she took the time to document her final wishes for her memorial service and included every little detail. She itemized family heirlooms and made a list of who should receive certain items. She listed all her financial accounts and the location of important documents and insurance policies.
The time and energy she took to create the Family Legacy Drawer clearly indicated how much she loved us. Her attention to this important task created a clear roadmap on how she wanted her estate to be handled and set the groundwork for her legacy to live on in family harmony. I will be forever grateful to my mom for this most thoughtful gift. I hope you, as a mother, have organized a family legacy drawer for your family. It truly is the best gift you can give!
