A Tribute to Momma
Mother's Day
provides the
opportunity to pause and meditate on the value of good mothers. The role of mothers has been under attack over the last few decades. It has not been enough to be a mother. Expectations has forced women to become a hybrid man/woman both carrying on a professional life, raising and nurturing a family.
For many women like my mother working was a necessity not purely a professional pursuit. It has been eight Mother's Days since I last gave Momma her last card. She along with my grandmother were the defining women in my life. Not so much because of what they provided materially, but rather the spiritual and life lesson they imparted.
Yesterday, I spoke to a group of young women receiving their ten year pin for being Girl Scouts. I noted that the whole world is in search of women who embrace their roles as leaders and who are prepared. My mother was such a woman. Never living outside of the inner city she influenced and developed a generation of young people. A woman of simple means, she worked in a factory until she was laid off after fourteen years. At 38 she returned to school to retrain herself to pursue another career. At her funeral the church was packed and both the incoming and outgoing mayors of that city both came to pay homage. She and my grandmother lead in ways that are lost to young women today. They knew who they were and what they needed to do. Society did not confuse them on what womanhood meant and its importance in equipping girls and boys.
For many women like my mother working was a necessity not purely a professional pursuit. It has been eight Mother's Days since I last gave Momma her last card. She along with my grandmother were the defining women in my life. Not so much because of what they provided materially, but rather the spiritual and life lesson they imparted.
Yesterday, I spoke to a group of young women receiving their ten year pin for being Girl Scouts. I noted that the whole world is in search of women who embrace their roles as leaders and who are prepared. My mother was such a woman. Never living outside of the inner city she influenced and developed a generation of young people. A woman of simple means, she worked in a factory until she was laid off after fourteen years. At 38 she returned to school to retrain herself to pursue another career. At her funeral the church was packed and both the incoming and outgoing mayors of that city both came to pay homage. She and my grandmother lead in ways that are lost to young women today. They knew who they were and what they needed to do. Society did not confuse them on what womanhood meant and its importance in equipping girls and boys.
I work with families in the inner city and I see the mothers who are trying and those who have just given up. There is frustration because many of these young women ages 20-35 struggle with their purpose, identity and impact. As a result, their children both girls and boys are confused. There is a need for the intergenerational connection between mothers who can strenthen one another. This enables the children to be nurtured in the right evironment. It is not purely an economic issue rather a moral one. If you are a woman and you know who you are and understand your purpose, please reach out to a young woman who is struggling. Furture generations are dependent upon her becoming a woman who embraces her role as a leader and who is prepared.
My mother was the first woman I loved and I am able to apreciate all the women in my life because of her. Below is a list of her top lessons that she taught me and my brothers during our formative years. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers who read this post. Blessings!
1) Why buy the cow if you already have the milk?
2) The only thing that comes to a sleeping man is a dream.
3) Take care of business of business will take care of you.
4) Time will tell whether I raised wise men or fools.
5) Remember thy Creator
6) What does it profit a man?
7) That’s why they call them grandchildren because they are so grand
8) If you fail to plan.
9) Don’t get bitter get better.
10) Love the Lord
11) Lead by precept and example.
12) Your gift will make room for you.
13) Do your best unto the Lord, anything outside of what you earn is a blessing
14) Date your possible mate
15) Look at how a girl treats her father
16) Honor your father and your mother.
17) Only a fool says everything that is on his mind.
18) You can’t be getting ready, you have to be ready.
19) Be faithful.
20) 99 ½ won’t do.
21) Don’t ever think that you can’t go on.
22) You never lose when you invest yourself into others.
23) Leave a telephone number.
24) You are not leaving here after 10:00 p.m.
25) I love you
26) Do what’s right
27) Whatever God has for you, you’ll get.
28) People hate organization
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