Mothers work, not upon canvas that shall perish, nor marble that crumbles into dust, but upon mind , upon spirit, which is to last forever, and which bear , for good or evil, throughout duration, the impress of a mother's plastic hands. George Washington
With so much emphasis of the crisis in families our society fails to celebrate those brave mothers and fathers who shape our communities and the eternal destinies of their families. There is an overabundance of stories of mothers who abuse and discard their children and marriages. Single motherhood is almost discussed as a plague. I work in the inner city with young mothers who are diligently raising their children, working and doing the best with the resources they have. It is hard for one day of celebration to erase the stigma of negative news stories and images that confront today's mother. I pray my small tribute inspires young mothers to persevere. This Mother's Day 2012 I salute three mothers: Virgie Lee Jones, my maternal grandmother, Patricia Elaine Woodley, my mother, and Yvette A. Woodley, my wife all three different but all embody what is good about motherhood. The intent is to salute all the mothers who doing great work that is unheralded to let them know their work matters.
Virgie Lee Jones grew up in poverty during the Great Depression married young, had 12 children (6 boy and 6 boys) Widowed at 37 and a grandmother by 41 (I was the first of her 41 grand children) she debunks the myth of the African American single mother. Though the family struggled mightily she didn't rely on public assistance. She and her children kept their house. A praying woman who poured an inordinate amount of love into me and her grandchildren. Her quiet confidence in me propelled me to complete baccalaureate and masters degrees. The unquenchable faith in Jesus and His favor on my life made me live for something bigger than myself and make her proud. My goal was to live up to her faith that I could be everything God had showed her I could be. Truth is without Grandmomma I would not be who I am. She proved that singular woman who loves God and her family can change her community and the world.
Patricia Elaine Woodley, Momma was one of a kind. Married and with 4 son ages infancy to 6 by the age of 28, she was a young working mother. Where Grandmomma was quiet in her communication, Momma told you exactly what she thought whether you wanted to hear it or not. A list lady she expected homework to be left on the kitchen table for her to review when she came home from her second shift job. What was so compelling was her consistency and her unwavering faith in God. The second oldest of the 12 children she was a natural leader who fiercely loved her family and four sons. She definitely believed in faith and works. After she prayed she acted on what God impressed upon her heart. I inherited her tenacity. Laid off from Libbey Owens Ford's glass factory at 38, she returned to school retrained herself and reentered the workforce as I entered college. Her personal vigilance and integrity made her friends of both the powerful and the lowly. Momma pushed, prodded and cajoled me to become God's man. She taught me the value of giving and serving for God's glory Possessing a sharp wit an sometimes a sharp tongue she would hug you and love you back into the fold after she straighten you out. Even though her husband and four sons were all different personalities, she was the nucleus of our family. The enduring lesson from her life is that you never lose when you give and you can stand by courage of your convictions and win people through integrity and commitment.
Yvette Arlene Woodley, my wife, God's woman for me, and mother of Tre' and Armand. The 6th of 7 children she had to overcome childhood illnesses to become the first college graduate in her family. Yvette has been my partner in this journey called life. Fiercely protective of me and the boys, she has made me a better man than I was when I met her. In 21 years of marriage I have watched her nurture and teach our sons to become the type of men to care for and lead their families. Our laughter and inside jokes has helped me during the stressful times in work and life. What I am learning in our lives together is that with God's help that I can lead, serve and excel while taking care of my family. While our story is still being lived out, my life is being perfected in this phase. Whereas Grandmomma nurtured, Momma challenged and cajoled, Yvette helping to fully mature God's work in me. I honor all the "mothers" God place in my life especially Grandmomma, Momma and Yvette. They show there are women still holding up the standard of motherhood for young mothers to follow.
Honorable mention to other mothers who shaped my life: Frances Smith, Joann McKittrick, Barbara Jameson, Mary Board, Mildred Fennell, Mrs. Moragne and the "Mothers" at New Jerusalem COGIC in Toledo, Ohio
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