by Lois Bylund
My mom went to her heavenly home last November, so this is the first Mother’s Day we didn’t celebrate together.
I feel so blessed to have had my mother for almost 58 years. It gives me great joy knowing she’s in heaven, celebrating with her mother and other family members. I have so many beautiful memories of my mom that fill my heart with joy!
Just before she died, I prayed to stay strong—not feel sad or cry. God answered my prayer. I don’t feel sad. I have my moments when I shed a few tears, but they are tears of joy, because I know she is happy. She is back with her family, and that was what was important to her.
For her memorial service, I wrote my favorite memory of her. But I found it challenging to narrow it down to just one, so I wrote how I viewed her life.
I felt she lived her life as a teacher. She was teaching me all the time though I didn’t always know it. She taught me to show love. I know this because I see this through my children — how they treat their extended family, their spouse, significant other, children, and friends.
Children come without manuals
Mothers do not receive manuals on how to raise their children. Most of it is trial and error, so there were times when my mother didn’t always teach me the right way to do things. She made mistakes. I’ve made mistakes; maybe not the same ones, but I learned by her mistakes and mine too.
But it was always about love.
Although I did not celebrate Mother’s Day with my mom here on earth, I celebrated by remembering her smile and the love she showed me. I pictured her in heaven with her mother, celebrating with our Lord and Savior.
My favorite Bible verse sums up how I remember my mother on Mother’s Day: “This is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalms 118:24
How did you remember your mother? Did you celebrate with her, or did you remember her as I did — with joy!
Lois Bylund serves on the churchwide executive board. She lives in Moorhead, Minn., and is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in that city.