BEEdazzling Mamas: My Mom - Part 1

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts." ~Washington Irving~

BEEdazzling Mamas is a new column I created to celebrate the inspirational and beautiful moms I know. And what better way to introduce this column than to feature my own mom. She is truly BEEdazzling to me in so many ways.

Earlier today, I sat at my desk and began jotting down all the qualities I love in my mom. Soon I found my list quite lengthy, and as I reflected on each of the qualities, tears began to tumble down my cheeks as I realized how much I truly admire and love my mom. I'm so excited to be able to share some of those exquisite qualities with you.

Beautiful: As a child and an adult, I've always seen my mom as beautiful on the inside and outside. But as I ponder on this further, I realize that her true beauty shines from the inside out. Her genuine smile, twinkling eyes, and infectious laugh illuminate her true beauty from within. And from within, you will find wisdom, integrity, and kindness of the purest kind. With age, this type of beauty only blossoms.

Encourager: My mom has been the encourager and cheerleader in my life. She has always believed in me, even when I could not believe in myself. She's stood beside me and supported me in all my aspirations, and I know I could not have accomplished many things in my life without her encouraging words and belief in me. Thanks Mom!

Sincere: My mom has always been sincere in what she says and does. I know that I can rely upon her to be truthful in her assessment of circumstances and in the advice she gives.

Trustworthy: My mom is one of the few people I know whom I trust wholeheartedly with all aspects of my life. I know I can share my deepest secrets and fears with her and she will handle them with care and confidentiality. And even more important, I know I can trust her with providing love and protection to one of the most precious people in my life - my son.

Forgiving: One of the greatest gifts my mom has given me are the many examples and lessons on how to truly forgive. I remember her pleading with my brother and me to never leave home or go to bed at night without asking for forgiveness from those we've wronged and forgiving those who we believed have wronged us.

Responsible: My mom taught me how to be responsible in life. In fact, both of my parents showed me what it means to be a responsible member of society. They are hard-workers, and I've always admired that quality in both of them.

Integrity: Over the years, I've watched my mom live a life of integrity. In her jobs and personal situations, she has been placed in challenging situations with no easy solutions. And time after time, she has chosen the high road, even when it was not popular or resulted in criticism. I admire her for her decisions and have sought to follow in her steps in living a life of integrity.

Empathetic: My mom deeply feels the hurt and pain suffered by those she loves. When life serves me disappointments, I know I can go to my mom and pour my heart out to her, and she will attentively listen and sometimes even cry with me.

Nurturer: My mom has always been a natural at nurturing. As a young child, I remember her tending to my many needs. But perhaps the most meaningful way she has nurtured me as a child and an adult is in the way she has encouraged me in my walk with God. In fact, the spiritual nurturing she has provided to my entire family has blessed us immensely and will richly bless her grandchildren and the generations to follow.

Dreamer: My mom has always believed in having dreams. And even though I've witnessed seasons in her life where she thought her dreams may be fading, I still saw a glimmer of hope within her and knew those dreams would not be lost.

The bottom line: My mom is my best friend. Many of us often envision growing old with our spouses, sitting in rocking chairs on a wrap-around porch and reminiscing on the years we shared together. I dream of this as well and am looking forward to the many years ahead with my husband. But I also yearn to pull up another rocking chair and invite my mom over to laugh and cry over the memories we collected together in our lifetimes.

I'd love to hear about the BEEdazzling Mamas you know!

Please check out my blog in the next day or two for the second part of this series: an interview with my mom.