Mother's Day

No, I haven't misplaced my calendar. Yes, I know it's November. But I also know when to 'treasure these things in my heart.' Tonight I had one of those experiences that didn't start off particularly extraordinary. Yet, when the evening was over, I got to do something special for one of my children, and get rewarded with a huge smile. What a nice Mother's Day! A true Mother's Day!

Just before drifting off to sleep, my daughter (age 9) got up with a tummy ache. She thought she had to throw up, so I sat with her in the bathroom. The first thing she requested was, "Mama, please pray to God." After my prayer, she added, "God, if you know that I'm going to throw up, please let me do it soon!"

To calm her, I told my daughter a long story, improvised on the spot. It was about a (real) doll of hers who wanted a stuffed animal of her own. As my daughter's tummy began to calm down, I went to get her doll AND the littlest stuffed animal I could find in her collection. When I returned with the doll and the stuffed animal, you would have thought I'd brought my daughter the most magical gift in the world, judging by the look on her face.

When I tucked her back into bed, she said, "Mama, God answered our prayers, didn't He?" Isn't it a marvel when God does indeed answer our prayers for our children. Even in those times when we ourselves doubt He will. I think He must do this to help build up their faith so that when they are older, they will not falter when they suffer adversity, which they most certainly will and most certainly must.

Then, my daughter asked, "Mama, did you have that story all planned out?"

"No," I replied, "I just made it up right then and there."

"Wow!" she beamed. "You are the BEST storyteller in the world!"

She put her head on her pillow, still beaming, and gazed at me lovingly. That was when I decided I'd just had a wonderful Mother's Day. On November 12th.