Mother's Day

This mother’s day I look on these pictures of the woman I have cared for, for six years now, a tenth of my life.  My sister and I had planned for our parents care in their old age, but sis is gone.  That wasn’t in our plans.  I had no grandiose plans for my retirement, but certainly in the back of my mind I foresaw some deliberate, large-scale effort to serve God’s children, and I would have studied which ones most needed my “great” talents and focused my time and energies there --- and would have expected great results, with His blessing.  And perhaps that will yet happen --- my plans.

But for now, there are His plans.  They don’t seem as big or as important as I’m guessing my plans would have been.  The remaining years of my life are passing, one after another.  Helping many of God’s children??  I help only this one, who so needs my help. 

I saw my unformed retirement plans as making some big difference --- and in truth giving me some great satisfaction or recognition by others.  But I only serve this one woman, my mother, who on some days does not recognize me.

Is this what You would have me do, Lord?  Is this how I should use the talents You have blessed me with?  Will this yield a result of tenfold more, for the ten talents I have been given?

I do not know the answer to my prayers, but this is where He has put me, and this is what I must do with my life, for now.  For each of us, He has plans which require us to be exactly where we are at right now.  But they are His plans, not ours, so don’t worry if you cannot understand them.  He has a plan for your life, and it starts right now, right where you are at, and it is built upon all the pains and sufferings and unplanned events of your past life --- unplanned events which YOU did not plan, but He did, for His reasons.  Someday you will understand them.  Do not be anxious.  Not my will, but Thy will be done, O Lord. 

And as for my commitment I know He has given me one great promise.  And for this, and whatever else He may wish me to do, I also make one promise --- I will do it.

Honor thy father and thy mother, that you might have eternal life.

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

Happy Mother's day to all mothers.  You are a great blessing to us; may you also receive many blessings, especially on this day.  We will never forget you