Day 1- My Mom

This is the first blessing that I want to thank GOD for, and the first thing I thought of is my mom. It is not meant as any disrespect to other members of my family, which is a blessing as well, but my mom deserves special mention.
Perhaps it is because she was taken from me too soon in life, but even her passing provided me with a blessing. Let me explain what I mean: My mom died when I was sixteen years old, and very much a little child. I was a momma’s boy, and thought very much like a child. I was essentially pushed into manhood the very moment I looked at my mom on the hospital bed and realized that she was going to die. Why was that a blessing? Because it was time, and I was ready. My mom had done her job, and I was ready to take her torch and pass it on. It taught a valuable lesson, “People die and that isn’t a bad thing.” We don’t stop because somebody dies; we move on and draw strength in our struggles.
Now that wasn’t the only blessing my mom gave me. Her true blessing was herself. She treated people the way Jesus wants us to treat people, and always gave people the benefit of patience. She was somebody treated everybody as though they were her best friend, and as a result she had lots of best friends. Her funeral was packed with mourners who came from all around the world. People came off vacations to say goodbye to a dear friend.
The interesting thing is that I never realized this while she lived. I mean I knew that she was a nice person, and I loved her, but she was just my mom. I knew her passion and, since I was a teenager at the time, I saw she wasn’t perfect. She got mad at people (usually me). I’ve come to realize that having a loving mother is a blessing that too many people don’t receive, but at the time I didn’t see the blessing (a testimony to how my mom raised me).
Anyway, every once in a while people who knew my mom will comment on how much I remind them of her. They always apologize, thinking I may find it awkward, but they see a look and a sound that my mom had. I never embarrassed, in fact I find that one of the biggest compliments that I can receive. My goal in life is to live life as Jesus wants, and treat people as Jesus would. My model is my mom, and I’m so grateful that GOD blessed me with a loving mother.