Thankful Thursdays #2-A Mother's Courage

I don't think I've mentioned before how

thankful I am for a good mom.

{mom and I --Northern Mexico c.1970 she is 18 years old}

Sure she's not perfect, who is anyway, but she's the perfect mom for me

Here's why I think my mom is the best:

*She has never, ever judged me

not even when I have made the stupidest decisions

or made dumb mistakes

she's never said "I told you so"

*She's always been my biggest cheerleader

There's nothing her kid can't or couldn't do!

*Growing up I can't remember once hearing her complain

*she sits for hours listening to me ramble on and on about this or that

*she is one of the most courageous women I have ever known

{my birthday party-Mexico-my grandma's house}

Background:

My mom was born in Mexico to (poor) US Citizen parents

She grew up there, studied there, married there and had us two kids there

Later on she got divorced from my dad and decided she wanted to move to America and give us kids a better chance at life (she was a US Citizen by virtue of her parents).

{us- early passport photo I am about 3 years old, my mother is 21}

It was hard getting us permanent resident aka "green cards"

took a lot of going back and forth from consulate to embassy, etc.

took a lot of money too

 Money she barely had

She had to prove to the US government that we wouldn't be a burden on it - so no welfare, etc.

she had to prove she was gainfully employed-40 hours per week, etc.
this took some maneuvering on her part but she got it done

we spent a few months homeless because who wants to take in a young mom and her two kids??

{little brother's birthday-in America at grandma's house}

I remember well her sacrifice

I remember well her working two jobs

Buying me designer jeans with her meager pay just so I could "fit in" with the crowd

giving me plenty of money for field trips so I could have a good time

Sure there were bad times and there were good times

Sure she made some bad choices in men and we kids suffered because of it

But who am I to judge?
when I was writing this I came across a wonderful article this particular passage resonates with me:

My earnest prayer is that you will have the courage required to refrain from judging others, the courage to be chaste and virtuous, and the courage to stand firm for truth and righteousness. As you do so, you will be “an example of the believers,”  and your life will be filled with love and peace and joy. May this be so, my beloved young sisters, I ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, amen.

Source


Easier said than done? I know I struggle with this at times
the power to refrain from judging others
the courage to abstain from gossip
the courage to be an example to other young women and
to my children
indeed a struggle to be courageous when it counts
to be a righteous woman, a virtuous wife

This makes me all the more grateful for having a courageous woman that raised me

The Lord has surely blessed me

Giving me a guardian angel such as she
to pray over me as I lay in the ICU

to lay her hands on my head and ask our Father in Heaven

to "please heal my daughter"

Yeah.

I've got a lot to be thankful for

And nothing to complain about