I have met many people in my life. Not because I was
popular... We moved around a bit. So I know about having to start anew and
about ending things pretty well.
Most relationships have been seasonal, so you could say I
got used to not having much consistency in that particular department. I have
my reservations about the title "Best-Friend" as the only consistent
relationship in my life has been Jesus. But without diving into an entire
dramatic scene - it's a happy story and I certainly wouldn't change a thing.
The next couple of blogs will be about honoring people. People who have played a significant - often life changing role, in my life...
Those who have stayed long, and those who rented a space for a season. It could
take me a while to get through all the people and encounters I have had. So
bear with me on this one. Every story, is from my own personal perspective...
MY MOM:
My mom is one of the most amazing people I know. She was the one who taught me about Jesus and because of her, I got born again. She taught us one Sunday at Sunday school about asking Jesus to live in our hearts. I was about 5 or 6 yrs old. I ran through the house and into my room where I knelt down and asked Jesus to come live in my heart. I will never forget that day - it was such a beautiful, private moment with God, just like most other beautiful moments with Him.
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| My Mom and I at Starbucks near Weybridge, Surrey - December 2013 |
I admire
her strength and courage in every adversity she has ever faced. She was 31 when
my dad suddenly passed away from a heart attack. That's my age now. I can't
even imagine having to experience this heartache and
then to still take care of my two children - Emil was 7 and I had just turned 10. My dad had only been gone for 7
months when she married again - I sometimes try put myself in her shoes to try
and figure out if that was even enough time for her to deal with everything and
to heal completely. She was so brave to move on and to dare to dream of a new
life. I know it wasn't easy for her... Starting a brand new life with my
brother and I - and a new head of the home. I often cried for her and prayed
for her asking God to heal every heart-ache she had cause I knew I didn't have
the power to make it better. I still often encounter these moments - and they do break my heart. But God has reassured me that He can be trusted to take care of her.
"I think it takes a woman of great courage to pack
what she can in the suitcases she has, leave her two oldest children behind, buy a one way ticket for her and her 3
little children, and set up a new life with my dad in a country she has
never set foot on."
God is so incredibly generous. My mom had three more children in her
40s. Ruth (now 15), Andrew (now 13) and Eleia (now 10). There is a gap of 21yrs
between Eleia and I - and I LOVE being a big sister!
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| Dad, Eleia, Mom, Ruthie and Andie - Windsor Castle - December 2013 |
My little brother (Andrew) is one of the most loving
children I know. He was the second of the three little ones. But he also very
misunderstood as he has ADHD and Aspergers (Autism). We only learned this when
he was around 7+yrs old. My mom has been so great with him even though I know
it's tough for her. I am sure she may even have had moments where she felt like
she had failed him. But looking from the outside in - I'd like to reassure her over and over again - she is the perfect mom!
Just like a child who is different gets rejected in
society, so a mother gets rejected too - most people (even-though they wont say it out loud) think she doesn't
discipline her child or cannot seem to manage his "naughty"
behaviour. It seems unfair considering the circumstances are out of her and most often even his control... I cannot imagine how lonely it must sometimes get for her.
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| Mom and Andie - just the other day... |
See - this right here is the highlight of who she is... In the midst of having to deal with so much - she works full time for a
company called THE WHITE LODGE where she takes care of other disabled children
with disabilities such as, Cerebal Palsy, Autism, Retts, Hyperactivity and
children with muscular conditions. She often works right through the night
assisting families with their children. Some of these shifts are scary and
emotional as some of the children have severe seizures or epileptic fits. And
yet, every time she gets home, she has a grateful heart. Never negative about
her circumstances, always moving forward, always positive, speaking with such passion about the child whom she just looked after and what a joy they bring to her...
God has opened such amazing doors for my mom to help
other moms and dads who struggle to deal with a special needs child. I love
that. He has called her to bring HOPE and healing to families through her hurt and experiences. Those are often the best places to come from if you wanna help someone - a place you've been or even are in yourself.
My mom is my hero. :) And I love her with all the loves I have in my heart.
God's Word on it:
"Honor your father and mother"--which is the first commandment with a promise-- "so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Ephesians 6:2-3
Janet, I knew your parents when we were young. We have many fond memories of them the One Way coffee bar days. This woman could sing and Dirk played guitar like a pro. They both had a wonderful sense of humor. I worked part time at the place they worked and had many funny moments in memory.
ReplyDeleteI see today, March 12, is your birthday and that you love God and have a great relationship with Him. That makes your parents, all three of them, success in my book.
May God richly bless you. May you find in Him a never-ending source of joy. May you experience His abundant mercy and grace in everything you do. And may you fulfill your destiny in Him.
En Agape