A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

April 11, 1934

To you that may not seem like an important date, but to me it is.  Clara Dell Grider was born on that date.  She is my mother. There are really not enough words to describe her…she is just simply the best.  She is the most generous, loving, selfless and nurturing person I know.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words…that is why I chose this picture to post today. The look on my Mama’s face captures who she is.

  (You will notice that I am looking at the camera…but she is looking at me.)  

 

This picture was taken right after I had given birth for the first time. My mother had always taken care of me and been the strongest person in any room, but on that day when I was in labor with Cody, my oldest child, I saw a side of her that I had never seen.  She was very uneasy.  She said that she could not stay in the room with me while I was in labor because she could not bear to see me in so much pain. (Now that I am a mother, I totally understand.  I would rather die than see one of my children hurting.)

Afterwards, when she could finally come back in the room, everyone else was looking at the baby, but she was looking at me.  I know that she had to make sure that I was OK.  That is what this picture conveys…her looking at me with “love eyes” to make sure that her baby was OK. Nothing could ever take away the love that she has for me. 

I am 43 years old…and I still know that she is looking at me with that love and concern in her eyes…making sure her baby is OK.  It reminds me of my Heavenly Father…looking down on me with love eyes…making sure I am OK. 

I have always known a mother’s love and I hurt for those that have not ever felt that.  I am so very blessed.  I think that is why it is so easy for me to understand the love of Jesus.  I know that some of you have never felt that kind of love from your parents here on this earth...but I am here to tell you that there is One that loves you just like my Mama loves me...His name is Jesus.  He is looking down from Heaven with eyes of love just for you.  

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us..."  1John 3:16 NIV

Today is my mother’s birthday…and there could be no greater gift for her than for someone to read these words and begin to grasp how much they are loved by Jesus today. 

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:38-39

Happy Birthday Mama!!!!!   I love you so much!