This is a picture of all the ladies in my life. On the left, my youngest sister Rebecca. On the right, my other sister Jacqueline. To her left, my beautiful wife Tracy, and finally to her left, my mother Cynthia. While all of these ladies are dear to me, today I want to take some time and be thankful for my mother.
Today is my mother’s birthday. She was born and raise in the small farming community of Harrow, ON. Her mother came over from Yugoslavia and cut hair out of their small Harrow home. Her father was French Canadian and worked for Chrysler’s in Windsor. My mother is the middle of three girls.
From an early age she attended the local Baptist Church, Harrow Baptist, even though her parents were not Christians. It was here that mom was saved and baptized and served the Lord. Through some providential work of God, she met my father, Allen, who she began to date. And eventually on July 10, 1976 they were married at Harrow Baptist Church.
Mom had attended St. Clair Community College in Windsor to be a nurse. While she has had many difficult days in her career over the years, she genuninely likes to help people and still serves as a Labor and Delivery nurse in Detroit, MI. While she could have been a lawyer or a doctor, God put her in this place and she has used her gifts from Him to this day as someone who helps bring new life into this world!
She did not always have things easy. My dad had said many of the right things before they got married but was hardly a Christian. She often had to invest in her children the teachings of the Scriptures on her own. My father was a Mormon and we attended there for sometime. But my mother, not wanting us to be under the ungodly teaching of the Mormon church, ended up as our Sunday School teacher in that church and, right under the nose of the church, taught her children (and other children!) Regular Baptist Press Sunday School curriculum.
It was she too that was instrumental in bringing us back to her home church of Harrow Baptist. It was here where all three of her children were saved (although Rebecca was baptized elsewhere) and even her own husband was saved and baptized. He acknowledged it was through the many prayers and great ministry to him by his family that brought him to Christ.
Even now she seeks to serve. My father is now pastor of Walkerville Baptist Church in Windsor, ON. My mom helps in any way she can in the ministry of the church as the pastor’s wife. She has been supportive of me and caring to me in all my many years, especially in my pursuits of the ministry and my moving all over the place. She has sacrificed greatly for her family and for that we should all be thankful.
Even through much bodily pain endured daily (following a work accident a number of years ago) she perseveres in the faith and faithfulness and labors tirelessly in her work not only ministering bodily to the patients and ther families but spiritually as well. She is even finishing up her degree so that she can now have her B.S.N. as well.
In all my days I could not have had a better mother. She is kind and loving. She is good and generous. She is helpful and caring. She’s not perfect (and who is?) but I count it through the love and care and discipline of my parents that I am the man I am today (although I qualify that all my faults are my own!).
So, today, December 15, I celebrate the birthday of my mother. I love her so much and am so thankful for her. She has been used by God greatly and will continue to be used in the many years to come. Sometimes the things she has helped with are behind the scenes, but the lives she has impacted for Christ over the years will only be known on the other side of glory, for which she most desperately yearns. To be with Christ is her great desire. Our desire for her, is to be with us for many years to come!
I love you mom!
Working out Salvation with Fear and Trembling 