A Mother's Love

M Is for the Many things she gave me,
O Means only that she’s growing Old.
T Is for the Tears she shed to save me,
H Is for her Heart of purest gold.
E Is for her Eyes with love light shining,
R Means Right and Right she’ll always be.

Put them all together, They spell MOTHER.
A word that means the world to me. 

The first time I heard my mother sing those words was several years ago, when I was a child.  It was just me and her, mother and daughter, swinging back and forth on our old porch swing.  She told me about her mother singing this song for her, when she was a little girl.  I could tell it was special, although I'm not sure I was even old enough to spell the word 'mother'.

Just because you can't spell a word doesn't mean you can't understand it.  Probably from the time 'Mama' formed on your lips, you knew who 'she' was, and what she meant to you.  I didn't understand many of the words to this old song.  What made an impression was more in the way she sang the words.  I could tell it was special because of the way her eyes smiled when she glanced at me.  I would listen, then request, "Again, Mommy!"  

Only one line concerned me... "O means you're getting old?  Are you old, Mommy?"  She laughed, and while still swinging, explained that we're all getting older.  She said something like, "Someday you'll be a mommy too, you know..."

That seems so far away now, and yet I can still remember the sound of her voice and the creak of the swing.  I can still picture looking up at her, feeling in my heart just how much I loved my mommy.

The sweetest sounds to mortals given
Are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven.
~William Goldsmith Brown

Now that I'm older, and a mommy myself, I appreciate the words of that old song so much more.  I live to be an example of love to my children... as my mother was and is to me.  God, help me hear their little voices, care for their needs ~ no matter how big or small ~ and love them as you love me.  Unconditionally.

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. -Romans 5:8

As I sing this song to my son and daughter, help me convey the overwhelming love I have for them in my heart.  They'll understand the words someday... when we're all a little older.

MOTHER~ A word that means the world to me.