I Want to be the Apple that Didn't Fall Far from Her Tree

Goodness gracious! I checked my blog archives and realized that it has been five years, 2015, since I gave credit to where credit is due for ME! Besides God, of course, it is to my dad and precious mother. Today is Mom’s birthday and the cast of characters for this 109th birthday celebration includes Father God, Jesus, the angels, her parents, siblings, my dad and all their children – except for this one girl who is the last one standing on this side of heaven.

We should be big on remembering those responsible for our existence. Happy Birthday to my sweet mama! The best of me came from her. Before I was a twinkle in her eyes, Mom raised my dad’s five and 3 years old children as her own. Then there was my sister born twelve years before me. I wasn’t planned, except God used a train accident that my Mom was in to tweek and rearrange her birthing parts to have me. So, whoala – the final hoorah was ME!

If ever there was an angel on earth, it was my mom. She was my mentor and everything a mother should be. She selflessly gave -- "Just give me the fried chicken neck -- that's good enough for me." She always forgave -- "It's okay. God forgives me all the time. I sure can forgive you." She loved unconditionally and overlooked the weaknesses of others.

Her integrity and honesty were of the utmost importance to her. She gave me boundaries that worked: "Let your conscience be your guide." Those words rang in my ears each time I was choosing right or wrong. Our church was her second home -- volunteering, serving and giving. She showed me undaunted faith and determination in the toughest of times when my dad was so sick and when our finances were so meager. I heard her praying for me and my siblings from her bedroom. She was unquestionably the most tender, kind-hearted, loving, gentle, caring and pure woman I have ever known. To this day she remains my hero. Her example made me a better me.

Since my mom has much better things to do than to recognize this tribute, I give it more for you and me to see what a role model -- in the truest sense of the words -- looks like. It is not the things or treasures or inheritance or life insurance or jewelry -- that make us. What makes us, and the legacy we leave to our children, are the things that money could never buy. Her influence on me caused me to be honest, to love and care passionately, to put my faith in God during the best and worst of times, to give and to suck it up when I've been hurt or offended, to trust in God's plans for my life and to leave my family with something so much more than the things that can be bought. I intend to leave them the very best of me.....and the very best of me is my precious mother's example. What are those things that you'll leave to your children and grandchildren? "Her children rise up, and call her blessed...." Proverbs 31:28

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Mama

July 12th, 2011 -- The Carpenters (one of my favorite 60s duo) sang…”On the day that you were born the angels got together, and decided to create a dream come true. So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue” (Song was “Close to You”). And today, I feel close to my angel Mama, Edna Pearl (Halbert) Wheat.

I treasure photos like this, because it reminds me of where the best of me came from. If you read my posts, you know how I make a big deal about memories and my desire to keep those who made the biggest difference in my life….alive. If ever there was an angel on earth, it was my mom. She was my mentor, role model and everything a mother should be. She selflessly gave -- "Just give me the fried chicken neck -- that's good enough for me." She always forgave -- "It's okay. God forgives me all the time. I sure can forgive you." She unconditionally loved. Her integrity and honesty were of the utmost importance to her. I'll never forget the day as a tiny tot that I saw a package of gum on the floor in the grocery store and put it in my pocket. I reasoned that "if it's on the floor, it's okay to have it". When she found it in my pocket, she took me back to the store and I had to admit my wrong-doing.

That incident and lesson stuck with me like glue. She gave me boundaries that worked -- "Let your conscience be your guide." And those words always rang in my ears when I was choosing right or wrong. She rarely missed a church service -- Wednesday night, Friday prayer meeting, women's meetings, Sunday School AND church -- twice each Sunday. That’s why, to this day, I love attending church and the sweet fellowship I find there. She sacrificed her own personal needs for my needs. She showed me undaunted faith and determination in the toughest of times when my daddy was so sick and when our finances were so meager. I heard her praying for me and my siblings from her bedroom. She was unquestionably the most tender, kind-hearted, loving, gentle, caring and pure woman I have ever known. She was and is my hero. Her example made me a better me.

The photos I’ve included in this post include Staci’s wedding and that “pretty as a picture Mom in the middle of us”, and that’s who she was in life. Right in the middle of praying for us, and praying for Staci’s soul mate to come into her life – he did! The photo of her standing up at church – is her giving praise to God – she just had to stand up and tell it. That’s how she rolled! The photo of her sitting with my siblings, is at her 90th birthday celebration. I’m the only one, in the group, still here to keep the memory alive!

Mom only saw my two oldest grandsons, Braden and Brennan, in the photo with their dad. That’s another reason to keep the memory alive for the four grandchildren that came after she went to heaven.

The photo of Mom and Shawntel is when they came to see her on November 27, 2003 to tell her “We have a baby coming!” (That baby was Brennan – our 13 year old.)

Of course I had to include my sweet mama on our wedding day. She sacrificed so much to give us such a beautiful wedding. BTW – that’s my sister’s wedding dress that I was wearing -- that saved a lot on the wedding finances!

The reason why I'm emphasizing her today, as my greatest role model, is for you and me to realize -- it's not the things or treasures or inheritance or life insurance or jewelry -- the tangible things that make us. What makes us, and the legacy we leave to our children, are the things that money could never buy. Her influence on me caused me to be honest, to love and care passionately, to put my faith in God during the best and worst of times, to give and to suck it up when I've been hurt or offended, to trust in God's plans for my life and to leave my family with something so much more than the things that can be bought. I intend to leave them the very best of me......and the very best of me is my precious mother's example.

What are those things that you'll leave to your children and grandchildren? "Her children rise up, and call her blessed...." Proverbs 31:28

Happy Birthday, Mom! You Sure Make Me Want to Up My Game!

Today is my sweet mother-in-law's 94th birthday. It's such a good time to express my love and gratitude for her -- especially because if it weren't for the love that she and Dad had for each other, then their precious gift of their son to me would never have been. Mom's life represents my life with the most precious, loving, tender and giving man I ever knew. Was he a perfect man? No. But he was perfect for me.

Oh how I thank Mom for the MANY prayers for us right from the very beginning when I was 12 and he was 13 -- when we were just kids and didn’t know about life and responsibilities and what true love was all about. I thank her (and my mom) for praying us together.

I will always love the story of her turning her little ceramic Holland boy and girl away from each other when we had a spat, and when we made up, she put them back together again. That story tells a lot about her encouragement, her prayers and her support of us for so many years. I thank Mom for instilling such strong faith in her son, for the man of God he was, for the sense of humor, and, even for those “perfection” qualities that made him so detailed, always expecting excellence from all of us. I thank her for instilling in him his musical gifts that gave so many people such encouragement and joy. I thank her for everything about this precious man that filled my life, and so many others, with love and joy.

Our love for each other stood the test of time, the test of raising kids, the test of tough times and the good times, the test of sickness and in health, the test of trusting God through every challenge and the greatest test of all -- the test of "till death do us part". She never wanted to see her son go to heaven before she did, but her resilience, strong faith and trust in God during those times even gave me the fortitude to carry on strong.

I share Mom's 94th birthday with you, my FB friends and family, to show you an example of what a mother-in-law should look like -- oh, not the exterior, though she is and always has been a beautiful, stately woman, but she did the best of what God called her to do -- to be a Proverbs 31 woman -- the one that her children ALL rise up and call her blessed. Sure makes me want to up my game!

Mom, I celebrate the gift of you into my life and to so many others who have been impacted by your grace, dignity, and beauty for so many years! I love you so much......Donna

The Best TREAT Ever

 Day 298 of Photo Inspirations -- The Best TREAT Ever
Once upon a time there was a beautiful lady named Molly who fell in love with a handsome man named David.  They were happily married for many years and then on October 31st, God gave this happy couple a precious gift from heaven.  It wasn't a pumpkin or a ghost or a goblin, or any other TRICK. They must have been very, very good because He gave them a very special TREAT!  And their TREAT was a precious little baby girl who they named “Lydia".  “Lydia” means “worshipper of God“!  And true to her name, she has been, and is, a true worshipper of God.  You'll find her at any given time with her Bible in hand -- reading and praying for her family and friends.

This precious lady, "Mom", means the world to me, because were it not for her, my life would have never been filled with such love, joy, and happiness from having her son as my precious husband. I celebrate her and her life of giving, loving, and caring for so many. She has been a true gift to all who know her. She has left her mark on so many lives, including mine. Though she is actually my mother-in-law, it has always been so natural to call her "Mom", because she's always treated me like a daughter. She loved me when I was just 12 years old and has continued to love me, support me, pray for me and encourage me all these years.

I know there's lots of funny, and often "catty" remarks about"mother-in-laws".  That's too bad, because if it weren't for our in-laws we would never have been blessed with our sweethearts.  We need to appreciate them, respect them, honor them and give them our gratitude.  And, isn't that the kind of "in-law" we want to be for our children's and grandchildren's spouses?

On this 93rd birthday of Lydia Wuerch, I pay special tribute to a beautiful, thoughtful and devoted Mom, Granny and friend to so many.  God must have loved us so much, that He gave her to us as the best TREAT ever.  I celebrate this special day, I honor her with my greatest devotion and thanksgiving to God for her life, her continual prayers for us for so many years and for the living example she is of knowing God, His faithfulness and His love.  Happy "93rd" Birthday, Mom!

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Mama!

Day 186 of Photo Inspirations -- Happy Birthday to my Sweet Mama
#TBT -- Though my Mom's birthday isn't until July 12th (she'd be 104), I saw these photos and I knew it should be my #TBT Photo Inspiration today.  These photos are of her and my Alexia Wallace​ -- 13 years ago.  She loved holding the babies.  I loved the "before" and "after" of Alexia getting hold of that bottle.  LOL!

I treasure photos like this, because it reminds me of where the best of me came from.  If ever there was an angel on earth, it was her.  She was my mentor, role model and everything a mother should be.  She selflessly gave -- "Just give me the fried chicken neck -- that's good enough for me."  She always forgave --  "It's okay.  God forgives me all the time.  I sure can forgive you."  She unconditionally loved -- "It's okay that they (my siblings that lived in other states) don't write or call me much.  I love and pray for them anyway."  Her integrity and honesty were of the utmost importance to her. I'll never forget the day as a tiny tot that I saw a package of gum on the floor in the grocery store and put it in my pocket.  I reasoned that "if it's on the floor, it's okay to have it".  When she found it in my pocket, she took me back to the store and I had to admit my wrong-doing.  That incident and lesson stuck with me like glue.  She gave me boundaries that worked -- "Let your conscience be your guide."  And those words always rang in my ears when I was choosing right or wrong.  She never missed a church service -- Wednesday night, Friday prayer meeting, women's meetings, Sunday School AND church -- twice each Sunday.  She sacrificed her own personal needs for my needs.  She showed me undaunted faith and determination in the toughest of times when my Daddy was so sick and when our finances were so meager.  I heard her praying for me and my siblings from her bedroom.  She was unquestionably the most tender, kind-hearted, loving, gentle, caring and pure woman I have ever known.  She was my hero, and to this day, she remains my hero.  Her example made me a better me.

The reason why I'm emphasizing her today, as such a role model,  is for you and me to realize -- it's not the things or treasures or inheritance or life insurance or jewelry -- the tangible things that make us.  What makes us, and the legacy we leave to our children, are the things that money could never buy.  Her influence on me caused me to be honest, to love and care passionately, to put my faith in God during the best and worst of times, to give and to suck it up when I've been hurt or offended, to trust in God's plans for my life and to leave my family with something so much more than the things that can be bought.  I intend to leave them the very best of me......and the very best of me is my precious mother's example.  What are those things that you'll leave to your children and grandchildren?  "Her children rise up, and call her blessed...."  Proverbs 31:28