Had a great discipleship class tonight. Learned that one of our new young ladies at church is actually part of a family I knew many years ago. Small world.
We had time at the end of class to share some things. The subject came up of children wearing hand-me-downs. Any of you with older sisters will relate to that, I'm sure. However, I had no sisters. I was explaining that back in my childhood days, grain for farm animals & dog food came in cloth feed bags & my mother would make my clothes out of the feed bags. Pastor's wife said, "Oh, Mrs. Shirley!" and when I looked at her I realized what she thought. I said, "No, no, not burlap!" It was so funny. I told them that the feed bags were actually made of printed cotton & people would open up the bags to make the kids' clothes. I forget that the younger generations today don't know anything about feed bags. They were always very pretty prints & my mother was a great seamstress.
Mama used a Singer pedal sewing machine till I was probably 12 or 13. (In fact, I have it here.) I know it's not Mother's Day. It's almost Thanksgiving, but tonight has really brought out the memories of Mama. She sacrificed so much for me. She made my clothes till I thought they weren't good enough. Mama's health was not good & she wasn't able to work outside the home very much. So she did babysitting to earn money to buy me pleated skirts & cardigan sweaters like my friends. I never appreciated it or even thought about what she sacrificed for me. My daddy made a fairly good salary, but it took that to pay the bills I'm sure. They shielded me from the hard times.
So at this Thanksgiving season, I am so thankful for both my parents, but especially Mama. And I am thankful that just before Mother's Day, 1990, I sent her a letter & told her how much I appreciated the sacrifices she made for me and how much I loved her. She said it was the best gift she ever received. In August, 1990, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She died 1 month before the next Mother's Day. No coincidence that I sent that letter when I did. God put that on my heart. He knew, as He always does.
So you young mothers enjoy those babies and if you still have your mom with you, thank her for all the little things she did for you. One day it will be your kids, hopefully, thanking you.
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