I've been thinking about my Mom alot lately, and more particularly something about her that I love. I don't know if it comes to mind because I'm becoming a Mom myself? Or because I'm super hormonal? :) No matter what it is that keeps triggering me to think about this particular thing my Mother does, I just can't ignore that I've thought about it ALOT lately.
And it makes me tear up, usually while I'm putting away loads of laundry or washing a ton of dishes.
What is this thing that my Mother does?
Or rather, this thing that she seems to NEVER do?
Complain.
I truly never hear my Mom complain.
Anything from murmuring and grumbling, to full blown I-hate-the-world complaints--I never hear her utter them. (She may very well do it, I just can't recall a single instance!)
Is this something she prays against daily?
Is it something she's convicted by?
Does she try her darndest NOT to do it?
I have no idea, I've never asked her.
The example that keeps coming to mind always happened when I was slacking in my responsibilities at home. If it was my responsibility to wash the piles of dishes, yet in the sink they sat...and they sat...and they sat...eventually I would finally come to an empty sink and every dish washed. Mom would do them.
When I would apologize, without an ounce of bitterness or sarcasm she would say something like, "It's okay, sweetie--don't worry about it." Ouuuch?
Even when I fully deserved to have those dishes thrown back in my face at a later date, she never ever mentioned them.
If I let the dirty hamper sit too long, she would carry them to the washroom.
If I left the living room a disaster when it was my turn to clean it, she would clean it.
If I left dinner half-cooked, she would finish it.
Never a complaint was uttered, and it was never used for leverage against me later.
Most hardcore Moms, myself included, would think that would have made me lazy and prone to let others do work for me if I waited long enough. That could have very-well happened, but thankfully it left a lifelong impression on me. Instead of leaving her to do the work for me, it made me
want to work harder, complain and procrastinate
less, and even joyfully pick up where others may be slacking. (still working on this...:D )
Lately when I look at...
my piles of laundry,
my piles of dishes,
my grocery list,
my scummy bathroom,
my need to organize...
I think of Mom with thankful tears. She literally has ten times more than I do (7 kids!), and is doing her best without complaints...and possibly for the siblings of mine that are slacking today.
Mom certainly isn't perfect--she actually feels like a failure most of the time. She doesn't always get everything done, her house isn't always spotless, and her lists aren't always tackled. So I hope this doesn't give you that Proverbs 31 guilt, cause it doesn't for me. :) But next time I look at that sink of dishes, I'm a little more thankful for them...and it makes me pray I can learn not to complain when I do my best, and pass that on to my little ones too. :)
