Tribute to My Mom

Well I don't really know why I've been thinking about it, but lately I've been thinking about my mom and how if there is one word to describe her life, I think it would be the word 'service'. Growing up my mom was always helping people. I don't mean she was always doing service projects, though I'm sure she's done her fair share of those, but I mean she was helping individuals quietly and happily.

I can remember for a long time we picked up a family for church each Sunday because they didn't have a car. I don't know if that family's mom had any other friends besides my mom...and I think Susan Larsen too. :) No one gave her a calling to befriend them, she just saw a need and did it. I can remember their son coming over to use our computer for a social studies or science project because they didn't have a computer. My mom also taught early morning seminary for years.

Perhaps there were times when she put what she wanted before us, her children, but I can't remember any of those times. If they happened, they must have been few and far between. Our best interest has been and still is, it seems, literally her greatest interest. Oh...and there are six kids in our family and we (especially teenage me) required a LOT of patience.

She always (as far as I could tell) did her visiting teaching, even though they were at least a 10 minute drive away-and up to 30 or 45 minutes away I think. She also made time to be visit taught even though she is eternally busy.

I can also remember the time when a family in our ward lost their mother in tragic car accident. Their 3 kids (the oldest was probably 6-8 years old and the youngest was probably 2 I think) then started coming to our house after school because their dad was at work and they had no mom. I didn't think much of it because it was fun for me and not any extra work for me, but I can only imagine she was a lifesaver to that family for a few months (or longer...I'm not sure how long). Just off the top of my head I can think of seven people that were taken into our home on a regular basis, either part-time after school, or full-time living with us because they or their parents needed it. Some of them were just for a short time, but most of them were for months. And I'm the youngest so I'm sure there is much more that I don't know about.

Every once in a while I manage to do something nice for someone and Dave usually compliments me when I do, but all I can think is, "I'm just trying to be like my mom." Emphasis on trying...I'm far from her life full of service.

I guess I'm just trying to say "Thanks Mom" for your Christ-like example of a life full of service.

P.S. I know it would probably be better to just say these things rather than write them but I would cry (I have already shed a few tears as I've written this) and I really hate crying before anyone, and I just do a really poor job of articulating my feelings unless it is on paper...or blog in this case. Oh and the picture is of my mom and Sam last Christmas. It's one of my favorite from that trip.