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Today is a special day for special mothers |
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Written by Ric Swihart
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Saturday, May 09 2009, 9:54 PM |
Mother’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year for telephone companies; florists do a thriving business and restaurants are crowded, all to honour mothers.
Traditions can be maintained for generations while new traditions are started every year.
Two southern Alberta families shared their love of their mother and the mothers reciprocated with feelings of their special Mother’s Day.
Lara Merz had dreamed as a youngster of being a mother. Doctors told her she likely would never have children.
Visiting a Florida revival, Lara was approached by several people forecasting a child. On return, her doctor suggested things were improving, and perhaps with fertility drugs, she might conceive. She opted to try naturally for a month.
“I called back and said I wouldn’t need the drug.”
Two days and two years from the practical moment she met her future husband Bruce, Keziah Joy was born, a bundle of energy six weeks old.
Not only was Keziah born on one grandmother’s birth date, but she is the first grandchild for her.
Mother’s Day is also special because of the childhood memories for the couple.
Bruce recalls honouring his mother on her special day as respect and honour for the other 364 days of the year. He also remembers those nasty childhood “gifts” that are still on display.
Lara continually thanks God for His gift to her, fulfilling her childhood dream and giving her a symbol that she can be a mom.
Shannon Stevenson, who home schools Sam, 12, Jack, 10, Max, seven, and Isaac, five, in their comfortable family bungalow in Coaldale, pauses to ponder a question when husband Garry piped up, “Our big ‘gift’ for Shannon is a lot more sleep Mother’s Day, and she doesn’t have to cook a meal.”
For a long while, Shannon worked with kids, and raising her own family wasn’t in the cards. But soon, she was “nagging” God asking for kids.
Work as a mother became her constant companion, but once in the groove, it was taken for granted while watching the clan grow and develop.
She still has about three weeks to prepare for what the Stevensons consider the trip of a life time — a month in India helping friends work with street kids, some called Children Under the Bridge because it is their home.
They will help run camps and provide some basic first aid.
Shannon said while she knows the trip will be valued, it has given her a new sense of mothering, going to a foreign country with the risk of illness, going a long way from home.
“It makes me a little nervous getting into a situation so different from Canada so we are not taking this lightly,” she said. “Now, when I kiss the kids goodnight, I pray they won’t be sick.”
Sam said the trip hopefully will be really fun, and as a group, should begin everybody helping each other even more.
“I think it will strengthen bonds.”
Relationship are vital, Shannon said. But when she gets those home-made cards or a little plant for Mother’s Day from the kids, she still gets choked up.
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