A Letter to My Mom

Mom,  Happy Mother's Day ( a day early).  I wish that I could be with you tomorrow.  Maybe more than any other year, or at least the ones I remember.  The countless times during this hard year where you called to ask if I needed you to come to Tennessee.  It's been a hard year for our whole family.  The Elliott's, the Gorsh's, the Jackson's and yet the Lord has had us away from each other.  My friend said that it could be that the Lord wants us all to rely on Him.  Depend on Him instead of each other.  It has been such a blessing to see you do that.  You have been pulled in so many different directions with working, and dad's health and Grandma's health.  Being in Cedar Rapids,  at times wanting to be with Hollie and other times wanting to be with me.  Feeling like your girls needed their mom at different times this year but yet none of us were together.  So we all just continued to hope and trust and it has been my joy to watch my mama trust in the Lord.  Your faith has grown.  I remember crying on the phone, wishing we were together and you telling me, "We have Jesus.  He is enough."  Man, how we all go back and forth, feeling like we need each other and knowing that all we need is Him.

Mom, you've always been a hard worker.  You have always given to your family.  Memories make me laugh like how you used to peek through the door crack to listen to my conversations with Hollie, how you got up and sang karaoke at Becca's bachelorette party, how you would have to put on full makeup to go to Target, how much you love and enjoy your grandkids and how no one has more bath/beauty products in their bathroom than you do! :)  

I've learned things from you.  I can't relax fully until my house is clean.  When I see an overweight person running on the side of the road I say quietly out loud, " You can do it.  Good for you."  Even though they can't hear me.  Do you know you used to say that?   But the things that I have learned the most from you this year is how to serve my family and how to depend on Jesus.

Life isn't always easy or fun or what we want.  Life is hard sometimes but when it's hard I am learning that that's when your kids watch you the most.  I'm watching you mom and I like what I see.  Happy Mother's Day.  I love you! xoxo