Mother: The Passions of Her Heart

Yesterday marked 21 years since my mother's homegoing. I spent all day searching through photo boxes and memorabilia for things that might express a little of what she means to me. But of course,I found way too much material for one little post. Trying to distill it was almost painful. In many ways, my mother was larger than life. The youngest of nine children, she was tall, loud, talked with her hands, spent most of her life fighting weight problems, and had an almost compulsive need to confront wrongdoing and injustice when she found it. But somehow this all added up to being wonderful! Underneath, she was very tenderhearted. What she chose to love she loved passionately. First and foremost she loved the Lord God with all her heart, soul, and mind. Then she loved her family. Though my father was the quieter one of the two, my mother had a very scriptural awe and reverence for him. She would allow no disrespect for him from anyone. And how she adored babies and children! Being a mother and grandmother was truly her life's calling. When we children started leaving the nest, she found others to nurture. Nurturing and service were definitely her "language of love". When there were no people around, she lavished her attentions on her pets, or her garden. When we moved to southern Oregon in 1959 and bought a half acre of very fertile ground, she had discovered a new joy. At first she had planted a large vegetable garden to help feed her growing family. Then when she and Dad finished building a house on the property, she took great delight in landscaping the yards. I don't think there was a flower she didn't like. Dad laughingly swore he was going to put blinders on her whenever they drove by a plant nursery. Once she had a dream of heaven, and in the end she was walking in a field of waist-high flowers that stretched as far as she could see!

Much of who I am and what I believe I owe to my dear mother. In my earlier post, called Mercy I described a seven year period in my life when I was angry. It was only many years later, after the Lord restored me, and after Mom had died, that I found out just how much she had prayed for me during that time. Thank you, God, for a mother that prayed! I can hardly wait for heaven to love on her again.

Here is a slide show that I managed to put together with a lot of difficulty (lol) that says a little of what I feel:

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Celebrate Love!

Since Tuesday, February 10th, Steven and I celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary and Saturday is Valentine's Day, this is a week to celebrate love in our household! I've dug deep in my photo boxes to find some wedding pictures that mean a lot to me. (Not that there aren't some more out there in other loved one's photo boxes--you'll have to send them to me for the future. :-> ) But for this little slide show I have included these wedding photos in this order:

1. My maternal grandparents--Bert & Clara--married October 10, 1910

2. Steven's paternal grandparents--Henry & Martha--married September 29,
1927

3. My parents--Ben & Ellen--married August 5, 1950

4. Steven and Denise (me)--married February 10, 1973

5. Our daughter and son-in-love--Sherri & Jeremy--married January 24, 2004

6. Our son and daughter-in-love--Phil & Darcie--married October 6, 2007.

Happy Valentine's to everyone and MUCH, MUCH LOVE!!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Birthday Love

Thought I would share with you some photos that I've taken in the last few days. That way I get to spread my birthday joy out for a few more days! :0)

Here is the beautiful hyacinth and card that my sister Elena gave me. Wish you could smell the hyacinth. Heavenly!

Here is the card that my hubby Steven made for me. He made it small so I could carry it in my wallet. But I had to get a magnifying glass to read it! I couldn't stop laughing once I did. You may have to enlarge the picture to read it. I included a dime with the front side so you can get an idea of the scale.


Here is a pile of some of my favorite magazines that Steven indulged me with at Barnes and Nobles. However, my cat Kiki doesn't seem too impressed!

Here is the bouquet of lilies that Steven got me. The delivery date got mixed up, so I didn't get it until Monday, and they didn't start opening 'til yesterday. So another way to extend the joy! ;) You should smell these also--another of my very favorite flowers!

Love and Blessing to All! Denise