Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
– Exodus 20:12
Indulge me, if you will, in a bit of selfish and personal reflection.
God has given me much for which to be thankful in my nearly 66 years on this earth. Nothing more so than my beautiful mother.
Mary Eudella Remscheid. She goes by Eudella, or Grandma Della to the grandkids.
A mere 20-years old when I was born, she was the oldest of three sisters. So my grandfather threatened to throw me out the window if I was a girl. Mom responded by having three boys!
Not quite 11 years after I was born, my dad was killed in an auto accident on an icy road one winter morning on the way to work, leaving my brave mother to raise three boys on her own.
And she did so fearlessly.
After Dad died, we moved from Haysville (a Wichita, Kansas suburb) to Pittsburg, Kansas to be near our grandparents and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
It wasn’t long after that when Mom, not wanting us to miss out on anything for lack of a father, did what most of our relatives told her was unthinkable. She embarked with her three boys on a road trip vacation to California and Disneyland.
We didn’t miss out. Then or any other time as we were growing up, thanks largely to the love and unselfishness of my mom.
Now 85, Mom is preparing for another long road trip with me. In a couple of weeks, I’ll be flying to Florida and driving back with her as she comes to live with my wife Marcy and me.
Mom’s not quite as fearless or independent as she used to be. And she needs more help these days than she would ever care to admit.
As many who have been through the experience of caring for an older relative can no doubt attest, it will not be easy introducing another person – even a loved one – into our daily lives.
And she has a dog!
Tiger will be joining the Buford menagerie, which already features a dog and a cat. (I fear Murphy and Sophie will not be pleased.)
But Mom set a wonderful example of love and courage in addressing head on the challenge of raising three boys on her own. Can I do less in return in her time of need?
Can I love and honor my mother as she loved and honored me?
Marcy has certainly stepped up to the plate and accepted the challenge, which is significant since she’ll be the one spending the most time with Mom while I’m at work during the week. Her example of courage and love is no less great than Mom’s in raising my brothers and me.
I pray that I’m up to the task. That I can live up to their example.
And that God will bestow upon me courage and strength. The same courage and the strength he gave Mom 56 years ago.
First Reflections 