This is the fourth of 25 special reflections based on lessons I learned from my mother. These will run from my birthday on October 27 until her birthday on November 20.
Read
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)
Reflect
Growing up with my Mom was a lot of fun, largely because she did things that meant something to us.
I was a big fan of the Archies when I was a little guy. Yes, the Archies — the “Sugar, Sugar” singing cartoon Archies. I watched the cartoons, I read the comics, I listened to the records. Mom used to play make-believe games with me where we pretended to be different people in the comics. She even made an audio recording where we reenacted one of our make-believe conversations. (I won’t be sharing that here…)
Growing up, I was also a big fan of the Philadelphia Phillies. (I still am today, though it was a lot more rewarding back then.) In 1980, the Phillies had their first good chance to win a World Series. It was almost exactly 41 years ago when the Phils were playing the Royals in Game 6 of the Series, and the game ran past my bedtime. Mom made me go to bed (school always came first, and I needed my rest). But after about an hour she came upstairs and woke me up. The Phillies, she said, were about to win the World Series, and she wanted me to be able to watch the end of the game. Mom and I were both able to see Tug McGraw strike out Willie Wilson to clinch the title.
Mom’s personal touch continued when she became a grandmother. I remember her playing the “mouse and cheese” game with my daughter, and those are memories Lizzi will cherish for the rest of her life. It’s a game Mom invented where she would put a piece of cheese on the counter and ask Lizzi to make sure that a mouse didn’t steal it. Of course, as Mom looked away, Lizzi would eat the cheese and Mom would feign shock and say, “That mouse stole the cheese again!” Lizzi would giggle, and Mom would put another piece of cheese on the counter.
One of the best things we can do as parents is to care about at least some of the things that are important to our children. And it’s a godly quality because the Lord cares not only about us but also about the things we care about. So many people see God as a stodgy, stiff deity who cares only about hymns, scripture and testimony. But the Lord cares about the happiness of His people, and He wants us to trust Him with all of our cares. The Bible doesn’t mention things like baseball, painting, macrame and photography, but there’s no doubt that the Lord wants His people to live balanced, happy lives filled with joy. Whatever your vocation or avocation (or hobby), share that with the Lord and let Him help you be the best at whatever brings you joy.
Reflection copyright © 2021 Doug DeBolt.
