Thankful for a beautiful Mama!

Good Morning!  It's another beautiful Thankful Thursday!  Today, I want to give a little honor where honor is due.  About this time every year, we are in "Mother's Day" mode so today as I was thinking about what I am thankful for...it hit me.  I am thankful for my mama.  Our life hasn't been all roses by any means.  But, by the same token, there are plenty of other families that have had things way worse than we have.

My mama is a beautiful little thing.  She isn't much bigger than a minute.  When I was little, I remember her taking care of me and my brother.  I remember her making our meals and cleaning our home.  Goodness, our home was so clean, the 'clean police' could come in with their white gloves and never find even the slightest sign of dust or dirt!  Mama loved a clean home and she would work at it diligently, but she also let us play and get dirty!

(Not a picture of the actual accident)

In 1969, she was returning home after she had a doctor's appointment.  She was run off the road by another vehicle.  Her car went across the median, across 2 lanes of oncoming traffic and down into a deep ditch on the opposite side of the road.  On the other side of the ditch was 'frontage' road that also had traffic running on it.  Thankfully, she did not hit any other cars during all this.  As a result of the accident, Mama had many, many surgeries on her back and neck over the years.  At one point, she was in a body cast from under her arms to the hips.  I was 9 and my brother was 8.  Mama was no longer able to do the things she had always done.  Our life changed dramatically. 

More than anything, our little family was thankful that she was alive!  To this day, Mama has issues with her back and neck.  It's been a difficult 40-something years...not only for me, my brother and my dad...but for Mama.  She has had constant pain for these years.  She has had so many different doctor appointments.  And the accident in 1969 wasn't the only one along the way...in 1972, there was a motorcycle accident...while out on a family ride, Daddy and my brother on one motorcycle and Mama and me on the other, a pick-up truck purposely hit Mama & me on the motorcycle and then sped off.  Somehow...by the grace of God, Mama rode it down with out crashing.  As soon as Daddy made sure we were ok, he took off to find the guy in the pick-up.  He found him and justice was done.  In 1982, Mama & I were out together and I had an accident.  Mama was thrown into the dash and broke her upper arm...well, crushed it is more appropriate.  Her arm had to be put back together with screws.  See, Mama has had a rough adult life...her body has had to endure so much pain and so many surgeries...

Yet, through all of this, Mama has continued to do as much as she can.  No, the house isn't as clean and spotless as it once was.  No, she wasn't able to do as much with us kids as she had done before the first accident.  No, she couldn't enjoy life free of  pain.  But...she does love the Lord with all her heart.  She serves Him as best as she can.  She lives through the pain. 

Thankful...yes, I can honestly say I am thankful for all that has happened in my life.  Each and every accident that has happened to my beautiful mama has led us to where we are today.  She honestly loves Jesus...without all the pain and heartache...perhaps she wouldn't be serving Him like she does.  We'll never know.  And like the country song (by Rascal Flatts) says...God blessed the broken road that led us here!

I am so very thankful for my mama!  God could very well have taken her from us so many times in the past, yet He has chosen to leave her here.  Thank You, God, for giving me my mama.

Mama, I love you with all my being and I am so thankful that God chose me to be your daughter!  I pray that you have an amazing and pain-free Mother's Day!

God bless each of you and if your mama is still with you...give her some extra special love this Mother's Day and tell her how thankful you are for her!