Mother’s Day Musings

Was meant to publish yesterday but somehow didn’t, but the thought transcends Mother’s Day :)

In February 2000 as we all looked forward in hope to a new millennium, my world changed with one phone call from my dad. My mum, or as we would say back home - mam, having survived a scare with cancer a few years earlier the doctors were confirming the devastating news that it was back. A hastily arranged flight up north to Aberdeen followed, to be greeted with the news as I arrived at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, that this time there would be no cure. The next couple of weeks was spent at our family home with my dad caring for her as her health slowly deteriorated.

I have many private memories of that time as we took turns sitting at her bedside throughout the day and the long nights. But two things I can share that sums up much about my mam.

One of her brothers came to visit and said to her, Why you Elsie? His thought process was that my mum, in his mind at least, had possibly lived a good life and why was this happening to her? Quick as a flash she shot back, Why not me? Living a good life or being a Christian did not give her a pass from illness but following Jesus assured her of comfort in the dark times and a guarantee of an eternity in heaven.

As my mam grew sicker and drifted in and out of consciousness she often would say “I would like to have done one more year”. At first, I wasn’t sure what she meant but then discovered that it was about the Sunday School at Cairnbulg AOG. She had started teaching a Sunday School class as a teenager and continued ever since. Taking out a few breaks when her kids were born she had served for 39 years and she would have liked to have made it 40 years as teaching children about Jesus was so important to her.

Amongst a host of other things, my mam demonstrated to me what trust in God and faithfulness to His cause looked like.

Thank you mam.