As I was working at a flower shop this past week, one of my jobs included handwriting people's various messages to loved ones to be put with their bouquet delivery. It was sort of a strange experience... Writing message after message of "Happy Mother's Day...", "I love you...", and "You're the best mom in the world..!" I was writing the messages I would give almost anything to tell my own Mom, but could not. I also wanted to give a message to all these people writing to their Moms. I wanted to tell them not to wait for that visit. Don't wait to put in the time. Don't wait to show your appreciation. Don't wait to say the stuff you've wanted to say but never got out. Because you probably won't know when that "I love you" will be your last. 
Throughout the week as I thought of Mother's Day, I was sad to realize this was a holiday I was no longer apart of. But then I thought about it some more. I thought about how much my Mom poured into this family. How much she sacrificed, and the amazing offering of love that was given to lead her kids to witness a real life example of what it means to be like Christ. Her being gone doesn't change that. It doesn't take away the seeds that were planted in her family. It doesn't discount the incredible legacy she left behind. 
So while this will be the second "Motherless Mother's Day" for my siblings and I, I'd still like to honor my Mom for everything she did for this family. Hours of prayer on our behalf, hours of labor for her household, hours of emotion and passion for the things we pursued, hours of time and talks with her children, hours of teaching us the word of God... all of which create a lifetime of love which we will never be able to repay. But that's the kind of love that we are to follow. You know, Christ like love.
So to a mother who never let anyone tell her that her job doesn't matter; who realized she was raising a generation to honor God and live to serve Him, poured into her family, and understood the influence of her home as her battle ground, thank-you.... Through guiding and training the hearts of her children, she understood the power behind the vital truth that she was creating a legacy with the ability to build up or break down a nation.
This is the example I was given every day of her life, and one I hope I too will someday be able to emulate, at least a little. And it's with much respect and love that I honor this legacy of motherhood today. Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I love you.
