What a Woman!!!!

While Ridley and I were driving home after a funeral home visit late yesterday, we continued to be amazed at the scenes out our windows. We were in the area where water had gone down, 5 days after flooding, but things were still covered. Where there was devastation, there were groups of people working. It really is hard for pictures or words to describe.

After about 50 "Wow's: and "Look at that", we rode in silence as we tried to process in our heart and minds what our eyes were seeing. I was surprised when my mom popped in my head. With Mother's Day this weekend, I began to think about how my mom has lived a life that is so much like what we are seeing in the Nashville area. She has always been about other people. You partner that with my dad's heart and you have one amazing couple! I would bet my dad has learned a lot of that from watching my mom all these years. They both impact people.

Gran, as she is best known, has been all about Philippians 2:4. "Let each of you look not only to your own interest, but also to the interest of others." As we passed the images of loving and helping yesterday, images were flashing in my head of how my mom as been loving that way for years. Not just the obvious things or the really big things, but the little and silent things. Of course when my brother and I were younger, there was the volunteering as room mother and the feeding of the 5,000 in the neighborhood. Looking back, she was awesome at loving us and our dad.

As an adult, I can look back and see her love towards the neighbors that were different. The outpouring to the new town we moved to every year. The one who cooked and loved on the sick. The one in the back of a church kitchen fixing food for Meals on Wheels. The wife that helped run my dad's new office and loved on his new employees. The one who has taken care of her mother in law for years. The Gran that has embraced my Abby and Harrison like she has loved on them for years. The mom that still sees all the good in her daughter and believes in her, after all the wrong choices. The list goes on and on.

Years ago, Franklin got hit with a tornado on Mother's Day and my parent's house was affected. I will never forget that day. The love my mom had poured out, came back to her that day as friends and strangers showed up to help. I think that is what sparked my thoughts of her yesterday.

The people here have rejuvenated me! The media and world want us to believe that it is every man for himself these days, but these last few days make me so proud to live here. I am even more proud to have a mom that has taught me to love unselfishly. She fits in great here and she would prefer it that way. She never wants any attention or praise for her big heart.

Thank you mom. I love you!