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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: FRUIT (05/26/22)
I loved my Mom. I say loved because she went home to be with Jesus in 1986. However, for 45 years I enjoyed the blessing of having my Mom. During my childhood and my adulthood, Mom was very patient and loving toward me. There are several things I treasure the most about my Mom.

Mom taught her children the value of work. Even when we didn't want to do something, she reminded us that “life is not all about having fun, sometimes we need to work.” Thus, she would put us to work in various ways. The two things I hated the most were:

1. Picking strawberries from our strawberry patch. Now don't get me wrong. I love strawberries - to eat. I just don't like being out in the hot sun, stooped over, looking under leaves for ripe strawberries then carefully picking them and putting them in a pail. It seemed it took all day to do this. Actually, it did take all day! Half our backyard was a strawberry patch. Heat aside. Work aside. Those strawberries made the best strawberry jam and strawberry pies.

2. I also hated picking cherries from our cherry tree. I would pick the low hanging cherries, my older brother climbed the ladder to the peak. I think I hated pitting those cherries more. I can remember Mom, my little sister, and I sitting in the back yard pitting cherries. One-at-a-time. LOTS of cherries. Boring work. But, again, the cherry jam and cherry pies were eventually worth it.

Other fruit included apple trees and pear trees in our backyard. During the appropriate season you would find myself and my siblings attending to whatever fruit happened to be in season. Oh yes! Did I mention we also had a current bush that needed picking.
Let’s not forget our grape arbor too. Thankfully this was a small twelve foot arbor so picking the grapes took less time.

If I was not working outside, Mom had work inside for me to do. Besides helping set the table for our meals and doing dishes, my sister and I dusted every Saturday. The whole seven-room house! I hated doing this. All the woodwork, the furniture, the stair railing, the stair steps. Ugh! But that work ethic carried into my adult years and now I keep my house clean and spotless, just as mom taught me to do.

My best memory of my Mom, one I treasure to this day, was when I was thirteen and went through a very traumatic emotional crisis. Some might call it a "nervous breakdown". I was a complete wreck - emotionally. I would cry for no reason. Become very anxious. I couldn't be by myself. It was hard to go to school. And no matter what tests or treatment my doctor tried, nothing seemed to work. This went on for about two years. However, it was my Mom who brought me through. Her love to this "emotionally distraught daughter" was beyond words. She was patient and kind. Gentle and loving. When I needed a hug, she was there to give it. When I needed to cry, she would cry with me. When I was anxious and nervous, she would put me in the car and take me for my favorite strawberry ice cream sundae, complete with whipped cream and a cherry on top. Eventually, after much persistence, our doctor found the right drug and my symptoms gradually disappeared. I became a happy-go-lucky teenage girl again. I would never want to repeat that illness, but I'm glad I had my sweet Mom by my side as I traveled the journey.

I had the privilege of being with my Mom during her last two weeks of life. Although I was living in NY at the time, I flew back to Illinois where I tended to her care and enjoyed those last minute chats. Both my sister and I spent many a night together with Mom, as we tended to her care. Although they were hard weeks, I was also blessed to have been able to be there for her. She slipped peacefully into the presence of Jesus in the early morning hour of July 18, on my husbands forty-fifth birthday.

Her favorite verse was, “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
She was a great example to her children. As she lived out this verse in her life, all three children learned to do the same.



Story is non-fiction
Scripture from ESV - 1 Peter 5:7
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
06/03/22
This is a sweet recollection of your mom. I lost my mom when I was 27, so I can relate to missing her and treasuring memories. You could make this stronger by showing instead of just telling. For example, show how you protested about doing something by adding your dialog and your mom's answer. Include some body language too. My mom could raise one eyebrow and that look meant serious trouble. I never could master the one raised eyebrow, but did develop my own Mom-look. You need a smoother transition from picking fruit to your best memory. It feels too sudden and not related to fruit. However, again I could totally relate. I had terrible panic attacks and my mom was so patient and loving. You took me back to a sweeter, more gentle time and I really appreciate that. I'm sure you and your family will treasure this sweet story forever.
Avigail David
06/03/22
Precious memory of your godly mother you've written and shared. Thank you.

Truly inspiring. Blessings!
Marlene MCPherson
06/06/22
I am glad you had your mother to lean on during those times of your illness. I also like how you leant about the ethics of work. Good job.