A Mother's Heart by Choice



The first time I realized she had a special way with kids was when I watched her babysit a large family. She could snuggle a baby in one arm and stir a pot on the stove with the other. She could keep the older kids on task with their homework while keeping a close eye on the younger two swinging in the backyard.

Around that same time she became a Sunday school teacher’s helper. That quickly morphed into a full-fledged position when the director saw how the little kids flocked to her. She could simultaneously manage ten kid’s craft projects while keeping the most active boys enthralled during story time.




I kind of expected her to be an elementary teacher, but college took her in a different direction. Marriage came but children didn’t—yet my sister always had a mother’s heart along with a fun-loving mind. Kerry loved kids—but even better—kids loved Kerry.











At a time we honor mothers and all they do and have done—I salute Kerry who has been the babysitter, the “fun” aunt, the counselor, the career advisor, and most important—the friend. She’s the one who could be told anything and keep a secret, yet impart wisdom that might not go over so well coming from a parent.

Kerry loved with a mother’s heart while bringing lots of fun, inspiration, and passion for life. She gave us the best gift—love packaged with lots of joy.





Chances are there is a Kerry in your world too—someone who loves your kids as if they were her own. She celebrates all the family victories while offering great advice in times of trial.  She’s there in a pinch, and never seems to mind the hassle. 

It’s a great time to honor the gift of love from someone so selfless they chose to have a mother's heart without asking anything in return.

Popular posts from this blog

Counting the Cost

Image
Something big is missing in this photo. Let me explain. Here in my hometown, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe prepared a parcel of land for a new hotel. Plenty of planning and architectural designs were evaluated. A gemstone of a hotel would be built across from the waterfront—a beautiful, restful place welcoming travelers. A true four-star facility.   They cleared the aging brick structures that had been fading away between Front Street and Railroad Avenue. Then the pandemic hit, shortages of labor and supplies, add in the costly inflation that followed. Everything stopped.   But this is what I admire about the Elwha Tribe: they have counted the cost. They didn’t want to move forward and take on tremendous debt. They would rather move slowly and be financially ready, rather than begin building and then letting it sit unfinished.   Counting the cost is something I should have done earlier in life when I didn’t know what high interest rates would do to our farming cost...
Read more

Summertime Music

Image
During the summer months, in an outside seating area, a delightfully painted piano sits with a sign that says, “Play me”.   It was just before 8 pm as I walked past the piano. My bus would be arriving soon, and I still have another ten minutes to walk before reaching my bus stop. But no one is around. It’s a beautiful warm evening. I pulled out the piano bench and sat down. The sun was behind me, and the piano keys reflected its glow. I had no music in front of me, only the songs within me. Notes drifted into the air.  In those brief moments, the magic of music and summer came together. Isn’t that how it is? Summertime music has a way of lingering in our minds and lasting a lifetime. As I stood and grabbed my things, I heard distant clapping—I guess I wasn’t alone, after all.
Read more

Planting Good Seeds

Image
Harvest will always depend on what we plant and how well we care for our crop.    Looking over my seed packets, I notice they’re different than the ones I planted before. One package is called Word seeds. The directions say that each of my words is a seed, so it cautions me to think before I speak. Harsh words don’t produce sweet, nourishing fruit. These seeds will require thoughtful care in the garden. I see some Volunteer seeds. Those extra hours I tend to fritter away are going to be planted in a useful project.   It looks like time isn’t wasted in this garden plot. Next are some Love seeds—the directions are interesting: get up each day and love others. No specifics are given—just do something for someone every day. The seed package shows pictures of smiling faces. I smile back. As I’m ready to head to the garden with my seeds, a package falls to the ground. I open it. Inside are the tiniest seeds I’ve ever seen—but the directions s...
Read more