My Mother, The Missionary

Sunday was a fun day for me...it was not only Mother's Day but my birthday. Since my one and only daughter, Ann-Marie had us over for lunch, I had told my mother that I would bring her supper. And at the end of our meal, I would read her a bedtime story. After all, had she not had her share of telling bedtime stories for her twelve children?

About my Mother:

My mother Agnes Theresa Rehfeldt, (Yes, I tell people that I have my own Mother Theresa.) mother died when she was only 16 months old. Since her father could not keep all five children, her youngest brother George and her were adopted by the VanHerren family. (They had no children of their own.) They were hard working farmers and my mother learned at an early age how to run a household. This really became important because she was only eleven when her second mom passed away. As a young girl she had twelve china face dolls....and when she got married, she wanted to have twelve children. God granted my dad and her that desire. My mother was never what one would call a communicator. She told me once that one day my father said to her, "Women talk to me." Mother did communicate not by words, but by action. There is an old saying I have in my Bible: NOTHING LOCKS THE LIPS LIKE THE LIFE. Her life before us and the Lord was one that did speak volumes ...not only did she tend to the daily needs of such a large family, she found time to work in the nursery at church, was involved with the Awana program till well into her seventies, and worked with Child Evangelism for 40 years. Her deepest desire was always to be a missionary. "Mom, God did make you a missionary." I would tell her. "This family just keeps growing and growing...with grandkids and great grandkids you have been a great missionary to over 134 people in this family. WOW that's bigger than some churches I know." Maybe in her mind she felt she was suppose to go to some foreign land to qualify as a missionary. Did you know that she prays for all her children, their spouses, grandkids, great grandkids and great great grandkids by name? And on top of that she sends birthday cards to each one of us! And her daily walk with the Lord includes reading the Bible everyday. And yes we her children rise up and call her blessed as stated in Proverbs 31:28. "Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." Proverbs 31:30 For my mother to be 90 and still walking with the Lord, is the direction that I always want to be going. As promised, I sat next to her on the bed and I read the book, GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU by Sam McBratney..illustrated by Anita Jeram. "Sam McBratney's touching bedtime story seeks to measure the immeassurable: the love between a parent and a child." The story ends with those famous words often used between a parent and a child..."I LOVE YOU RIGHT UP TO THE MOON - AND BACK."

Yes it was a wonderful day for a sixty-four year old daughter to spend her birthday with her ninety year old mother on Mother's Day. And yes Mom.."I LOVE YOU RIGHT UP TO THE MOON - AND BACK!!!"