Thank you mom for planting love, joy & faith in my heart, By Babs Kincaid

My mom led by her intriguing and loving example. She grew up on a 10-acre farm so she was creative and fun loving. Her toys were live horses, chickens, ducks, sheep, geese, and dogs. She rode her bike, roller skated, and ice skated and played in hay stakes. Betty, my mom’s nickname often sold vegetables and strawberries with her brother at a fruit stand. They ate all the strawberries and much of their profit. In the summer she would swim in the creek and swing the rope and jump in. In the winter Betty would enjoy snow sledding!  One of her chores was feeding the chickens at the farm. When she was older she took the train to Connecticut to spend the summer at the pool with her cousins. She grew up content with simple things.  The Bible says it best; “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6

The Godly lessons my mom Betty learned from her mom, Helen she passed along to me. My mom was instructed by her mom to live by the golden rule and so she taught me likewise: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31 My mom told me stories of poor people stopping by their farm wanting to work for food. Her parents always fed them and let them do odd jobs. Betty taught me what she witnessed firsthand “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35  Her parents employed an Indian who lived in a room off the smokehouse to take care of the animals.                                                   

Betty had an up close and special encounter with God at a young age. Betty went to the basement and the washing machine was overflowing. There was a long chain switch for the light standing in the water. She slipped and fell or she would have been electrified. God letting her fall saved her life.  That was a huge spiritual awakening in her life. God became very real and personal to her at that moment. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 God sparing her life was a huge gift. God miraculously saved Betty’s life when she was only 10 years old! Yea God! As an adult, she wrote in her journal that she knew there was a God because he saved her many times riding a horse and driving a car.

My mom walked in love even when she faced harsh opposition. Whenever my mom went to the hospital she would always get one mean and impolite nurse. My mom would go out of her way to add warmth to her frost bitten opponent.  My mom seemed to look beyond the surface of people's ugly masks. She would extend love and grace with her words of kindness and forgiveness.  She applied these lessons: “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” 1 Corinthians 8:3 and “So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and mutual edification.” Romans 14:19 Betty wasn’t perfect but she did a genuine love walk modeled after Christ.

Fellowship with family was my mom’s most treasured possession and she passed that golden nugget down to me. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:24 In my mom’s journal she listed her family as the dearest people on earth. She wrote that there is nothing more important than love and caring for others.

     

     Faith and prayer were the glue that kept my mom’s world from unraveling. Among her, very important papers was a note which said: “if thou can believe, all things are possible to him that believe.” Mark 9:23  My youngest son wrote a letter to my mom in which he captured the beauty of my mom’s heart: “it was always you who shows me the path to righteousness and redemption. Your love has always been unconditional love… Your legacy is a legacy of inspiration to each family member that we must always do our best and always do the right thing no matter how hard it is. You told me when I was little that the sexiest trait a man could have was integrity. You are an Angel.”  I miss my sweet and lively angel and a prayer warrior!    

“Her children rise up and call her blessed…Charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30

Happy Mother’s day mom