My perch for a view of Mother's Day this year is in a new place. My
mom, Marie Begly, died on January 4, 2012. As I survey the landscape of my mother's life, I see "legacy" written on the vast expanses, hidden in the nooks and crannies, and quietly speaking from under rocks and from behind hedges.
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| Family Portrait from 1964 - Loren and Marie and Their Six Children |
An ordinary woman, remarkable in so many ways. Her zest for life and love for her family inspire me and I hope will continue to inspire her six children, twenty-three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren for years to come.
I've had a few months to
come to grips with not just her passing on to glory, but to reflect on
who she was as a person. With each session of musing, my appreciation
and love for her grows in ever deepening ways as her uniqueness and
wisdom come to light under the lens of a studied gaze back.
Dictionary.com gives this definition of "legacy" . . .
The light of her fame remains yet to be seen, but this little blogpost is just one small sunbeam. I think Mom would be most anxious that her Lord would be made famous by any of the small things she did for Him during her life. In that desire, she was certainly successful.
And she was more than this! I've always like that word, LEGACY. From this new perch, my Mom reminds me today that LEGACY is a big enough concept to encompass a lifetime of growing into a woman of godly character. It is also wide enough to leave room for knots and wrinkles. . . and that, although these are overshadowed by the noble, the realities of life touched her too. Her experiences can teach anyone who cares to consider them as helpful markers for finding the good path through similar events.
Strength. Nobleness. Kindness. Compassion. Unflagging energy. Creativity. Godly living. Playfulness. These and much more are the gifts, the legacy, my Mother left with me. Although I miss her, on Mother's Day I will not shed tears, but rather give thanks to God for such a gift as my wonderful, dear Mom.
These words from a favorite passage in the book of Proverbs, are true of my Mom:
I'm thankful Mom gave me freedom to follow my heart:
My Mom collected Bicentennial memorabilia and other patriotic items. Mom, here's Washington's quote right back at YOU . . .
Postscript: Talked to my Dad late this evening and mentioned the family portrait above. He said on a Sunday night he was getting ready to leave early in the morning for Omaha (truck driver) when Mom reminded him he had to be at the portrait studio for a family portrait first thing in the morning. Who schedules six children and a truck driving Dad for a family portrait early on a Monday morning? Yes, my energetic Mother. And not just her little family, but she herself looks fabulous in the portrait.
In an age when beauty, wealth, and fame are so often touted as the be-all and end-all, my Mom was beautiful, wealthy, and famous in the ways that really matter in the end, in ways that linger in the form of a good, true, and beautiful legacy that shines beyond her earthly years. Her beauty shone in her generosity, in her compassion, and her love of nature. Her wealth sparkled in the large network of family and friends, many of whom drove long hours to her funeral or the family viewing the day prior.Anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor.
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| Mom and Dad's first great-grandchild, Adrian Elijah (my grandson) |
And she was more than this! I've always like that word, LEGACY. From this new perch, my Mom reminds me today that LEGACY is a big enough concept to encompass a lifetime of growing into a woman of godly character. It is also wide enough to leave room for knots and wrinkles. . . and that, although these are overshadowed by the noble, the realities of life touched her too. Her experiences can teach anyone who cares to consider them as helpful markers for finding the good path through similar events.
Strength. Nobleness. Kindness. Compassion. Unflagging energy. Creativity. Godly living. Playfulness. These and much more are the gifts, the legacy, my Mother left with me. Although I miss her, on Mother's Day I will not shed tears, but rather give thanks to God for such a gift as my wonderful, dear Mom.
These words from a favorite passage in the book of Proverbs, are true of my Mom:
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. . . . Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. . . . Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. Proverbs 31, selected verses, KJV
I'm thankful Mom gave me freedom to follow my heart:
“My mother said to me, ‘If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope.’ Instead, I was a painter, and became Picasso.” Pablo Picasso
My Mom collected Bicentennial memorabilia and other patriotic items. Mom, here's Washington's quote right back at YOU . . .
“All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.” George Washington
Postscript: Talked to my Dad late this evening and mentioned the family portrait above. He said on a Sunday night he was getting ready to leave early in the morning for Omaha (truck driver) when Mom reminded him he had to be at the portrait studio for a family portrait first thing in the morning. Who schedules six children and a truck driving Dad for a family portrait early on a Monday morning? Yes, my energetic Mother. And not just her little family, but she herself looks fabulous in the portrait.
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