Well, I said I would write next week about the second topic of President Nelson's talk and here we are, almost a year later. Either I was lazy or I felt the topic needed some more time to be able to expand upon. The women in my life are amazing. My wife, sisters, mother, aunts, grandmothers, cousins, and others are great examples. President Nelson invited the brethren to consider how we treat the women in our lives. I love the women in my life but openly admit that I have not always been the best in how I treat them. I could share countless examples of not being as good as I should be, but perhaps I will not go there, rather I will write about why it is so vital to me to treat the women in my life with love and respect.
1. My dear mother not only gave me life and raised me, taught me correct principles, and saw me through good, bad, ugly, acne, school, college, and everything in between, but she is a cancer survivor. In 2019, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of cancer that affects the bone marrow. She was fortunate to have a wonderful medical team who were able to treat the cancer and continue to treat it today. She lost her hair in the beginning of 2020 after chemo therapy and lost 6 inches of height during an 18 month period of time while it was still unclear what the cause of her spinal fractures was. Now the cancer is not gone, but it is managed and my mom is back to walking 5 miles a day and serving anyone and everyone she can.
2. My lovely wife of 90, going on 91 months has been my support through grad school, starting my career, buying a home, and countless other endeavors. She loves gardening and is the most organized person that I know. She loves her country, her family, and planning. She has also suffered from chronic back pain since she was 12 years old. She has had multiple surgeries to help with the pain. This is managed right now and even when in pain, she seeks opportunities to serve. She loves family history and in 2019, scheduled a trip for us to Switzerland for the purpose of looking up records of her ancestors who hail from the Glarus area. Additionally, she has had 4 miscarriages, one of which was twins. She longs to be a mother and we continue to pray that this will happen in this life. But if not, we trust in the Lord and His timing.
3. My sweet sisters and sisters in law. It has been amazing to see my 2 sisters blossom into their roles as wives and mothers. Hillary has 1 boy and another on the way. Ellen has a 4 month old girl. They love being moms and take time to share their children with us. Ashley is a loving mother to her daughter and loves all that she comes in contact with. Lisa loves animals and gives them care as often as she can. She is very observant of when others are in need and seeks to help when it is in her power to do so. Julie is a lovely southern belle who loves her family and loves being a mom. She has graciously hosted Molly and me on multiple occasions when we have visited in Florida. She always seeks to ensure that we are comfortable and well cared for.
4. My grandmothers are simply the best. In October of 2020, my dear Grandma Ellen passed from this life into eternity. I was blessed to grow up in the same town as her. Swimming in the pool at her house was a childhood experience that I cherish. She always had plenty of fo
od available for consumption. She loved her children and grandchildren. In her later years, her memory failed her, but her invitation to "Come sit with me" remains a constant reminder of her desire to spend time with those she loves. My Grandma Marilyn loves her grandchildren fiercely. I always remember being spoiled by her when we visited her in Washington. She would have sweets and take us to the toy store and loved to dote on her grandchildren. She had a serious heart condition a few years ago and was is so much pain that she wanted to die. She did not and felt vehemently that she did not die at that time so she could have more time with her grandchildren. Her memory is now fading, but she still expresses her love for each of her "sweethearts" be they children, grandchildren, or a stranger.
5. My aunts and cousins. I have too many to write of each of them individually and I do not wish to miss any of them. I have been blessed with such great examples of faith, hard work, and love in the sweet women of my life. I am grateful for the time I have with each one of them be that a few minutes as I was growing up, to living with others for months at time.
6. My Heavenly Mother. In the song, "O, My Father," there is a verse that reads:
"I had learned to call thee Father,
Thru thy Spirit from on high,
But, until the key of knowledge
Was restored, I knew not why.
In the heav’ns are parents single?
No, the thought makes reason stare!
Truth is reason; truth eternal
Tells me I’ve a mother there."
Now, this is about the only place that I am aware of a reference to a Heavenly Mother. But it follows in my mind that if I have a Heavenly Father, then surely he has a Heavenly Mother at his side working and loving children together with Him.
This post is my attempt at sharing my respect for the women in my life. They are truly wonderful and have contributed greatly to my wonderful life.
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