Good Measure, Pressed Down, Shaken Together and Running Over…

It matters not what a person is born, but who they choose to be. – J.K.Rowling (who shares a birthday with my Mother today. :))

Life is an amazing gift, a blessed life even more so. Today is my mom’s birthday. She has had a very blessed life. She is a joy to know, a real light to those around her. Her’s is a life of good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over.

There are things my mom has never done, like sky dive, or bungee jump, or climb Everest or even plant the world’s biggest field of tulips. She’s ok with that though. Her accomplishments are scattered all over the globe as her children and grandchildren grow and impact the world by being the people we were taught to be by this amazing woman. She has not won a Nobel Peace Prize, but she has molded our hearts. She hasn’t earned a gold medal (that I know of) but she has prayed for us. She will probably never be elected President either, but she has wept for us.

A lot of people might think that a simple life full of love, sacrifice and pouring of one’s self into the lives of others is a wasted life, a foolish waste of a life. What I would say to these people is that they would change their tune, if they only knew my mother. She is sad when we are sad and glad when we are glad. She will laugh and cry with you and she will hug you afterward. Her life is maybe not full of diamonds and rubies, but her heart is full of love.

What would we be without this woman? She encourages all of us and scolds us to be the very best that we can be. She wants us to succeed and she wants us to choose what’s right. In short she is simply amazing. I would not be who I am today without her.

I love you Mom. May your joy be full. Happy Birthday.

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:37-39