And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could . . . (Mark 14: 6-8a KJV).

I mowed my yard today for the first time this season. I took greater care to pick up trash and branches from my yard before mowing it, as it was probably due to my neglect to do so in the past that I just had to have new blades installed.
As I was picking up the branches, I thought of my mother. When she was alive she would pick up the branches for me. It wasn’t much, but it was a small way she could help me with the yardwork. More than just trying to help me make a chore easier, it was a way she could show her love.
It means much more now in memory than when she was alive. My mother was a rather quiet, unassuming person. She was not one to draw attention to herself. My mother will probably never be remembered for anything incredibly “big”. It’s not the “big” things that most people are remembered for. Sometimes it’s just for picking up sticks.
My mother died during the 3:00 a.m. hour on a Saturday in June, 2004. After E. J. Smith with Ailor’s Mortuary had come to the hospital to pick up the body, my siblings and I left the hospital to go our separate ways for a while. I went home to mow the yard. Some wondered why I would do that. There are those who said they would gladly have done that for me.
For me, it was the beginning of a return to what would be the “new normal”. When I pulled into the driveway, who should meet me but Baby, Mother’s beloved cat. Poor Baby had been shamefully neglected during Mother’s illness, yet she remained faithful and loyal, waiting for her beloved human who would not return. Never again would Baby sleep on her Mistress’ pillow during long lonely nights.
I picked up the poor creature and hugged it and cried, so touched that this sweet animal had remained true when some of Mother’s own relatives were no where around during the time of her departing. Mother had a nephew in another state that she loved and wanted to see before she left, but her request went unacknowledged. I wonder when his time comes to depart if one that he wishes to see will fail to appear.
I took care of Baby before I went to my mowing. I thought on the past. Every time I rode the lawnmower my mother was terrified that I would somehow turn the machine over and get hurt. Mother always begged me to be careful. That used to just aggravate me terribly. I used to sarcastically reply something like, “Sure, Mother. I’m going to do my best to turn that lawnmower over right in the middle of the road so the traffic can plow over me.” She used to watch me through the windows, ready to come to my rescue if needed.
The sad thought came to me on my mower that Saturday that never again would my mother sneak and watch me through the windows to make sure I was safe. Already I was missing her. The sadness I then felt was much more keening than any aggravation I’d ever felt. For the first time in my life, at the ripe old age of almost thirty-nine I realized I was an orphan.
Of course, all things in my life somehow tie back to Lincoln. According to the First Ladies National Historic Site (can be found with a Google search), Tad Lincoln said after his father was assassinated, “Pa is dead. I can hardly believe that I shall never see him again. I must learn to take care of myself now. Yes, Pa is dead, and I am only Tad Lincoln now, little Tad, like other little boys. I am not a president's son now. I won't have many presents anymore. Well, I will try and be a good boy, and will hope to go someday to Pa and brother Willie, in Heaven.” (Source: http://www.lincolnbicentennial.org/resources/abraham-lincolns-life/linc…, Retrieved March 13, 2024)
It was the Apostle Paul in his writing to the Corinthians who said, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (I Corinthians 15:19 KJV). Thanks for the blessed hope that Tad and Ronnie will one day see their parents in Heaven once again. Without that hope, how could we bear the loss?
As you go through the next week, Dear Reader, look for some small something in someone that is a bigger thing than you realize. How much better life is when we can realize that it’s not all about us, never has been, never will be.
I leave you with a new Question of the Week for your pondering pleasure.

ANSWER TO QUESTION OF THE WEEK # 7
Where did the bank robbers go when their bag was full of money? To the LEFT BANK.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK # 8
What kind of men row boats? (See next week’s article for the answer.)

HAPPY EMAIL THOUGHTS

I just got a full tank of gas for $22.
Granted, it was for my lawn mower,
but I trying to stay positive.

Never in the Bible have I read anything
about lawnmowers or yard work in Heaven.
Hallelujah! That sure sounds like my kind of place.