My Mother, Kathryn

Dear friends,

Greetings! It's Tuesday--the day to recognize a woman of peace. I want to honor my earthly mother, Kathryn Grant. I will praise her not because of all the things she has accomplished, but because of who she is. Even now with an advanced stage of Alzheimer's disease her presence is incredible gift--blessed, broken and shared. When I look at her I no longer see her, but Christ who lives in her. Gal 2:20

There is a song "Take Lord, receive all I have and possess, my memory, understanding, my entire will." The refrain says, "Give me only your love and your grace, that's enough for me." That's what has happened to her--her memory, understanding, her entire will have been taken and received by the Lord. But she has His love and His grace and it is ENOUGH!

When I was preparing for the first Women of Peace retreat in 2001 she made a holy card to distribute to all the women. It read:

  

Kathryn's prose exemplifies her life; she is anointed by the Holy Spirit, moving in that river of life flowing from within her; she slaked the thirst of others by sharing the life-giving water (Jn 4:13-14), washed others' feet with a servant's heart, and birthed love and life into this world.

4' X 6' painting she did for Women of Peace:

Some of you know her and have remarked how she has made a difference in your life. She is, indeed, a spiritual mother to many as well as the mother of eight--my seven siblings and I--all born within a ten year span of time.

My mother, Kathryn, is a proverbs woman Prov. 31: 10-31

"A wife of noble character" v. 10--married to my father for sixty years this coming June and whose romance began on Valentine's Day 1936 when he gave her a lace valentine.

"She works with eager hands" v. 13--writing, painting, playing the piano, sewing, cooking, homemaking--all done excellently.

just a few things she's written

"She gets up while it was still dark" v. 15--to accomplish all she did. "When did she have time to write all those stories and letters?" each of us asks the other. It's a mystery...no one knows.

Our family home for 47 years--mom found the land to build on

"She considers a field and buys it" v. 15 finding the land upon which the family home was built forty-five years ago.

She grasps the spindle with her fingers" v. 19--sewing beautiful clothes for herself and her children when we were little.

"She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy" v. 20--participating in the social justice committee at her church and assisting the needy in the city.

"She is clothed with strength and dignity" v.25--Kathryn, ever the upright elegant lady, with a vocabulary that sent some to the dictionary.

"She can laugh at the days to come" v. 25 having a wit that amazed all who know her. She's still batting her eyes at us from time to time.

"Her children arise and call her blessed" v. 28--all eight of us bestowing to her on Mother's Day 2007 a honorary Doctorate Degree in Motherhood from Grant University.

"A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." v. 30 And this is why I praise her most today. She fears the Lord and has been so open to receive the Holy Spirit into her life, her heart, her home.

Kathryn, my dearest mother, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you are, and all you have been and all you will be forever.

With tears of gratitude, peace be with you, dear friends,

Sheila