Serving in Love

"Train up a child in the way he should go {teaching him to seek God's wisdom and will for his abilities and talents}, even when he is old he will not depart from it. 

Proverbs 22:6

"I made you breakfast Mama," she said in the sweetest voice as she balanced a tray with exactly what I eat each day. Steal cut oats, cooked on the stove with fresh blueberries. She had arranged them in a smile. 

"I brought you extra ones because I know you like a lot, and your milk too." 

The extra blueberries were exactly the loving touch I would add to the girls breakfasts year after year, in a crystal little bowl. 

And the almond milk in a tiny blue and white pitcher; just enough milk, and perfectly matched to the blueberries.

"And here is your tea. I made you chamomile because I thought you would like something simple."

The brewed from tea leaves, not even a tea bag and served in my latest antique 'made in England' find. 

She propped up pillows so I could try to sit up, and she waited for me and then handed me all of the food. 

I could barely sit up and my fever and migraine made it so I didn't know if I could open my eyes long enough to eat. But her smile, the loving care, I saw that and my heart was full. 

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"Your hands are so hot Mama," as she gently stroked them standing by my bed. 

"It's time for you to get out of this bed and take a light shower. Do you think you could shower without falling asleep? Remember when I was little and our bathtub broke so I had to take a shower and I fell asleep and went crashing through the glass?" She made me giggle just a little even though it felt like there were little knives in my head. 

"You take a little shower and I'll prepare your room for you." 

When I came out of the shower there were clean, cozy clothes picked out for me. She had made the bed and turned down just one side. There was a note and her favorite blanket. 

In her handwriting, "Hi Mommy! Once you are done showering, make sure you put your clothes on and stay on top of the bed. Here's a new ice pack and a gray blankie. Feel better. Love, Abigail P.S. Here's an elastic to tie up your hair." 

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I don't have a picture of the tray of food Anna brought me or even the tea. I don't have the sweet set up and how Abigail made my bed and turned it down just so. But I want to remember. 

Later that day when I could move my head and the medicine made my fever more tolerable I asked Abigail first, "how did you know what to do when you took care of me today?"

"That's easy, Mama. It's exactly what you did when I was sick. I remember when I woke up and you gave me a bath, changed my sheets, and put me back to rest on top of the bed with a light blanket so my fever wouldn't go up." 

All those times. All those years. So she knew just what to do. Just thinking about it now puts tears in my eyes. 

And Anna, when I asked her. "I know that is what you eat and you always brought me a tray of food when I was sick, so I knew." 

I never knew that the thousands of times - the late nights - the early mornings - the middle of the nights - all the times - just walking day after day being their mama - would train them. Serving them with my mama's love and heart trained them to serve in love. When I was well enough to realize all that they did, and how they did those things, exactly the way I did, I was speechless. No one could take better care of me that Saturday. And I feel grateful. 

I baked the most simple cookie I could this Sunday night and made a pot of tea for us to share so I could thank them and tell them just how proud of them I was - I am. Filling them with words of affirmation is important to me. Believing in them and letting them know with words that I noticed and that I am proud. 

Etched in my mind forever - that tray, and the way she stroked my hands... 

Train up a child in the way he should go {teaching him to seek God's wisdom and will for his abilities and talents}, even when he is old he will not depart from it. 

Proverbs 22:6