Mom

It's Mom's Day Sunday. The Retailer inside of me loves Mother's Day (I commonly call it Christmas before June). In this still moment though, I wanted to focus on what's important now, my Mom.

I had lunch today with a publishing rep, and I got to tell him a little bit of my story. It's really good, if you take me out to lunch I might tell it to you too! When I was finished with the story, the rep tells me "man, you came out pretty balanced for a guy who should have been totally screwed up." Both of my parents have been my rock, and I owe them so much it stopped being funny. Dad'll get his love soon, so please accept my apologies as I focus on Mom.

I get alot from my mom.
My aggressiveness.
My bull dog attitude.
My workoholic tendancies.
My ability to juggle many major responsibilities.
My taste for coffee.
My addiction to eating in restaurants every night.
My desire to drive way over the speed limit.
My "you gotta spend money to make money" business sense.

I know what you're saying. That sounds more like a Dad than a Mom. I have yet to meet a Mom like mine.

*She has a life-motto: No good deed shall go unpunished. Yet both my parents are the most benevolent people I know.
*If she doesn't like something you've done, she'll chew you up and spit you out like you're old chewing gum. Then you'll be invited to dinner and be treated as if nothing ever happened.
*She is feared @ work. Her name is mentioned in trepidation and reverence. I've seen her fire people on Christmas Eve without blinking an eye. Yet at home she is placid, peaceful and enjoyable to be around.

What you need to understand is that she has this major, high stress job where she is responsible for many, many people. Yet it's very common for me to get a call on my cell during a workday where she will say "I haven't heard from you in a while. Everything Okay?" And when I vent, she will listen quietly until I finish. Now when I finish she will tell me exactly what to do (okay, she's not perfect!) but she's doesn't get crushed when I don't do it her way.

I have never told her something, to have her look at me and say, "You're crazy." Amy. eBeliever. Bookstore. C28. Worship Technologies. Every hairbrained idea, every idea I've ever focused on, and felt God's leading to, I've always had her support. (Even when I decided to proclaim myself KING OF THE GEEKS, she VOTED FOR ME!)

I guess that's the beauty of Mom. Even as she has become this mega-powerful, corporate executive... she's still the humblest, selfless person I know. The older I get. The more I get to know her. And the more I know, the more I realize I need to learn from her.

Mom, you are a big part of who I am. Thank you for it. Thank you for showing the Greatness and the Humility of God at the same time. I am a better man for it.