My Mother – Myself

By Ken and Jan Merop

Cleveland, Tennessee

When I was a young girl, my relatives would say, “Here comes little Tessie,” speaking of Mom’s nickname.

They saw in me the features, personality, and characteristics of Tessie.

Over the years, as I grew into a young woman, there were unmistakable similarities between us.  But Dad’s quiet ways, strengths, and faith permeated who I was becoming, also.

I was becoming my own person.

Mom was spirited, fun, and even mischievous at times…a characteristic of her youth.  Yet she was a perfectionist and very precise about what was proper and acceptable.  I am forever grateful to her for all she taught me.

Mom has been home with the Lord since 2016 and I miss the many ways we interacted.  I have several pictures around and so I see her every day.

But not more than when I look in the mirror.

I don’t quite know when it happened, but suddenly I realized how much I do look like my mom.  Perhaps it is because I’ve added enough birthdays to resemble her more in her later years than those in between.

Being a mom is moment by moment, day by day privilege and responsibility.  It is knowing when to be lenient and when to take a stand.  On the one hand, knowing how to choose your battles; while, on the other hand, sticking to your guns.  Always with love.

It is the grandest of opportunities to pour into your children your faith, love,   giftings, practical skills, dreams, and hopes.

Mom knew when to step in to help and when to step back and let me learn some things on my own.  During a rough patch when divorce left me a single mom, she stepped in along with my Dad to give me sure footing, a hand up, and encouragement in my mothering.

Mom exemplified many of the virtues in Psalm 31, NKJV; especially verses 11, 27, 28-30, which say, “The heart of her husband safely trusts her…She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness…Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband also, and he praises her…A woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.”

She resembled him in many ways and abundantly poured the same into me.

It makes me think of how we are to resemble God’s Son, Jesus Christ, as we grow in him.  He has “…given to us exceedingly great and precious promises” that we might be partakers of his divine nature.  When I look in his Word, at the mirror of my life…am I resembling him more and more?  Selah

 Family Portrait

Buttercup feathers announce the growth

of these new Sandhill Crane arrivals.

Mama and Papa set the example so their babies

are well nourished and able to grow to maturity.

May our family portraits be legacies of biblical love and maturity.

“You shall teach them diligently to your children…in your house…

walk by the way…lie down…rise up.”

Deuteronomy 6: 7

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After six years in the mountains of Avery County, Ken and Jan Merop are now living in the hilly Tennessee countryside of Cleveland, TN…just outside of Chattanooga.  Ken’s photos can be seen at kenmeropphotography.com.

Read more Christian news from Ken and Jan HERE.

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