Happy Mother's Day!

"Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Perhaps part of the reason I love this oft-quoted portion of First Corinthians so much is that it immediately brings to my mind a very special woman: my Mom. Long before I knew what I thought was "love", I attended a master's course in what true love looks like.

True love wakes with you in the middle of the night, feeds and rocks you, and soothes your smallest and greatest needs, often to the detriment of her own.

True love teaches you to read and write, and helps you apply to and select colleges. Her lessons are sometimes verbal, sometimes taught through her actions. Her wisdom is timeless, born out of the experiences she's learned along the way.

True love trembles silently at your first real "crush", holds the tissue box after your first real break-up, and walks down the aisle to give you away when, at last, real love calls your name.

True love has known every inch of your skin and every hair on your head, and yet at a certain point recognizes your need for privacy.

True love usually knows the right answer, but often bites her tongue and lets you learn -- sometimes the hard way -- on your own.

True love would give her right arm to help you, would fly on a moment's notice across the country to stand by your side, and is always your greatest cheerleader.

True love is there for you even when you neglect her or take her for granted.

True love is someone you can never appreciate enough, but someone who deserves your prayers of gratitude daily.

True love never really ends, because even if she has departed your earthly companionship, she continues to remind you of the type of love YOU want to give... the type of lover you want to be when you grow up.

On this Mother's Day, I would like to take a moment to give praise and thanks to the world's best mother: my Mom. You'd perhaps rightly say yours is "the best" -- and that's as it should be.

But on a continual basis, my Mom is the benchmark by which I judge my own parenting vocation. I have never doubted the constancy of her love for me, nor the devotion with which she has given -- and continues to give -- the best parts of herself away, asking nothing in return. May I one day know the depths of a love like hers in my own relationship with my boys!

Happy Mother's Day to all of our readers -- to the moms of many, the moms of one, the expecting moms, the spiritual mothers, and those who anxiously await the gift of motherhood. Each of us is called to live "true love" to the fullest of our capacity and today, in a special way, you are each in my prayers.

And to that World's Best Mom, I owe you breakfast in bed next time we're together. I am blessed that the woman I call "Mom" is also one of my best and most trusted friends. I love you, truly!!

Lisa