Of all worthy Mother’s Day reflections, nothing could be said simpler than what fell out of a book the other day. I picked up a devotional my mother-in-law gave me well over 12 years ago, and piece of paper fell from it, with the words “My Daily Prayer” hand written on it.  I knew the hand writing very well. It belonged to my husband’s mother, who passed away almost 11 years ago.  It reads:

The significance of this prayer if that my mother-in-law, Lois Yoder, lived this.  Most of you reading this have never known her, but the wonderment of who she was as a wife, mother, friend, sister, aunt, church member, etc., is that she lived these words daily with no pomp or circumstance. They were part of her being.  Not only did she come along side me as a young mother, gently teaching me the ways of motherhood and being a farmer’s wife, but she did this with so many others to which she she ministered.  When you were with her, you felt as though time stopped, that you were the only person on the earth at that moment, even though her busy life went on around her.  She lived this prayer, which made her unexpected death so painful, yet okay.  She lived with no regrets. That’s the legacy she left behind.

My daughter was 8 when she died, the 7th of 12 grandchildren who knew they had the most special place in this woman’s heart.  For a writing assignment in 4th grade she wrote,  

This Mother’s Day, I’m reminded by this simple prayer that the most important things we do in life are what we do when no one is looking, both for our family and others.  It is how Lois lived without a second thought.  Perhaps she did pray this prayer to her Lord every day.  Either way, I’m blessed this Mother’s Day to be reminded of what should be on our hearts and minds daily as we bring petitions and prayers to the Lord.