Mother, Dear, how I think of you
These days – out here – so far
And I want to I love you true,
and I wonder how you are –
If I only knew that you were well
(I don’t know if you’re alive)
But to our God my cares I tell –
And to do His will I strive.
The world’s so wrecked & torn these days
– that we know not what to think,
but I find to God I can turn always
From the fountain of life I can drink
Though not knowing from day to day
What the very next hour will bring
I’m sure that I can truthfully say
That I life my head up and sing
But I am thankful for lots of things
In spite of one thing or other
And in my lone heart there constantly springs
A new appreciation for mother
For I realize now – as never before –
How much I have needed to learn
How much I’ve lacked, too, here to fore
– that to God I’ve needed to turn
So I am thankful for our home –
Where God was recognized
Where the preacher could always come
And not have to be surprised
For parents such as you and dad
Whom I value more than ever –
I’m glad that I can know you had
A faith which naught could sever
Perhaps I’ve needed to be away
To think of some common things –
And I am merely trying to say
What such an experience brings
It’s made me think back to the days
That I can first remember
thirty-five years – the calendar says
-whether August or September.
My first recollections are, I know,
of Church & Sunday – school,
And with us you would always go
– in our home it was a rule
And I’ve been so thankful in these days
(especially in this strange place)
To have had your prayers for me always
And your example – to run the race.
And if in heaven you should be
I know your shall end
I can see better now your love for me
Though faintly I may comprehend
But even though I do not know
All that you, too, have gone through
– these uncertain days through which we go
Give, a new appreciation of you.
And since, I have my own dear sons
I realize more than ever
that you good parents are the ones
With love that faileth never
And then I’m reminded most of all
That such love must come from Heaven,
And I’m convinced – though oft I fall –
That through our mother it’s given
How long suffering & kind you always are
– not envious – ore wanting renown –
surely there’ll be an extra start
for your to wear in your crown
Not proud, but unselfish you’ve always been
– so patient when all seemed but lost –
Regarding the truth through not always seen
– to be followed – whatever the cost
Not resentful – or happy when others go wrong
Bearing, hoping, enduring, all things-
Where such mothers are there’s always a song
And it must be God’s voice that sings
I’ll never forget what you’ve gone through
though much I shall never know –
But sons get so much from mothers like you
-that a debt we shall always owe
Your faith in me – how real it’s been
How could I feel to understand?
But so many things are never seen
Until we put them in God’s hand
I know your prayers have followed me
When I’ve forgotten many things
and in these days I now can see
How mother – love eternal springs
It makes me marvel at your hope,
though hard, dark days that I recall
But with such love you could not grope
Because of Him who guides us all
I marvel also at the way
You held our home together
Often – with such little pay –
and through every kind of weather
And now I know how hard you slaved
When others went to bed
Because yourself you never saved
though tortured in your head
I ask forgiveness – tho ’tis late –
because I’ve been so blind –
But mothers do not hesitate
Some excuse for us to find.
And now I pray that you are spared
That I might see your face –
That other thoughts, too, might be shared
– through His mercy and His grace
But, if not – I promise you –
As I’ve truly promised God –
that to your love I shall be true,
And walk the way you trod
And in the meantime we must live
Each day as it may come –
and of my best I aim to give
Until we all come home
And though it’s hard when I can’t hear
And you don’t know about me
We must have faith – and never fear
for there are better days to be
