"A MOTHER'S JOURNEY" by Linda Dillow

The following are words from a small book that has been a tremendous encouragment to me. I thought I would share it for you to enjoy as well.  The first time I read it, I was SO impacted, I cried like a baby over its pages!  I immediately went online to find as many copies as I could to share with my own dear mother and other sweet mothers who were close to my heart.  I only found 5 at the time.  You may want to do a search yourself to have a copy in your own library.

Enjoy!!!   

A MOTHER’S JOURNEY


By Linda Dillow

"The young mother grasped the hands of her children & looked at the path before her. “Is the way long?” she asked. And her Shepherd answered, “Yes, and the way is hard, & you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning.” “What is required?” asked the mother. And her Shepherd replied, “faithfulness.
(chorus)


Give Me your hopes,
Give Me your dreams;
The journey is long
And not what it seems.
Affirm your children,
Be faithful to Me;
This is the Mother
I want you to be."

It was spring. The trees burst with blossoms. Cheerful wildflowers covered the field, and a bubbling brook echoed peals of laughter as it meandered through the meadow. Like little lambs the children frolicked, following the mother through sweet-smelling clover along the path. The days were good, the evenings peaceful. The young mother was happy as she played with her children. Together they made daisy chains from the gathered wildflowers, and bathed in clear streams. The sun shone on their path, and life was sweet. The young mother cried, “Nothing will ever be lovelier than this! I have given my children joy!” And her Shepherd said, “You were faithful in the good times.
(repeat chorus)


The children grew like sunflowers dancing along the hillside. The days were long but the air was thick. A summer storm rolled across the heavens. Lightning flashed, hail pounded, and the children shook with cold & fear. The path was steep and the children grew weary. But the mother encircled them with the warmth of her love. “Walk on, dear ones,” she said. “We will soon be there.” So the children climbed. When they finally ascended above the storm, they said, “We could not have made it without you, Mother.” And she rejoiced! “This is better than the joy of springtime, for I have taught my children perseverance. And her Shepherd said, “You were faithful in the hard times.
(repeat chorus)


Golden aspen leaves drifted to the ground, but the trees stood tall in the autumn breeze. And the children shed the leaves of childhood. Multicolored winds of doubt and temptation whipped around their teenage hearts, and they chased foolish fantasies along the path. The mother’s heart feared. She saw the many hidden traps that lay before them. At times the journey was painful and the mother faltered. As the Shepherd gave her counsel, the mother tried skillfully to lead her children around the snares. And at autumn’s end the mother said, “This season is better than summer or spring, for in autumn I taught my children wisdom.” And her Shepherd said, “You were faithful when your heart was breaking.


(repeat chorus)


Mountain snow weighted the limbs of the stately pine trees. Like them, the young adults stood tall. In the night of winter, threatening clouds of prejudice, oppression, & disease darkened the earth. The world had turned inside out. Sometimes the young adults groped and stumbled. “Look up,” their mother said. “Lift your eyes to the Light of Life.” Above the clouds they saw the One who brings light out of darkness. He grasped their hands and gave them peace. As the snow slipped off the pine boughs, the mother said, “Winter is the best season of all, for I have shown my children God!” And her Shepherd said, “You were faithful to give your children to Me.


(repeat chorus)

The seasons marched on & the mother grew old. She was frail & bent, but her children were tall & strong & walked in the way of wisdom. When the journey was hard, they helped their mother. When the path was rough, they lifted her. At last they came to the pinnacle of the highest mountain. Beyond it they saw a shining road & a golden gate flung wide. There stood the brilliant Tree of Life. The mother said, “I have reached the end of my journey. I have been faithful to my children & faithful to God. The end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone with the Shepherd!” As she passed through the gates, she heard her Shepherd say, “Well done.

You gave Me your hopes,
Gave Me your dreams;
Though the path of life
Was not what it seemed.
You affirmed your children,
Were faithful to Me;
You were the Mother
I asked you to be.”


She heard her children calling, “You will always walk with us, Mother!” They stood & watched as the gates closed after her. And she heard her children saying, “A faithful mother is more than a memory; a faithful mother lives with us forever.” And her children grasped the hands of their own children & looked at the path before them. “Is the way long?” they asked. And the Shepherd answered, “Yes, and the way is hard, and you will be old before you reach the end of it…


but the end will be better than the beginning!"