PRAYING HANDS

There are hands that help and comfort,
Hands that plan and teach,
Hands that rest and hands that strive
For a goal just out of reach,
Hands that grasp and hands that give,
Hands that work and play,
Friendly hands and loving hands
That soothes life's cares away.
But praying hands are dearest
In the sight of God above
For in their sweet and earnest clasp
Are reverence and love.
No hands can do an unkind act
Nor cause another care
Nor sin against Our Father's love
When they are clasped in prayer.
Author Unknown

Most of all the other beautiful things in life come by twos and threes, by dozens and hundreds. Plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, brothers and sisters, aunts and cousins, comrades and friends - but only one mother in the whole world.
Kate Douglas Wiggin

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.
George Cooper

God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers.
Jewish Proverb

Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children.
William Makepeace Thackeray

Because I feel that in the heavens above
The angels, whispering one to another,
Can find among their burning tears of love,
None so devotional as that of "Mother,"
Therefore, by that dear name I have long called you,
You who are more than mother unto me.
Edgar Allan Poe

Mother - that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries.
T. DeWitt Talmage

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:2

There never was a heart truly great and generous that was not also tender and compassionate.
Robert Frost

Of all the earthly music, that which reaches farthest into heaven is the beating of a truly loving heart.
Henry Ward Beecher

Mother's love grows by giving.
Charles Lamb

A mother’s gift is always the best because it’s wrapped in love and tied up with heartstrings.
Author Unknown

A mother's arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them.
Victor Hugo

A mother’s love is a very special treasure. It’s caring and devotion that last a lifetime. It’s a spirit of giving that values family happiness more than anything. It’s a sympathetic ear, a helping hand, and a gentle heart. A mother’s love is one of life’s most cherished gifts.
Author Unknown

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.
Sophia Loren

On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
John 7:37-39

Lord, I need your help today.
I want to care for those you've sent into my life,
To help them grow in body, mind, and spirit,
To help them develop the special gifts you've given them.
But I also want to free them
To follow their own paths
And bring their loving wisdom
To the world.
Help me to embrace them without clutching,
To support them without suffocating,
To correct them without crushing.
And help me to live joyfully and playfully
Myself so they can see your life in me
And find their way to you. Amen
Author Unknown

Every mother is like Moses. She does not enter the promised land. She prepares a world she will not see.
Pope Paul VI

The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?" she asked. And the guide said "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." But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them, and taught them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike and reminded them to feed the dog and do their homework and brush their teeth. The sun shone on them and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."
Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her arms, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come." And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children, "a little patience and we are there." So the children climbed, and as they climbed they learned to weather the storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world.
Year after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all ...... unconditional love. And when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without you." The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she became little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned so much and are now passing these traits on to their children." And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her their strength, just as she had given them hers.
One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill, they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them." And the children said, "You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates." And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence."
Your Mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she's the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore, she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well, she's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow, she is Christmas morning. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop. A mother shows every emotion.......... happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow..... and all the while, hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life. She's the place you came from, your first home, and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space...............not even death!
Author Unknown

You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
Kahil Gibran, The Prophet

The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.
Honoré de Balzac

[A] mother is one to whom you hurry when you are troubled.
Emily Dickinson

No one in the world can take the place of your mother. Right or wrong, from her viewpoint you are always right. She may scold you for little things, but never for the big ones.
Harry Truman

Mother's love is peace. It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved.
Erich Fromm

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.
Washington Irving

What is home? “A roof to keep out the rain? Four walls to keep out the wind? Floors to keep out the cold? Yes, but home is more than that. It is the laugh of a baby, the song of a mother, the strength of a father, warmth of loving hearts, lights from happy eyes, kindness, loyalty, comradeship. Home is first school and first church for young ones, where they learn what is right, what is good, and what is kind, where they go for comfort when they are hurt or sick; where joy is shared and sorrow eased; where fathers and mothers are respected and loved, where children are wanted; where the simplest food is good enough for kings because it is earned; where money is not as important as loving-kindness; where even the tea kettle sings from happiness. That is home. God bless it!”
Author Unknown

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.
Colossians 3:23

If I can do some good today,
If I can serve along life’s way,
If I can something helpful say,
Lord, show me how. Amen.
Grenville Kleiser

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I felt you kiss me good night and I felt loved and safe.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given. When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes it's all right to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up and wanted to say, "Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking."
Author Unknown

Lord, make me your own this day. Strengthen my faith so that others will see you in me. Help me to reach as far as I can toward you and in showing others how to find you. Grant that I may have the love of you in me and live it in all my actions. Amen.

A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Proverbs 31:30

The only gift is a portion of thyself.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible.
Marion C. Garretty

Women have strengths that amaze men. They carry children, they carry hardships, they carry burdens...but they hold happiness, love and joy. They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous... women wait by the phone for a "safe at home call" from a friend or child after a snowy drive home. Woman friends keep secrets you told them years ago and never bring it up again...

Women have special qualities about them.

They volunteer for good causes. They are pink ladies in hospitals; they bring food to shut ins. They are childcare workers, executives, attorneys, stay at home moms, biker babes and your neighbors. They wear suits, they wear jeans, and they wear uniforms. They fight for what they believe in. They stand up for injustice. They are in the front row at PTA meetings. They vote for the person that will do the best job for family issues. They walk and talk the extra mile to get their children in the right schools and for getting their family the right health care. They write to the editor, their congressmen and to "the powers that be" for things that make for a better life. They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution...

They can wipe a tear, cover a cut and pat you on the back at the same time. They eat a little so their family can have more. They rush to school to pick up a sick child. They stick a love note in their husband's lunch box. They do without new shoes so that their children can have them. They go to meetings and are chaperones on class trips. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend. They don't make excuses for defending their family or friends. They give a friend some money in times of trouble. They love unconditionally...They are loyal, honest, and forgiving. They are smart; knowing that knowledge IS power. But they still know how to use their softer side to make a point...

Their world consists of goodness, love and caring. Women want to be the best for their family, their friends and themselves. They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards. They get teary eyed when others do great things. They save their anger for the unjust and the insincere. They tell people that need to be told to straighten up their act. They lend a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen and a voice to make suggestions...

They are happy when they hear about a birth or a new marriage. Their hearts break when a friend dies. They have so much sorrow at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think that there is not any strength left. They can control situations that seem uncontrollable. They can round up energy when they are tired. They can stay up a little longer to talk to someone that needs a friend. They will rush to be by your side when they are lonely. They will give up their favorite TV show to help with homework or read a bedtime story...

A woman's touch can cure any ailment. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart. She can make a romantic evening unforgettable. She can bring out the best in her husband, children and friends. They don't mind standing in the shadows. They are not there to push, but to Gently encourage. They are cheerleaders, teachers, loves and important in many peoples daily lives. They can whisper a kind word, scream a loud cheer and laugh away a fear. They can mend your broken spirit and give you back your self-esteem. They can knit a family back together after a break or a loss...

Women come in all sizes, in all colors and shapes. They live in homes, apartments, cabins and trailers. They drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. They have hearts that forgive and forget an injustice. They have hearts that remember a kindness. They have hearts that beat with loyalty and love. The heart of a woman is what makes the world spin. They can cry and laugh at the same time. They can be sad and hopeful at the same time...

Women do more than just give birth. They bring joy and hope. They teach us to dream and make goals. They give compassion and ideals. They climb into a person’s life and make everything better again. They give moral support to their family and friends. And all they want back is a hug, a smile and for you to do the same to people you come in contact with. Women are leaders, but don't want followers. They want people to grow into the best person they can be. They want to touch you in a way that will make you share your goodness with others. One touch can turn a bad day into a better one. One extra minute of her time will make a child feel special. One more kiss or hug will make her husband feel loved. Women have a lot to say and a lot to give...
Author Unknown

Oh God, as your love is unconditional, thank you for life’s daily challenges to teach me to give unconditional love in return. Thank you for your grace to teach me compassion and to make me whole. Help me to love others as you love me and to remember that each moment is an opportunity for love. Give me the power to turn every negative situation into one where your light shines through. Thank you for your love for me. Amen

Hannah said to him: "I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.
1 Samuel 1:26-28

Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.
Oprah Winfrey

Once there were two women who never knew each other.
One you do not remember, the other you call Mother.
Two different lives shaped to make you one.
One became your guiding star. The other became your sun.
The first one gave you life, and the second taught you to live it.
The first gave you a need for love, the second was there to give it.
One gave you a nationality; the other gave you a name.
One gave you a talent, the other gave you aim.
One gave you emotions; the other calmed your fears.
One saw your first sweet smile; the other dried your tears.
One sought for you a home that she could not provide.
The other prayed for a child and her hope was not denied.
And now you ask me through your tears
The age-old question unanswered through the years.
Heredity or environment. Which are you a product of?
Neither, my darling. Neither. Just two different kinds of love.
Author Unknown

Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly.
Ambrose Bierce

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.
Winston Churchill

The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?" she asked. And the guide said "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." But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them, and taught them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike and reminded them to feed the dog and do their homework and brush their teeth. The sun shone on them and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.”

Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her arms, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come." And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children, "a little patience and we are there." So the children climbed, and as they climbed they learned to weather the storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world.

Year after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all ...... unconditional love. And when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without you." The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she became little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned so much and are now passing these traits on to their children." And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her their strength, just as she had given them hers.

One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill, they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them." And the children said, "You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates." And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence."

Your Mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she's the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore, she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not feeling well, she's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow, she is Christmas morning. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop. A mother shows every emotion.......... happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow..... and all the while, hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life. She's the place you came from, your first home, and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space...............not even death!
Author Unknown

I made her....she is different. she's unique. With love I formed her in her mother's womb. I fashioned her with great joy. I remember, with great pleasure, the day I created her.
Psalm 139:13-16

If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give.
George MacDonald

A mother is the one through whom God whispers love to His little children.
Author Unknown

I have given her many good and happy things....because I love her.
Psalm 84:11 and Romans 8:32

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.
George Washington Carver

I looked on child rearing not only as a work of love and duty but as a profession that was fully as interesting and challenging as any honorable profession in the world and one that demanded the best that I could bring to it.
Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy

I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights.
Adabella Radici

The successful mother, the mother who does her part in rearing and training the boys and girls who are to be the men and women of the next generation, is of greater use to the community, and occupies, if she only would realize it, a more honorable as well as a more important position than any man in it. The mother is the one supreme asset of the national life. She is more important, by far, than the successful statesman or businessman or artist or scientist.
Theodore Roosevelt

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs in my field, since the payment is pure love.
Mildred B. Vermont

She gets up while it is still dark . . .
And her lamp does not go out at night.
Proverbs 31:15, 18

My mother had a slender, small body, but a large heart - a heart so large that everybody's joys found welcome in it, and hospitable accommodation.
Mark Twain

The value of compassion cannot be over-emphasized. Anyone can criticize. It takes a true believer to be compassionate. No greater burden can be borne by an individual than to know no one cares or understands.
Arthur H. Stainback

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.
Washington Irving

Her children arise and called her blessed.
Proverbs 31:28

To give and then not feel that one has given is the very best of all ways of giving.
Max Beerbohm

Mother - that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries.
T. DeWitt Talmage

Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.
Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.
Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.
Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one if he comes by.
Just for this afternoon, I won't worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where you are concerned.
Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you trying to fix them.
Just for this afternoon, I will take us to McDonald's and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys.
Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you.
Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.
Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.
Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV shows.
Just for this evening when I run my finger through your hair as you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given.
I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children's graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can't handle it anymore.
And when I kiss you good night I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer.
It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask him for nothing,
except one more day.............
Author Unknown

Do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Deuteronomy 4:9

The dew of compassion is a tear.
Lord Byron

Before you were conceived I wanted you
Before you were born I loved you
Before you were here an hour I would die for you
This is the miracle of life.
Maureen Hawkins

Holiness consists in doing the will of God with a smile.
Mother Teresa

It is not until you become a mother that your judgment slowly turns to compassion and understanding.
Erma Bombeck

She never quite leaves her children at home, even when she doesn't take them along.
Margaret Culkin Banning

Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together.
Pearl S. Buck

All mothers are working mothers.
Author Unknown

Now, as always, the most automated appliance in a household is the mother.
Beverly Jones

That best academy, a mother's knee.
James Russell Lowell

The mother's heart is the child's school-room.
Henry Ward Beecher

"My mother said to me, "If you become a soldier, you'll be a general, if you become a monk you'll end up as the pope." Instead, “I became a painter and wound up as Picasso."
Pablo Picasso

The formative period for building character for eternity is in the nursery. The mother is queen of that realm and sways a scepter more potent than that of kings or priests.
Author Unknown

When you were 1 year old, she fed you and bathed you.
You thanked her by crying all night long.
When you were 2 years old, she taught you to walk.
You thanked her by running away when she called.
When you were 3 years old, she made all your meals with love.
You thanked her by tossing your plate on the floor.
When you were 4 years old, she gave you some crayons
You thanked her by coloring the dining room table.
When you were 5 years old, she dressed you for the holidays.
You thanked her by plopping into the nearest pile of mud
When you were 6 years old, she walked you to school.
You thanked her by screaming, "I'M NOT GOING!"
When you were 7 years old, she bought you a baseball.
You thanked her by throwing it through the next-door-neighbor's window.
When you were 8 years old, she handed you an ice cream.
You thanked her by dripping it all over your lap.
When you were 9 years old, she paid for piano lessons.
You thanked her by never even bothering to practice.
When you were 10 years old she drove you all day, from soccer to
gymnastics to one birthday party after another.
You thanked her by jumping out of the car and never looking back.
When you were 11 years old, she took you and your friends to the movies.
You thanked her by asking to sit in a different row.
When you were 12 years old, she warned you not to watch certain TV shows.
You thanked her by waiting until she left the house.
When you were 13, she suggested a haircut that was becoming.
You thanked her by telling her she had no taste.
When you were 14, she paid for a month away at summer camp.
You thanked her by forgetting to write a single letter.
When you were 15, she came home from work, looking for a hug.
You thanked her by having your bedroom door locked.
When you were 16, she taught you how to drive her car.
You thanked her by taking it every chance you could.
When you were 17, she was expecting an important call.
You thanked her by being on the phone all night.
When you were 18, she cried at your high school graduation.
You thanked her by staying out partying until dawn.
When you were 19, she paid for your college tuition, drove
you to campus, and carried your bags.
You thanked her by saying good-bye outside the dorm so
you wouldn't be embarrassed in front of your friends.
When you were 20, she asked whether you were seeing anyone.
You thanked her by saying, "It's none of your business."
When you were 21, she suggested certain careers for your future.
You thanked her by saying, "I don't want to be like you."
When you were 22, she hugged you at your college graduation.
You thanked her by asking whether she could pay for a trip to Europe.
When you were 23, she gave you furniture for your first apartment.
You thanked her by telling your friends it was ugly.
When you were 24, she met your fiance and asked about your plans for the future.
You thanked her by glaring and growling, "Muuhh-ther, please!"
When you were 25, she helped to pay for your wedding, and she cried
and told you how deeply she loved you.
You thanked her by moving halfway across the country.
When you were 30, she called with some advice on the baby.
You thanked her by telling her, "Things are different now."
When you were 40, she called to remind you of a relative's birthday.
You thanked her by saying you were "really busy right now."
When you were 50, she fell ill and needed you to take care of her.
You thanked her by reading about the burden parents become to their children.
And then, one day, she quietly died. And everything you never did
came crashing down like thunder, especially your heart.
Never forget to love her more than ever, and remember her unconditional love and pass it on.
Author Unknown

When I stopped seeing my mother with the eyes of a child, I saw the woman who helped me give birth to myself.
Nancy Friday

The best conversations with mothers always take place in silence, when only the heart speaks.
Carrie Latet

My mom is a never ending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being. I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune.
Graycie Harmon

Mothers hold their children's hands for only a little while ...Their hearts forever.
Author Unknown

A little girl, asked where her home was, replied, "where mother is."
Keith L. Brooks

An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.
Spanish Proverb

To the women on my journey:
Who showed me the ways to go and ways not to go
Whose strength and compassion held up a torch of light and beckoned me to follow,
Whose weakness and ignorance darkened the path and encouraged me to turn another way.

To the women on my journey:
Who showed me how to live and how not to live,
Whose grace, success and gratitude lifted me into the fullness of surrender to God,
Whose bitterness, envy and wasted gifts warned me away from the emptiness of self-will.

To the women on my journey:
Who showed me what I am and what I am not.
Whose love, encouragement and confidence held me tenderly and nudged me gently,
Whose judgment, disappointment and lack of faith called me to deeper levels of commitment and resolve.

To the women on my journey:
Who taught me love by means of both darkness and light.
To these women I say bless you and thank you from the depths of my heart, for I have been healed and set free through your joy and through your sacrifice.
Author Unknown

Do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Deuteronomy 4:9

The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms.
Oliver Wendell Holmes

I believe the most valuable contribution a parent can make to his child is to instill in him a genuine faith in God.
Dr. James Dobson

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape –
but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape.
A strong woman isn't afraid of anything –
but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear.
A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her –
but a woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone.
A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future –
but a woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's
blessings and capitalizes on them.
A strong woman walks sure footedly –
but a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls.
A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face –
but a woman of strength wears grace.
A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey –
but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she
will become strong.
Author Unknown

Why are saints, saints? Because they were cheerful when it was difficult to be cheerful; patient when it was difficult to be patient; and because they pushed on when they wanted to stand still, and kept silent when they wanted to talk, and were agreeable when they wanted to be disagreeable. That was all. It was quiet simple and always will be.
Author Unknown

Throughout the ages no nation has ever had a better friend than the mother who taught her children to pray.
Author Unknown

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.
Abraham Lincoln

Help me, dear Lord, to be a good mother . . .
To guide those depending on me.
Help me to show them a mother whose love
And purpose is centered on Thee.
Let them see kindness and wisdom enough
To teach them the worthier things . . .
Patience enough to encourage their hearts
To love life, whatever it brings.
Let me inspire them to look for - and find -
The best in themselves and each other . . .
How grateful I'd be if they lived well for Thee
In faith that they learned from their mother.
D. A. Marcum

What are Raphael's Madonnas but the shadow of a mother's love, fixed in permanent outline forever?
Thomas Wentworth Higginson

Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
Proverbs 31:25-26

Dear Lord, Breathe Your love deeply into my being. Live in me and energize me that I may not only touch life, but be touched by it. Remind me Lord, that your gifts to me are meant to be shared in love, with others. Renew my spirit, so I will hear your whispers and You can be seen in my every action and heard in my every word. Help me to always draw others to you. Amen.

"I know the plans I have for you,"
declares the Lord, "plans to prosper
you and not to harm you, plans to
give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

Those who trust in the Lord for help
will find their strength renewed.
They will rise on wings like eagles;
they will run and not get weary;
they will walk and not grow weak.
Isaiah 40:31

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13

Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands.
Protect them as they protect us.
Bless them and their families for the selfless acts
they perform for us in our time of need.
I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

You go no where by accident.
Wherever you go, God is sending you.
Wherever you are, God has put you there.
He has a purpose in your being there.
Christ who dwells in you has something
He wants to do through you where you are.
Believe this and go in His grace and love and power.
Richard C. Halverson, Chaplain of the United States Senate


O God, help me to touch someone today with my eyes,
my words, my smile, my voice, my laughter, Your word.
Change my life, so I can make a difference.
Let my actions bring someone closer to you.
Help me to make Christmas last all year.
Help me to use my gifts for Jesus.

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