{Disclaimer: What you’re about to read was written in 2009. I like to think I’ve become a better writer since then. My goodness, I hope so.}

Reprinted from the spring 2009 LWML Quarterly.

The question: What to get Mom for Mother’s Day? My answer: Drinking glasses.

Then I saw the Hallmark Showers of Flowers contest. It seemed easy enough: All I had to do was submit a short essay describing my mom, but I couldn’t come up with anything at first. I went to bed, had a thought, grabbed a piece of paper, and wrote down:

There are women with children, and then there are mothers. One smiles when she could frown, gives when she should take, works when she could be sitting, cooks when she wants to order in, cleans when she ought to rest, loves when she wants to discipline, listens when she could talk, reaches out when she could turn away, consoles when she could scold, laughs when she wants to cry, forgets wrongs when she ought to remember, plants flowers when others neglect to buy them for her. There are mothers, and then there is mine.

The next morning, I submitted it and forgot it . . . until a Hallmark representative called! Of the thousands of people who had entered, I was one of six nationwide winners. Hallmark would send a free bouquet of flowers to my mom every month for a year. It sure beat water glasses!

A reporter from the local TV station interviewed Mom and me for over an hour, and I read my essay aloud in front of the camera. The next morning, people began calling. They had seen the clip and were moved by the simple story of a daughter who loves her mother.

But there’s more I can say about my mother: She is a faithful, pious, Christian woman; she taught me how to love my enemies and pray for those in need; she taught the importance of tenderheartedness and kindness towards others; she showed her faith in action; and she receives the gifts the Lord gives. She is a daily reminder to me that a good tree does indeed bear good fruit . . . and that good flowers aren’t far behind.

The drinking glasses will have to wait.