My mother turned 75 in the year 2000; and to mark this milestone, I proposed a ritual, a blessing, and a coming of age ceremony. I asked Mom to write some words of wisdom, a few paragraphs about the lessons she had learned and the experiences that shaped her life. She surpassed all expectations! Though she’s been gone for a dozen years, I’m still learning, still celebrating. Happy Mother’s Day to my mom, your mom, all good mothers everywhere.
Words of Wisdom – by Bernadine Walker Mathis Gillespie
Don asked me to write some for you. Ha! I thought he had heard of Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes. Please read the book (Ecclesiastes, Chapter 12) and don’t expect wisdom from me.
But something has been right and wonderful in my life for these 75 years. I give honor to our God for all the beauty that I have been blessed with and hopefully have shared with others. I ask God’s forgiveness for not using these blessings more wisely and more effectively because He does keep the cup overflowing.
God taught me to LOVE. Without love we are nothing (I Corinthians 13:2). There have been times I’m sure when I was just a clanging cymbal, but it must have brought joy to my parents. For they surely devoted love and attention to me.
Can you think of how hard it must have been lugging a three-year-old around for years because she couldn’t walk? And imagine the time, effort, money it must have taken to put her up on two feet. Thank you, Mother and Daddy!
This must have been the time that they instilled in me to “be content whatever the circumstances” – and to complete this verse, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13).
Mother would tell me the story that I was a happy child; would crawl around on the floor, pulling that little red straight chair that’s sitting by my bed today, to the spot where I wanted to play, set the chair upright, sit in it until I was ready to crawl to another place – Contented and Happy.
As I grew, oh, how I wanted to play softball, basketball, bowl, or do so many other fun things with my peers – but there was pain in that old hip. To be involved and a part of the excitement, I had to use my loud, strong voice to cheer and encourage those nearby. I learned to be content.
Mother and Daddy sent me to business school rather than college. I wanted to learn shorthand, but no money. I became the janitor for the school. I was happy and contented.
Then came marriage and children and a LOVE that is impossible to describe. Without God’s example, we couldn’t comprehend the depth and true meaning of love.
Oh, yes, there were times when desires for worldly wants would almost cause deep shadows over love. I realize it was wants for my children – more food, more clothes, more toys, more things they considered necessities. Contentment in that respect was difficult.
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content,” says Hebrews 13:5, and I believed. Here, I think I must have added a phrase to my life that has helped me to accept things that will pass on and make me stronger and better for tomorrow – “This too shall pass.”
Using the ‘stumbling blocks’ as ‘stepping stones’ in my path has made life easier. I could climb out of crises instead of wading deeper and deeper. Therefore, being content.
As life continued I was faced with illness, surgery, physical difficulties – not only of myself, but those I dearly loved. (Don’t any of you dare remind me of my discontent during 1997-98.) Again, we search for a faith to sustain us and learn to be content.
Then, there is death – that is one of the most difficult burdens to bear. It strikes those whose love in our hearts is comparable to God’s love His Son.
We learn and grow through the pain of suffering and loss. We accept the nearness of the Lord and are contented.
I truly believe the Lord works in our lives in great and glorious ways if we are content. There is no way I was looking for a man like General (General F. Gillespie) to share my life. And in no way were we worthy to receive all the love, gifts, and happiness extended to us by you – our family and friends.
Thank you. We are happy and content because of you.
Blessings continue to be evident even when we are not aware – or much less expecting them – when there is love.
Were we not content, would we be able to recognize our blessings? If we were constantly longing for great gain, we could fall into temptation or be trapped with many griefs.
“Be content whatever the circumstances.” And love. “The greatest of these is love.”
—
Photos courtesy of Author
