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Quote of the month...

"Standing tall is a very admirable thing. There are very few stories in history of heroes who slouched to the rescue. Likewise, most individuals don't look up to people who are drooped over."
from Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra by Obert Skye

my family

Sunday, April 6, 2008

52 Weeks of Blessings -- week 14-- Motherhood

For this week's blessing I chose Motherhood. A great talk was given today at conference by M. Russell Ballard to mothers!
I want to share some quotes on mothers and motherhood that I've found.

"Mothers write on the hearts of their children, that which the rough hands of the world cannot rub off."
"You just never stop walking behind them, do you?"
"When they are little, they step on your toes.... when they are big, they step on your heart."
A Maternal Mystery

A mother's love is always able to enfold another child
without at all depleting her love for the others
Your heart readily embraces a new little life
even as you continue providing all that the family needs
And as you do so, your love empowers the older to love the younger
blessing the older with a sense of her important position
blessing the younger with a sibling's love
And being blessed by the circle of love
by the widening circle of deepening love

(found in this book: A Mother's Love paintings by Sandra Kuck text by Lisa Guest)

"Mother means selfless devotion, limitless sacrifices, and love that passes understanding."
"The goodness of a home is not dependent on wealth, or spaciousness, or beauty, or luxury. Everything depends on the Mother." G.W.E. Russell

An Unquenchable Love

A mother's love...
Is drained by the midnight feedings of an infant
The emphatic no's and constant testing of a toddler
The new horizons of elementary school
The peer pressure and thumping decibles of junior high
The challenges and letting go of adolescence
The relentlessness of parenting

A mother's love...
Is recharged with the heartfelt smile from her child
With an unexpected hug from her son
With a glance at her sleeping babe, however old he is.

(also taken from A Mother's Love for a look at the painting click here. The cover of this book is one of my favorite paintings also in A Mother's Love.)

"If we help our children to be what they should be today, then, when tomorrow becomes today, they will have the courage to face it with greater love." Mother Teresa
"In the heavens above,
the angels, whispering to one another,
can find, among their burning terms of love,
none so devotional as that of a mother."
Edgar Allen Poe
"There is an enduring tenderness in the love of a mother..." Washington Irving
"To be a mother is the grandest vocation in the world. No one being has a position of such power and influence. She holds in her hands the destiny of nations: for to her is necessarily committed the making of the nation's citizens." Hannah Whitall Smith



19 comments:

raising4boys said...

What a great blessing! I love the hand pictures you took, what a unique idea :) So great to remember since they grow so fast!

Are You Serious! said...

♥ That was a great talk!

SuperCoolMom said...

Those are some beautiful thoughts on Motherhood. Some days I could use a reminder about the importance of Motherhood, when all I can hear is whining and see the drudgery. I need to type those quotes up and plaster them all over my house!

Cindy Price said...

I loved Elder Ballard's talk!! Now that my children are grown I wish I would spent more time enjoying them being young!!

Wendi said...

Loved that talk as well, and your pictures are cute. I need to snap some pictures like that of my kids before their hands get too big!

Amz said...

This is a wonderful blessing! I loved that talk yesterday too...It was everything I needed to hear.

KATE said...

So sweet & thanks for the reminder! I'm with Supercoolmom I need to put those quotes up in my house, so I always remember what a great blessing & privelige it is!

Wendi said...

What a great blessing indeed! Could you copy and paste this post and email it to me each week just as a reminder?
I love the pictures too!!!
Thanks for sharing!

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for reminding me how blessed I truly am... :)

Nikki said...

Carrie- You should try to make it sometime to Conference. You are more than welcome to lodge here with us :) We have plenty of room and would love to have you!! You need to plan a trip to come....maybe October conference! You're always WELCOME!!!

KATE said...

Wow, i can't spell! sorry!

crystal said...

You had me teary-eyed, and then I saw the photo of the tiny baby hand in the big hand...and had to sniff for REAL!

I love how these tear-jerker photos are back-to-back with the mountain o'laundry. heehee! REality! Weepy-eyed motherhood combined with a 6-ft pile of wash!!!

Jenifer said...

Ooooh motherhood. The hardest and best job in the world! I will survive, right?

Emy5 said...

That was beautiful, Carrie. Thanks!

latree said...

somebody (sahib) came to the prophet and asked: who I should love and obey?
prophet: your mother
(sahib): and after that?
prophet: your mother
(sohib): and after that?
prophet: your mother
(sohib): and after that?
prophet: your father
...
mother... a shelter.. lover...
name any good thing, and that's what she is.

Michelle Alley said...

Sweet post Carrie. Love the photos!

Cecily R said...

It is a blessing...one that I have been reminded of a lot in the last weeks.

I LOVE your hand pictures. LOve them, love them!!

Pam said...

I love the quotes. So true, great blessing

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

Thank you for all the sweet comments. I love the quote from Latree! I've been MIA since my sister and her family have been here and had my internet commandeered! :)