An Inherited Trait

As I opened the kitchen door that morning, there sat my 80+ year old Mother in her pink cotton housecoat and her apron.

“Well, good morning, Sis.  You’re just in time for breakfast.” She said, smiling.

“Having oatmeal again I see, Mother.  Why do you have that every morning?”

“ ‘cause it’s good for me.”

“And, do you still crumble up your toast in it?” I inquired.

“Sure do,” she said,” makes the toast softer and it tastes good.”

As I sat down to my daily breakfast of oatmeal and toast this morning, I caught myself crumbling the crust into my oatmeal.  “She was right; it does taste good,” I chuckled to myself.

I thought of my mother’s love of books and how she was always anxious for me to see the latest one she had gotten from the Christian Book Club she belonged to. Although I enjoyed reading, then I never seemed to have the time for more than a short story here and there in Woman’s Day or maybe an article in Home Life magazine I picked up at church. Now, I devour books as though my life depended on it and can’t wait for the new ones to come to our church library.

“Mom, why don’t you just set down and let me get it?” Daughter #2 said as I got up one more time to get something from the kitchen. Our house was just breaming with family and we were all setting down for a meal. “You’re just like Grannie Great; popping up and down like a Jack in the Box at every meal” Chimed in Daughter # 1.

As I age, I guess I do take on some of my Mother’s traits.  And, there is no one I would rather pattern my life after. I cherish the things she has taught me.  They are gifts that could never be bought.

God blesses us with His gift of the Holy Spirit when we confess our sins and ask Him to come into our lives. Just as I inherited some of my Mother’s traits, I should exhibit the inheritance of my Heavenly Father, who loves me even more than my Mother did. Then, people would be able to recognize Him in my life just like my Daughters recognize the traits of my Mother in me.

 “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!” John 14:16-17 in The Message