Mother's Day

Grace Katherine Millage

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17~This is the Life Verse Aaron and I chose for Gracie. It was read at her Dedication on May 11, 2008.



On Mother's Day we had an additional reason to celebrate, Gracie's Baby Dedication at our church. On this occasion, we stand before our church family and publicly express our desire to raise Gracie in a Christian home, acknowledging our role as her parents and our desire to guide her towards love and faith in Jesus Christ. All three of our children have been dedicated to the Lord publicly in this way. It is always a special moment for me and Aaron. This is our way of surrendering control and submitting to God's will over their lives. This is a tough thing to do as parents, especially in today's world. I want to hold tightly and protect fiercely but I also know that as much as I love them, God loves them even more. This is hard to even wrap my mind around but I know it is true. With that assurance, I can peacefully allow them to rest in His hands and just be there to guide and instruct according to God's word. It is a great responsibility. The further down this path I get, the more respect I gain for my own parents, especially my mother. On Easter Sunday, I was in Atlanta with my family. I was running around getting us all ready for church. I was making sure clothes were ironed, hair was brushed and curled, bows were in place, teeth were brushed and diaper bag was prepared. It was a marathon morning. The kids were all loaded in the car and I came running down the stairs, slipping heels on as I walked, holding on to my jewelry in one hand and my make-up bag in the other. I remembered how before I had kids, I used to spend an hour getting myself ready in the morning. Life had certainly changed, and I was now putting myself last on the list. My mom was waiting for me at the door to help me carry everything to the car. I just looked at her and said, "Now I know how you were able to dress 3 girls for church every Sunday morning on your own. You never worried about yourself and sacrificed everything you needed, to make sure we had all we needed." She smiled as I hugged her and said, "Your right." My mother always had a nurturing spirit and there was never a day that went by that I did not feel cared for and loved. I am forever grateful because I now see the sacrifices she must have made but never minded. I find that as a mother, I am the same way.