Dedicated - 52 Weeks a Year

Yes, the little girl in this picture is me, being held by my Mom.  This picture was taken documenting those having perfect attendance in Sunday School.  To receive this recognition you must attend Sunday School EVERY Sunday in the year.  A pin is given for year one, a wreath that fits around the pen for year two and then, each year after, a bar that attaches to the pen and wreath is given.   I was celebrating two years.  I was two.  Notice the lady standing next to me.  Her pin and chain represent twenty-four years of Sunday School perfect attendance.  WOW!! What dedication!  My chain made it to eighteen years before I missed a Sunday.  

 The dedication needed to accomplish this was not of my doing but that of my parents.  They made the effort to see that I was there.  It was important to them.  Being dedicated teachers and leaders helped motivate them to be there for those depending on them.  But more than that, they were teaching me about dedication, commitment and reliability.  Not only through their service to the church but through their service to God. 

Whenever we would travel, we would stop and take the time to go to Sunday School and church.  It was a neat experience to visit and worship with others.  I remember one Sunday while traveling through Georgia we unknowingly stopped at the home church of then President, Jimmy Carter.  (Don’t think they didn’t check us out!  My Dad had to answer many questions being fired at him by a group of Secret Service men.)

I never really appreciated the dedication my parents had regarding this until I became a parent myself.  I’ve since missed Sunday School for many different reasons and I sometimes wonder – does it matter if I’m there or not?   But deep down I know it does.  Not being there means I’ve missed out on an opportunity to hear how God has blessed those that I worship with.  It means I’ve missed a chance to praise God, a chance to learn more about Him, a chance to grow through shared experiences of others and I’ve missed how God has used them or chastened them and lead them back to Him.

As Mother’s Day approaches I reflect back to the years I had with my Mom.  She was one special lady!  Cancer robbed me of time with her but I still have great memories that nothing can take away.  I’m not sure if my being an only child made our relationship closer or if it’s that way no matter how many children you have.  I just know that when I was with her I felt special too. 

As a mother of three I worry that one of my girls will feel that my love is not equally divided between them.  But really it’s not divided because they all get 100% - 52 weeks a year. Some may say that is not mathematically possible but you mothers know, like I do, that it is. 

I take my role of being a mother seriously.   Sometimes it’s scary and I wonder if I did them right by teaching them what they need to succeed in life or if their trouble and heartaches could have been avoided if I had stressed certain points more.  But Ricky and I have prayed for them daily since they were born.  The example of dedication I saw in my parents has set a high standard that I continue to try to achieve.  And the memories of my Mom (and Dad) keep me smiling.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Elizabeth, Lisa, Leslie & Alison McCarley