I wrote one of these about my Dad back in December, and now it’s my Mom’s turn.
My Mom. A woman of great courage, unwavering faithfulness, and selfless giving. Anita Hensley, Born in a small town on Native Land in Wisconsin. Her parents were of different ethnicities, my Grandfather Mohican Indian, and my Grandmother Swedish. To this day my Mom has stayed faithful and proud to both ethnic lines in her blood. Though she looks more Native than Swedish.
My Mother is beautiful! Stunning in fact! Growing up if ever I had a bad day, was scared, or worried, my Mom’s smile was the confidence I needed to endure. It was more than just a smile. Her eyes would gleam a light that spoke peace to the fiercest storm that would rage within. My Mom’s voice is beautiful. As a boy, I was sensitive, and was often fearful of things. My Mom’s voice would speak so kindly to me that the fear or anxiety that had overcome me would quickly melt.
My Mom taught me how to live, and how to dream. I remember often as a boy and young man, my mom would quote a Native Ogallala phrase, that Crazy Horse would scream out to his troops before battle, “Ho Ka Hey!” It means, “Today is a good day to die!” She of course had Galatians 2:20 in mind when she said this. “Zack today you are dead to the flesh, live for Jesus!” I did. She would always tell me how life was so much more than money, careers, and success. She would always tell me if I never amounted to be anything more than a drive-through guy at McDonald’s, but had a heart alive with love for Jesus, she would be so proud of me. She taught me that life was about loving Jesus, and that their was nothing better.
My Mom taught me creativity, and expression. I was definitely a creative, purely right-brained kid growing up. My Mom caught on to this early on. As a result, she would take me to art galleries, Jazz concerts, Operas, Symphonies, Coffee Shops, Old book stores, always encouraging me dream, and be creative. Often on Weekends Mom would wake me up early and tell me we were going on an adventure to the lake, or to eat at the Bee Line Café in Payson, just for the heck of it. Life was hard for my Mom and Dad financially when I was a kid, but my Mom made sure I never knew the pain of their burden. She wanted my sister and I to know that life in God was filled with Hope and Joy. If ever I wanted to try to do something, she always encouraged me in it, and often sacrificed for it. Voice lessons, Piano lessons, Drums lessons, Basketball, Playing in Bands, listening to random types of music, whatever it was, she always encouraged it. I remember a time when I went through a phase where I listened to hardcore music. You know, screaming, slamming guitars, pounding drums, not even really classifiable a music. She loved it! She would say, “You don’t have to go to your room to listen to that, play out here in the living room!” Then she’d head bang, “rock on!” she’d yell. When Ska Music was popular I would listen to it in the living room. One morning my mom walked in a said, “how do you dance to music like this?” “It’s called ‘skanking’, you go like this.” She then got really excited and began to ‘Skank’ right there in the living room.
My Mom taught me how to serve. On a weekly, sometimes daily basis my Mom would be helping someone with something, whether it was cooking for someone in the church who was ill, or helping out a church function. She’d often be slaving for someone, never asking for anything in return. When I was in High School, Mom said she would cook lasagna me and anyone else who I wanted to bring over on Wednesday’s. Well eventually 50-60 kids from my High School would come over every Wednesday, as my Mom graciously served every last one of my classmates. There were so many people who would come that she literally had to prepare the food the night before, then come home from working at church to cook it and serve it, clean-up, then head straight back to her job at church. My Mom had such a revelation of Jesus that she never asked for anything in return she simply wanted to bless those Jesus loved.
My Mom taught me to love Jesus. In no specific way did I learn this from her. Only I would watch her during worship services. She would have tears in her eyes, and a smile on her face as she’d worship. Often I’d walk in on her in her bedroom as she would be knelt down beside the bed, crying, and worshipping before the Lord. I wanted this type of relationship with Jesus. I decided to be a man after Christ because she was one after his heart first. Never had I seen such genuine love for Jesus as I did in my Mom’s eyes. I love Jesus because she did, only then did I learn how good he was for myself.
I love my Mom! So much of the man of God I have become today is because of the sacrifice, love, and faithfulness my Mother bestowed upon me. So here’s to you Mom, the woman of my life. The one who taught me to love, and taught me to live. My life is a testimony to your life. I really love you and happy May!
now, my Mom is amazing, and life has been a frantic busy pace of awesomeness! So if you have been lacking in randomness, lack no more… ready, set, and ceiling fan! I mean random!
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