Celebrating My Mother

Mother love I came out dirty You drew me bosom close Smothered with warmth Kisses and songs I came out crying With your joy Sorrow doors slammed shut Gentle words, earths welcome Your eyes my first, Your hands, my blanket your voice my rhythm your care my comfort Indescribable love with you, my beauty defined you believed, no wrong in me with your push, the world mine is Always beside me No complaint, ever your words. Life filled I was the best, mother love I grew, confident and sure Gently leading never judging Loving freely, ever willing Destiny shaping, God pointing My angel, my first love My cheerleader my cupbearer My friend, my nurture Blessed, measureless Salute, a million salutes Mother mine you deserving World’s greatest you have to be Strength undefinable yours is. Mother, you are the very best. Today again, I praise your courage Every day my Mother’s Day. Mother, mom, mama, momma, Maami. My Mother It was a Friday, I was driving back home from my mission field, and I felt a very heavy foreboding. I knew something was happening around me just could not put my finger on it. I tried to sing songs of worship (what I do when I am clueless or in a fix) all that came were funeral songs. I got home, and another strange thing happened. A bat was in my room. The whole house had nets all around, and so we could not fathom how the bat found its way inside the house. We trapped and got rid of it. I was still perplexed when around 8 pm, I felt as though something left me. Something or someone close to me was making their exit. It was a bizarre, eerie feeling. My mind was still troubled. It was the Easter season. I resorted to meditating on why Jesus came to make the huge sacrifice. On Sunday afternoon, the president of the fellowship I attended came to visit. He chatted about nothing in particular. I sensed he was aiming at something, mainly because he was asking a lot of questions about my mother. My answers must have made him believe I had an idea she was gone because he took his talk further by singing and in the song he twisted some of the words to ask, "how do you mourn?" I replied; “I mourn in the spirit,” and then I caught myself and asked, what had happened to my mother. He answered and said she had gone to be with The Lord. I was numb for several days. You see, my last conversation with my mama was her telling me she felt it was time for her to relax and enjoy the fruit of her labour, but she feared her blood pressure issues had other plans. I rebuked her and even quoted Isaiah saying, ‘you will not plant and another harvest’ (my paraphrase). She did not reply me. My point, twenty-six years ago, on the 22nd of April 1994, Maami, Josephine Omenogor Ndego left us to join the triumphant saints. I miss her, remember every day. I sign her name daily before I can access my files. It's my way of keeping her in front of me. I remember her drive, her ruggedness, her faith and above all, her love. As I write this, I am very emotional. My mother was an incredible woman. With very little, she produced a lot. She had tremendous insight and saw through people very easily. She was strong and tender at the same time. Her faith in God was total and daring. Maami, I salute you. You are a rare mother, indeed. Thank you for your sacrifice, and thank you for teaching me to hold my head up high no matter what. amazon.com/anneajadi anneajadinspirations.com Instagram/arnajadi Twitter/arnajadi Facebook/anneajadi Youtube/anneajadi BOOKS BY Anne Ajadi: YOU WILL MARRY WELL GODS LADY IN WAITING WALK WITH ME IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY HEART MATTERS, LIFE MATTERS