Blessings for a Mother's Day

By Ruth Bell Graham

A delightful collection of the writings, thoughts, and prayers of Ruth Bell Graham, a mother of five herself, which will encourage mothers in every stage of life. While husband Billy traveled the world over, Graham was left to parent alone. The unique strength, quiet wisdom, and subtle humor that sustained her during those challenging years comes alive on the pages of this little book which offers refreshment and inspiration for moms feeling overworked and unappreciated. This colorful book includes many touching and humorous stories coupled with photographs from the Graham family album.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Feb 9, 2002
• ISBN: 9781418551018

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Blessings for a

Mother’s Day

RUTH BELL GRAHAM

a

Blessings for a Mother’s Day

Copyright © 2001 by Ruth Bell Graham.

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Unless otherwise indicated Scripture quotations used in this book are from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV) copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

All photographs in this book are from Ruth Bell Graham’s private collection.

ISBN 0-8499-1694-1

Printed in the United States of America

01 02 03 04 05 PHX 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contents

Introduction

My Mother Was a Remarkable Woman

Help Me Be a Good Girl

The Old Parks Cottage

Empathy

Punishment

Bunny

Prayer with Franklin

Grapefruit

A Hectic Morning

And Then There Were Five

Self-Indulgence and Self-Control

TV Guides

Pacifist or Peacemaker?

Wanting to Learn

Dog Training

Hard to Be Good

Bye, Daddy!

Born Good

The Other Cheek

One, Two, Free

The Offering

The Thought That Counts

He’s Not a Load

Bicycle Prayers

Still Time

The Bible Says

He’s Okay

Hard Work

Sunshine

Rough Times

Martha Luther King

Encouragement

Storms

One Got Lost

Worry and Worship

The Hound of Heaven

Little Black Lamb

The Prodigal’s Parents

Failures

Spiritual Drought

Prayer of a Middle-Aged Woman

It Isn’t Easy Growing Up in Today’s World

Grandparents Are Special

Empty Nests

Introduction

Although the joys far outweigh the cares, and parenting (and grandparenting) continues to be my most rewarding occupation, I do not always find it easy. Parenthood is a big responsibility. It is demanding physically, emotionally, and spiritually. At times, it is overwhelming. But God, who is ever true to His Word and so faithful, has always provided the needed strength and wisdom to see me through each trial. God also provided an excellent role model, my mother, Ruth Bell Graham.

Sometimes, when I experience a rather difficult day and wonder if it is all worth it, I allow my mind to drift back to the mountains of North Carolina, to our old log cabin where I grew up. My mother created a special refuge for her husband and children. Our home provided for our physical, emotional, and material needs; but more than that, it provided for our spiritual needs. The framework of our home was our godly Christian heritage.

My mother has been faithful in passing on to her daughters all that she learned and gleaned from her mother (Virginia Bell) and from the various saints she has read down through the years. Mother shares by example as well as through her words. She was once asked how she had raised five children with my daddy away so much of the time. Without hesitation she answered, On my knees.

My son Aram once described home as a place where you come in out of the rain. The home in which I was raised was a warm sanctuary from the storms of life for each member of our family. In the following pages, you can glimpse how one small, feisty, humorous, intelligent, deeply spiritual pilgrim of faith approached the task of mothering and how she became (and continues to be to this day) my role model and best friend.

—Gigi Graham Tchividjian

My Mother Was a

Remarkable Woman

Born in Richmond, Virginia, raised first in