My sister sent me the lyrics to the song "These Are the Women We Come From." It made me cry as I thought of my mother who is 88 and struggling from day to day. I never hear the pain or fear when I talk to her on the phone. Occasionally I see it when I go to stay with her.I, too, struggle to be strong, to look beyond my pain. I try to be present in every moment, but find it easy to slip down and want to give in and give up. Then I read Psalm 136 and am reminded "His love endures forever." I read Psalm 91 and remember: because I love God, He will rescue me. Because I acknowledge His name, he will protect me. When I call upon Him, and He will answer me, He will be with me in trouble.
Paul reminds Timothy (2 Timothy 1:5) that the faith that lives in him first lived in his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice.
These Are the Women We Come From
(Bonnie Keen/Tori Taff)
They are faces in photographs
Heads all held high
Not afraid to look life in the eye
They were women with backbone
Keepers of the Flame
With a spirit even hard times couldn’t tame
And I know that this same blood is in me
And I meet their gaze one by one
Eyes strong and clear
I still feel them near
Chorus:
These are the women I come from
The faith that sustained them is bred in my bones
I know what I’m made of and where I belong
‘Cause these are the women I come from
What did life bring them?
What pain did they know?
Stories the pictures didn’t show
They were lovers of babies and lovers of God
With lessons and laughter in their songs
Did they dream better dreams for their children?
As they prayed silent prayers in the night?
“Lord make their way clear and always be near”
Chorus
Now I have my own child beside me
And we gaze at them all one by one
Her eyes strong and clear, I draw her near, and say
These are the women you come from
The faith that sustained them is bred in your bones
You know what you’re made of and where you belong
‘Cause these are the women
Survivors each one
They weren’t always easy, but loving and strong
God’s life force inside them is still going on
‘Cause these are the women we come from
Don't be afraid to look back.
