Two Brothers Road Trip And Mothers Day /12/2019

Good Morning,

I just poured myself a cup of Door County Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee and then I prayed. Prayer is always on my breakfast plate. It's like the sun just doesn't come up for me without prayer.

I will be joining my younger brother on a road trip today of about three hours one way. We are going to the college graduation ceremony for his youngest son. Three hours in a car will give us plenty of time to chat about our lives, the future and we always talk about the past. Today is Mother's Day and our Mom passed away several years ago. Me being the oldest of us siblings and having a large age gap between my brother and myself ,I felt sorry for him when Mom passed. It's simple. I had Mom around for more years than he did. The youngest in the family gets short changed in life that way. As a brother and our Dad being himself, both of us were not able to fill Mom's shoes much. We just weren't wired to be nurturing and sensitive. We were more of the "Suck it up Buttercup" kind of guys who just move on through life.

So my nieces and nephews didn't have grandma around as long as my daughter did either. But I will try to speak for Mom today. She would say to all five of them "Well done. I am proud of you." She would be happy to see the baby of the family get where he wanted to be and now soon to be employed. Each one of the kids has made a good path and I am sure she would celebrate by baking something or making her famous meat salad for my brother today. I can't take her place, that's for sure. But I would also say to all of them "Well done, I am proud of you.

We need to be there for the markers in the lives of our family and friends. Encouragement goes a long way on days like today, but more so when the chips are down. Each one of those kids has had some "chips down days" and life will eventually bring some more. Friends be an encourager. If my Dad and I had to do things over and I am speaking for him, I think we would do a better job of it.

So to close I leave you with this verse and  picture of the rolls my mother taught me how to make.

Hebrews 10:23-25 English Standard Version (ESV)

²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Marty