It is Mother’s Day this Sunday, a special time to celebrate our mothers who have sacrificed so much for us.

None of us would be here without our mothers (and our fathers too). While we may not have been fortunate enough to have the perfect mother like June Cleaver from “Leave it to Beaver” or Carol Brady from “The Brady Bunch,” we have each been blessed with a mother who did the best she could.

I was blessed with good parents who loved me and worked hard to train me and bring me up to be a responsible adult. They provided a good roof over my head, although it often changed because we moved as my Dad climbed the corporate ladder. They provided me with everything I needed, even though I didn’t get everything on my Christmas lists…no child should. They fed me well and clothed me. They made sure I received a good education, so they could launch me successfully. I realize that I am lucky.

I have to say that my parents are blessed too because they raised and launched four kids successfully. My parents are blessed with thirteen grandchildren who make them proud. They even have some great-grandchildren. Wait, that means my sister is a grandmother, that can’t be! I repeat, my parents, who are not perfect, did very well.

There are a few things that my mother taught me that make me who I am today. She taught me to love gardening. She showed me how to plant a garden and then watch it grow. She developed my love for tomatoes…especially homegrown tomato sandwiches. She taught me to love and appreciate the beauty of flowers. She never did cultivate in me a love for weeding.

Mom taught me to love the beach. It’s still one of my favorite places. She taught me the wonder of hunting for shells and to appreciate their individual beauty. She taught me to enjoy the peacefulness of just sitting quietly near the ocean. She taught me to quiet my spirit so I could learn to listen for that still small voice.

Mom taught me how to love people and to look out for my neighbor. A childhood friend broke a limb and my mother made a big box of little gifts for her to open – one per day – to help her have something to look forward to each day. Another time a big storm came through and knocked out the power.

Mom called the neighborhood mothers, who all were in the middle of cooking supper, and told them to bring everything to our house. We had a gas stove and she made a disaster into a big party.

My parents were both readers and so they tricked me into reading. Actually, they gave me a short book in high school that they read and thought I would enjoy. It was a book by Og Mandino, The Greatest Miracle in the World, and for the first time I learned the pleasure of reading. My Mom arranged for me to meet Og on one of his book tours and that is one of the biggest reasons I have come to love writing. She also encouraged me to write.

Mom taught me a lot about God. She loves God and was a Sunday school teacher when I was a child. Mom’s faith in God through all the ups and downs in life taught me that God could be trusted. Her faith let me know that God was real. Mom taught me to pray and said my prayers with me as a child. She taught me that my prayers should not always be about what I wanted and needed, but also about the needs of others.

If I didn’t learn anything else from my mother except about God; that would have been enough. I have learned to trust and believe in God on my own. I have grown my own faith which is deeply rooted in Scripture. I have learned to pray way beyond a child’s nighttime prayers. I have learned how to be a man of God. I have learned how to share my love for God with others to encourage and strengthen their faith.

I want to encourage you to take a few minutes this weekend to call your Mom and thank her for all she has done for you. If your Mom has already passed, then take a few minutes to thank God for all she meant to you. The point is to look around your life and to be thankful for the many blessings that your mother and Heavenly Father have bestowed upon you.

Doug Creamer has authored two books: The Bluebird Café and Revenge at the Bluebird Café. Contact him at doug@dougcreamer.com