On Your Ninetieth

 

Ninety years ago today

Our mother saw the light of earth,

Ninety years ago this day

Was the celebration of her birth.

Today we celebrate with her

This remarkable milestone

And give Almighty God the thanks

That she did not make it on her own.

For He has been with her all the way

Even before she walked with Him

So that subsequent to that first birth

The second birth took care of her sin.

Mom, we give thanks today

For the time you have spent with us

But more than that we are grateful

That you point us all to Jesus.

Your life is a wonderful example

Of a life given over to Christ,

No wonder you made it look so easy

Each time you made a sacrifice. 

For the sacrifices were many

That you made for all of us

And what is particularly noteworthy

You did it without a fuss.

No news clippings and fanfare

No cameras, lights and red carpet

But lovingly you embrace us all

And your giving was a daily habit.

Every one of us to a single soul

Votes unanimously on this day

That you are a woman of great virtue

In whose life God holds full sway.

We know that with the passing years

Pains have racked your frail body,

Your independence has turned to dependence

And you have lost much mobility.

You mightn’t recall a lot of things

But we are not very far behind,

While you have taken a long time to reach

We have arrived there in half that time.

In your face we still see the beauty

That attracted the man of your dreams

And how we wish he were here today

But that was not to be part of the scheme.

Together you made a secure abode

In which your children were able to live

And the lessons we learnt from you

Are the greatest gifts that you could give.

We have passed them on to your grands

And the great-grands too are picking up

But be it known to all this day

We were privileged to drink from your cup.

With God you have reared a family

That has stood the test of time,

We salute you Mum on your ninetieth

You are definitely one of a kind.

Like you, our days too are numbered,

We know not who’ll be the next to go

But like you we have Jesus

Who will help to cushion that blow.

So we raise our glasses together

In a toast today to our Mom,

You have weathered the hard times well

And still find time for fun.

Not of the griping, complaining type

But of the grateful and godly kind,

A woman who understands the nature of family

Mom Russell, you are definitely one of a kind.

Let us today bow our heads in prayer

As on God’s blessings we reminisce

And thank Him for this matriarch He has given

And for a remarkable day like this.

Stewart Russell © July 2017