Mountain Mashers

Not much more than five foot tall, but mountains big and small...Tonight we are going to talk about mountains again. This time though, the post will be dedicated to those who move mountains every day. Those people are mothers. Yesterday was mother's day. For a lot of people it means fancy dinners or expensive gifts and rightly so because mothers deserve those. However, I believe there's so much more to it than that. You see, life has never been a walk in the park for my family. The truth is though, I'm not big on parks any way. I'd rather explore the mountains. Sometimes though, there's mountains that get in our way. Especially when we are in our teens and early twenties, those mountains just seem to big to handle. Sometimes, we even allow the mountains to get the best of us, we let them pull us down to our lowest low. We allow them to let ourselves devastate our lives through foolish action and the next thing we know we are down and can't get up-that's where mom is always there. 

My mother worked a full time job and went to nursing school while she was pregnant with me. She never gave up. When I was born a month premature and weighed only four pounds, she spent weeks in the hospital with me while I had surgeries to a cleft palate and other things. Still yet, she was there when my sister was born with spina bifida. She spent weeks in the hospital with her. Still more, she spent so much time in and out of the hospital with both me and my sister and never complained. Still more, she was there when kids made fun of us in school. Still more, she was there at graduations and awards days after working 12-13 hours. She was there when my step-dad had numerous back surgeries. She's a nurse too and there's no doubt in my mind that she's saved countless lives too. I've heard the stories. I know. She's even saved mine once when I was choking on that Everlasting Gobstopper.

I admire my mother so much, but I've often wondered how she handles the stress. Yet, I can tell you this: the secret to her bravery and courage is in prayer. There's no doubt in my mind that the Lord hears my mother's prayers every day. 

My mom isn't much taller than five feet. So, when I heard the song "When Mama Prayed" by Randy Travis, I thought of my mom. Here's the lyrics:

Daddy never went to church on Sunday
He said that's one thing I'll never do
But mama never gave up she said one day
He'll be sitting here beside of me and you
I can still hear mama softly talking
With her tears falling on her folded hands
So that Easter Sunday Daddy walked in
That's when I began to understand

When mama prayed, good things happen
When mama prayed, lives were changed
Not much more than five foot tall
But mountains big and small crumbled all away
When mama prayed

Seventeen and wild I hit the bottle
Doing anything I dang well please
Burning down life's highway at full throttle
While mama burned a candle on her knees
Then one night I came home half sober
I saw mama kneeling in the den
As I listened she and Jesus talked it over
And I knew my restless days were 'bout to end

When mama prayed, good things happen
When mama prayed, lives were changed
Not much more than five foot tall
But mountains big and small crumbled all away
When mama prayed

It isn't like every one of them got answered
But the times they weren't it seems to me were rare
You almost felt sorry for the devil
'Cause heaven knows he didn't have a prayer
When mama prayed

Not much more than five foot tall
But mountains big and small crumbled all away
When mama prayed
They crumbled all away

When mama prayed

Mountains don't stand a chance when it comes to my mother. I'm so thankful that my mama is a mountain masher! They certainly do crumble away when she prays. My life is perfect evidence. And, I'm smart enough to know that there's more mothers out there just like her, for their evidence, too, is left in the lives of their children. In fact I'm honored to know a fine young lady who fits the bill. She's destined to be a mountain masher for her kids someday and I hope she has a great partner to help her.

When I look out into the world, I see so many mothers who are mashing mountains every day. So many of those mountain mashers are doing it alone. That, makes me very disappointed. So many men have become cowards when faced with parenthood. I guess they have forgotten about their own mothers and how hard it might have been for them. Or, perhaps they haven't considered the couple who would love to be parents, mom and dad, but can't.

So, tonight I'm imploring each and every person who might read this blog to step up to the plate and be a mountain masher. Step up to the plate and provide for your kids. Most importantly, step up to the plate and pray for your kids. Mountains just might crumble all away. 

Tonight, the measure of a man can sometimes be found in his willingness to be a mountain masher.

That, my friends, is just a few thoughts from a small town southern man!

Thanks for being a mountain masher mom!

And to that fine young lady...let the mountain mashing begin!