My Basket

Written May 14 2009- Today is my Mommy's birthday. I was okay until one of my sisters (Towana) called me this morning. It's not just that it's her birthday and I wish she was still here. It's acknowledging that because of this woman's faith, I exist. She looked pasted all medical understanding and was healed and gave birth to me. How amazing is she. How amazing am I?

I remember my last birthday with her, my fourth. My sister this morning recalled it with me. We had just left the doctors' office and she received some very bad news, so bad that she didn't tell my oldest sister. She told Towana to stop at the store; she wanted to get me something for my birthday. Now understand that Mom had rules; when she said get what you want, that meant get one thing, on a good day, maybe two. But this day she said, "Mandy, get whatever you want." I put one thing in the basket. Not really knowing what she meant. She said, "No baby, you get whatever you want," and she started grabbing everything and putting that in the basket. My sister and I were stocked knowing that this behavior was not normal. My Mom knew it was her last birthday with me, she pasted the next month.

I live my life now grabbing everything that is pure and that is from God, all my desires in my heart, all my dreams and visions and putting them into my basket. Claiming and demanding everything that I want in life and making it come to past, living by the same faith which allowed me to exist today.

I cry, not because I wish to hug her and look into her eyes. I cry, because I thank her. For loving God, trusting God, and teaching me what faith really means. She hasn't physically been in my life for all 30 years, but in only four years she planted so many seeds in good soil, that when the enemy tried to kill me, physically, mentally and spiritually. He couldn't do it. Those seeds were rooted in good ground. They grew to harvest the kind of harvest that will feed millions. It has allowed me to become the woman that I am today.

How do you thank someone for giving you life? I say, by living yours to highest possible level that only God can understand, not man. And never... stop putting things in your basket.