October 15 – “On Mama Chris”

This little ditty was posted on FaceBook the other night by some dear friends who live and minister in Alaska.  I can’t say it as well as Lauren did, so here’s her transcript:

 

When Kenny and I were first married we moved to Galveston, TX. We found an apartment, sight unseen from CO. Then packed up our little apartment, left the town I’d lived in most of my life and drove to a place we’d never been with no real idea of what our plans were. We found a wonderful little church across the street from the ocean and were immediately surrounded with family, what a gift! The pastor’s wife was named “Mama Chris”. When we lived there Kenny and I used to joke that my goal in life was to be Mama Chris. She was one of those people who was just always willing to listen, always willing to problem solve, and somehow didn’t make you feel like an idiot for all the dumb choices you just made that caused the problems you were in. Haha. She also had an open door policy, I can’t count the number of times I ended up on her kitchen floor crying while she put some chocolate chip cookies in the oven and didn’t bat an eye while my foster kids ran around her house making messes. Mama Chris is definitely one of the reasons we didn’t stop foster care the first year, and she still stands as a life goal for me. Every so often Kenny and I will still joke that I want to be Mama Chris when I grow up.

 

Yesterday was one of those days that makes me smile ‘cause I think maybe there’s a little Mama Chris in me. Haha. Yesterday morn I had to take William early to the hospital for a sedated procedure. When I got home, we were working on virtual school and Kenny headed to work. Out of nowhere a lady pulled up, knocked on the door and came in and said she needed to talk. We curled up and immediately there were tears and some amazing conversation about God and hard things, and God working in/through/around hard things. It was inconvenient but also wonderful. I really did think of Mama Chris, how many times was I inconvenient to her? (Ok, maybe I don’t really want to know). What a cool feeling to be able to see how God taught me through someone else something that now I can use myself.

 

Then, in the eve Victoria called can also needed some extra loving. She came in and the whole house surrounded her with smiles and food and sweetness, and I was so blessed to see how God can use each one of us to serve.

 

Today I’m extra thankful for Mama Chris (and the other many people who have pointed me in that direction through my life) and thankful for the people that I have the privilege to be Mama Chris to, even when it’s inconvenient. Do you have a Mama Chris that you want be like when you grow up? Who are you being Mama Chris to today?

 

Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend love sat all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”

 

Father, thank you for the influence Chris has had on Lauren.  Please continue to bless the influence she in turn has on others around her.  Amen.