Strawberry Cake and my Mom!
My Mom wasn’t perfect my any means, like most moms. She was the worry wart champion of the world in my opinion. If she wasn’t worrying about my Dad, us, her kids, she would involve the entire neighborhood or our church in her high level worry.
My Mom played the piano by ear…that means she had no formal note classes but could play just about anything. She was our church pianist and organist. She played for our church youth rallies, monthly church wide singspirations and informal singing around our home piano. In my mind I can still hear those grand old songs and see my Mom at the piano.
I remember much about my Mom, but one thing really stands out. She died in 1985 at the age of 60. Very young for then and in terms of today’s medical community, very young. Her epitaph reads “born to serve”. And, boy she did. Whether making gumbo for the church socials or sandwiches when our church hosted the monthly singspiration.
She was ever busy in serving.
However, I believe her most famous “born to serve” activity was her famous strawberry cake. Whenever there was a family that lost a loved one whether in our church or not, like magic, a strawberry cake would appear at the house of the bereaved. Or if someone was celebrating a birthday or anniversary, yep, there was the strawberry cake.
Serving was her middle name. She didn’t ask for or seek out praise or gratitude from the recipients for the strawberry cake but simply, out of love for her community, she did it. And of course, I got to lick the spoon. Ha. I can still drool today thinking about those luscious strawberry cakes.
I remember Jesus saying he didn’t come “to be served but to serve”. (Matthew 28:20) I believe most moms fall in the category of serving others. Love does that to folks. When we love we want to serve and help meet the needs of others rather than our own.
So, as we celebrate Mother’s Day, may each of us take on this servant quality. Not to be served but to serve.
Love does that. Serves others.
My Mom, Marie Berneice Granger Navarre, pictured at the very top, has been gone now 35 years…oh how I still love and miss her.
Happy Mother’s Day. Honor and love our moms.
I am praying for you and your families,
Leonard Navarre
Lubbock, Texas
