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Saturday 25 August 2012

Proverbs 31 Josephine not Alice

This week, I am going to change tack, and make this a tribute to my Mother. I started the week with continuing the tribute to Proverbs 31 wives with Alice, my grandmother, but, to be honest I don't know much about how she provided I know she did, and did it well, more about that next week.

It been a difficult task this week as my Mother has severe Alzheimer's, and doesn't really know me anymore. I am full of grief for her and the situation and I can not do anything, as well, I am thousands of miles away. The reason I am making this a tribute to her is because of the telephone call from my sister, who nurses at the hospital where my mother is residing, to update me on her condition. Whenever she goes on duty she pops in and has a chat. She always finds shopping lists scattered around her room, of things she has to get when she gets home to Lower Hutt back here in NZ. ( she has not lived in NZ for 25 years). It was like God was saying to me “Look Sharon, honour your Mother, she was a wonderful provider!” And she was!

When we we small, our parents were hard up. But she always made sure that there were special treats for Xmas, birthdays and holidays. She would regularly put special items in a cupboard high up in the kitchen, us kids would sometimes sneak peeks, when she was not around. We would get a chair climb up onto the bench, and rifle through the cupboard trying to guess when they would appear on the table. As things improved financially, she was always searching for the best producer of this and that. When she visited us in later years, she was always loaded up with special treats and enough food to full the freezer. Yes, she was a good provider in the Proverbs 31 tradition.
 
It was hard painting my Mum. First of all I wanted to paint her in her prime, in the photo above she was 28. I remember the day well as it was my 7th birthday, and I was not very pleased as I had wanted a bike and I couldn't understand why my Grandmother Phyllis (left) had given my sister a doll too! But as the painting went on it got too hard, so I had to stop so I decided to do an impressionistic one, actually I think it is more of a self portrait, as it looks very sad. The vine bits are from a glass bowl with silver vines inlaid that she gave me on one of my birthdays. I will finish the other portrait and use it later.

So in all, a tough week painting but in some ways healing. Mum I honour you!

12 comments:

  1. This is so precious, Sharon! I teared up reading it. My grandmother (with Alzheimers) lives with my Mom. My sister and I take turns alternate months taking her for a week so they can have a break. She is sweet, but it's hard watching the memory fade. My heart goes out to you and your precious mother. She left a beautiful tribute in you.

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  2. A lovely tribute to your mother. My heart is tender toward the women who came before me in my family.

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  3. Such an interesting expression on her lovely face. HPPF!

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  4. Oh how beautiful Sharon. Your words as well as your painting. I'm sending prayers and good thoughts your way for peace and joy for you, mom and sister.

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  5. Thinking of you and praying for you during this difficult time.
    Your portrait is a wonderful portrait and the blues are beautiful.
    ♥♥♥
    Mary
    Mixed-Media Map Art

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  6. A beautiful tribute to your dear mother. Sending you hugs and love. Happy PPF Annette x

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  7. Both your writing and your art are wonderful tributes to your mother. She sounds like a beautiful, beautiful woman. I'm so sorry for the circumstances you are going through. When my grandmother was in her final days of dementia after a stroke, she didn't know me and looked at me like she was afraid of me. Just really tore me up. Keep remembering the good times of a mother that loved you so. Praying the Lord is with your during this time.

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  8. Such a beautiful, beautiful tribute to your Mum. I know this journey of Alzheimer's is so heart-breaking. My prayers are sent for you and your sweet mum. ((hugs))

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  9. Small world, since I live in Lower Hutt. This is a beautiful tribute to your Mum. Alzheimers is such a hideous disease. I am thinking of you and your Mum. This is a very touching portrait.

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  10. Love your post and the tribute to your mother. beautiful!

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  11. I'm so sorry about your mom. I've lost both my parents already, but I'm grateful that they knew me up until the end.

    I'll be thinking about you--hope the art-making helped...

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  12. What a beautiful tribute to your mother. I can relate. We never had much money in our family when I was growing up either. It was always a struggle to "make ends meet" but my mother always made the best of everything and always made sure I had what I needed and most of what I wanted. (I was an only child.) She also had severe dementia before she died at age 86 but thankfully she never got to the point where she didn't recognize me. I just wish I could have been there with her more at the end.
    Thank you for sharing this beautiful post.
    Blessings,
    Charlotte

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