Bucket list 33 – honor the women in my life

May 11, 2014

One of our speakers in Sacrament meeting (church) told of how many of his female business associates disliked Mothers’ Day because they didn’t match up to the spectacular examples and stories shared each Mother’s Day. They ended up feeling less adequate and less appreciated because of these negative thoughts. I almost gasped audibly because those are the exact thoughts my mother and my bride have shared with me over the years. Despite any outcry to abolish Mothers’ Day or to cause some kind of change in the celebration of the wonderful women in my life, my goal is to share my life-time of grateful feelings for all the women in my life who have provided me with the strength to move forward.

Starting with the last one’s to join this growing legion of women who have so powerfully steered my life for the better are my incredible granddaughters. Ranging in age from 21 down to four months; they each give me incredible job. As I pray for each of them by name: Starlee, Shanna, Michelle, Elena, Sidney, April, Lindsay, Aspen, Emma, Mya, Lucy, Macy, Kennedy, Ashley, Hailey, and Olivia; I feel this incomprehensible job. I have even been known to break out in smiles and giggles at the very thought. As each of them came into our lives and family directly from the presence of our Heavenly Father they took a position of prominence in my life and gave me even more reason to be of good cheer; to honor the covenants I have made with God; and to do all within my power to be worthy of their love and respect. They will grow, have families of their own and become an even greater source of appreciation for those of us who came before and look on with knowledge of their purpose and great value to God’s work.

The Lord blessed Jean and me with two incredible daughters and four daughters-in-law. I choose to think of them all as our daughters because of the blessings they have brought to our lives. All six of these mothers are pioneer strong. They have testimonies and knowledge of God, they love their children and they love their spouse. No, they aren’t perfect, but they are pretty close. I think of the herculean tasks that each of these beautiful mothers are required to do and it see absolutely impossible; but time after time I watch as they rise to the occasion. Each of them at one time or another in their married life has been required to be the “rock”. Each has been required to stand strong in the defense of their family, their religion, their economic well-being, their wellness, their spirituality, and their very life. Not only have they stood, but they have conquered and been the victors in the greatest battles in life. No amount of praise or understanding is too great for these marvelous mothers who have become an integral part of fabric of my life. Thank you; I love each of you.

My bride, Jean has shared married life with me now, for forty nine years and eleven days. I owe everything I am and everything I will ever be to her constant diligence, love, caring, and eternal perspective. She has purposely put her desires, her needs, and her requirements aside for these many years to accommodate the needs of our family. Jean is the reason for my existence. Without her all the mothers and mothers-to-be I have mentioned above would not exist and I would be some kind of empty shell living out a meager existence wondering what life was all about. I have had an absolutely blessed life with Jean at my side.

Please don’t misunderstand, Jean is not perfect; and to make matters even clearer, I am what I often refer to as a “rock-head”, which makes our incredible journey so much more intriguing. We want to be together forever. In order to do that we have to be worthy to, by the Grace of God, become perfect and enter His kingdom. I am just bright enough to realize that the only way to return to His presence is through is Grace, with my bride, Jean tucked gently at my side, holding me up and providing loving guidance and encouragement only she can provide.

My sisters, Betty, Marie, and Lynda, Jean’s mother (Viola) and my mother (Lucy) all played major parts in my life; for which I am eternally grateful.

God bless each of us as we ponder, then act on our need and desire to play a part in God’s vineyard as we look for ways to assist those around us.

Duane Jacobs, grandfather, father, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend