My Mother on Mother's Day

Frank's Mom & Dad w/ Michael English

Many over the years have heard me share on more than one occassion what my father means to me. He still seems larger than life to me (although I am now a few inches taller). I could grow to be seven feet tall and will always look UP to my father. My father served in Vietnam, worked 28 years with the U.S. Capitol Police, retired as Acting Assistant Chief of the entire department (he was number two out of 2,000 officers), protected SEVEN U.S. Presidents and worked the crowd with more charm and charisma than any politician I have met to date. The difference was for dad it was not for a vote but because he truly lives to love on people. Today, it dawned on me that I admire Dad greatly for his success professionally but I admire mom for her sacrifice personally. Now that I have two children of my own I have learned two main things: One, I didn’t appreciate God’s love until my babies were born. Secondly, I must admit – I am slow (it took me two hours to watch 60 Minutes this past Sunday), but it didn’t register how much my mom (and Dad) did for us then until helping raise my own kids now.

Looking back, I see more clearly that my mother truly gave when she could have got. In a nutshell, if it was buying her an outfit for work or fitting me or one of my siblings – she always put us first. When deciding to feed herself first or serve us – she always chose the latter. For years, I don’t know where we bought the lie but assumed that mom’s are all supposed to do that. Well, right or wrong not all mothers are so self-less. She quietly stood by my father as he climbed the career ladder and she always applauded. When he succeeded – she smiled and we all won. Never getting resentful and I have learned that because she was “behind the scenes” didn’t mean she was not on the scene praying for us, pushing for us and pulling for us. She was and still our biggest cheerleader, our comfort and our counsellor in need.

One of the snap shots that catch the class and character of my mother was when I was still a student at Malcolm Elementary in Waldorf, MD. We had a poor African-American female student in my class. Mom accompanied me on one field trip. After spending as much time with the girl in my class as me on the class trip when the day was over the young girl looked at my mom and said: “Mrs. Shelton, are you sure you are really white?” My mom puzzled said: “Yes, I am. Why do you ask?” My friend in third grade at the time reply was priceless. She said: “Mrs. Shelton, I was just certain that you really had to be black on the inside they way you made me feel so special today.” Tears rolled then and they roll now as I type. That is my mom in a nutshell. In a world filled with cubic circonia’s – she is the genuine article.

When we all graduated from school, my mother finally registered to go to college (when she was 47). She graduated from a four year college (at age 50) and graduated top of her class. Imagine that. Someone once said that true success is not what we cling to but what we are willing to let go. Mom always put us first but when she stands before God, she will be the one way ahead of the line of me and many others. Today, she too seems larger than life but like the Lord easy to approach, always attentive and although, God is a prayer away, my mother is just a phone call away.

Daily, I thank God that my parents are both still alive. My heart aches for friends whom parent(s) have already gone ahead. My greatest resource in life is my personal relationship with Jesus. My second is my relationship with my wife, family and parents. As a kid, I always wanted to please the Lord and honor my parents. Today, I am still striving daily to be that person. Over the years, I have met a few neat folks in life ranging from politicians to preachers, celebrities to common folk, athletes to academia but although my mother stood behind the limelight in my youth as an adult she is out front and stands heads and shoulders above every one else I know.

God blessed me with my mother, Sharon Lee Shelton and I pray the Lord blesses her like never before this Mother’s Day. Mom: “I LOVE YOU” and thanks for teaching me to go with God.