November 28th…“WHAT IS ANOTHER WISE SAYING THAT YOUR MOTHER EMPLOYED AS YOU WERE IN YOUR YOUNG FARM YEARS OF MINNESOTA DAYS?”
“Awwww, Mom, why do I hafta take my jacket along today? I don’t wanna! It’s hot outside so I don’t need it.” So said immature Elliott child as our family was getting ready to go on a daylong outing for a picnic with relatives and friends at a forested park along one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes. I can still see Mom give me one of her concerned looks. One could almost see her motherly wheels turning inside her loving heart as she jostled with the idea within her own thoughts, “Do I MAKE him take a jacket? Or do I allow him to make his own decision on this and have him endure the consequences?” Here are her wise words that she shared that day and those words have been embedded in my conscience ever since. “Elliott, it is better to HAVE it, and not NEED it, rather than to NEED it, and not HAVE it.” With that said, she allowed me to make my own decision…….my jacket stayed at home.
Personally, I am of the persuasion that our beloved mother’s wisdom started far back in her young life. Born in 1919, and being the eldest of four, it seems only natural that there were many times in her growing years that she was assigned to watch over and after her two brothers and little sister, Beverly. Life lessons passed on down from Clarice’s own mother must’ve sharpened her to what would and would not work in getting along with each other from day to day. In my immediate instance of the jacket scene, and my decision to NOT follow my mother’s wisdom……..I eventually found out, after the sun settled into the west, that I was getting downright COLD in the chilly evening weather. When I found mother sitting at a picnic table and complained about my shivering situation, she had little compassion on her little boy that didn’t listen to her and she repeated her wisdom for emphasis…….“Now you know what I mean by it’s better to HAVE it, and not NEED it, than to NEED it, and not HAVE it!, ya?” With poose gimples (goose pimples) all over my arms and body, I acquiesced to her wisdom. 😉
“Heeding Mother’s Wisdom” by N. Elliott Noorlun
My mother’s wisdom, Gleaned from God,
While on life’s journey, Upon this sod,
Started from, Her childhood days,
In watching o’er, Her sibling’s ways.
Then came youth, With all it’s trials,
And lessons learned, Down country miles.
More wisdom came, From elder sources,
And also from, Her school room courses.
Young woman now, And soon to be married,
With blessings now, Of babies carried.
Her knowledge so far, Was put to the test,
To raise her children, For the best.
Now came the time, For her little boy,
To learn from her wisdom, And enjoy,
That, it is better, To make the habit,
Take extras along, That way you’ll have it! 😉
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I’m so thankful for the mother God gave to this Norwegian Farmer’s Son!!! ><>
Norwegian Farmer's Son 