A Mother’s Heart

You are God’s Masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

Hattie Dorothy Hallowell Bauerle reached a milestone on October 2, 2020 that few of us will ever see- Hattie celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by friends and family at Lakeview. Hattie was the oldest mother in our faith community, until she died peacefully with her sons at her side just a month after her 100th birthday. After her death, her sons began the loving work of looking through her worldly possessions. As you can imagine, each item brought back memories, some with tears and others with laughter. Found in the midst of all those memories was a surprise… a scrap book that Hattie had created over the years. She had collected and preserved newspaper articles and scripture verses, pictures, and poems. Page after page those clippings reveal Hattie’s bright mind and loving heart. Most of all, those poems pay tribute to her greatest passion: being a mom. In celebration of Mother’s Day, I want to share with you two poems from Hattie’s collection:

A Mother’s Heart
A mother’s heart is a special place
Where children have a home
That waits for them throughout the years
No matter where they roam
A home that’s filled with happiness,
Where peace and love abide,
A home that’s good to come to
With doors that open wide.
A mother’s heart is a tender place,
For mothers truly care,
And children know they’re free to come
To leave their troubles there.
A mother’s heart is a wondrous gift
Designed by God aboveA beautiful expression
Of His everlasting love!
(poet unknown)

A Mother’s Prayer
O God, You are the perfect parent.
You know my children so well
So much better than I do.
You know their inner needs.
You watch them growing, and truly understand them.
You care deeply for them and love them unconditionally.
For these reasons, I ask Your help in raising my children…
No, not Your help, more than that…
Lord, You bring them up-
I hand them over to You.
Just don’t let me get in Your way.
Don’t let me interfere with Your parenting.
But, dear Lord, when You need human help- use me.
When they need to hear words of love- use my voice
When they need comfort- use my arms.
When they need teaching- use my mind.
When they need understanding- use my heart.
And whey they ask about You- use my faith,
So that they too will come to know You as the
Perfect Parent.
(written by Carolyn Hooper)

Hattie Bauerle spent a lifetime dedicated to the simple, yet life-giving task of being a mom. From making a nourishing dinner, to volunteering in her sons’ school, to gathering up her children on Sunday morning to take them to church, Hattie knew the small things she did would add up to a rich life for her sons, and for the generations to follow.

In the late 1600’s, Christopher Wren served as the architect to rebuild 52 church that were lost in the Great London Fire of 1666. His greatest work was St. Paul’s Cathedral, the site of many royal occasions. As the foundation of that grand structure was being laid, Wren talked with the brick layers about their sense of purpose. “Why are you laying bricks”, Wren asked. The first brick layer replied, “I need a job.” The second brick layer said, “I need to make money for my family.” The third brick layer replied, “I’m building a cathedral.”

Hattie Bauerle understood that every meal she made, every word she spoke, every action in her life were those simple bricks building beautiful living cathedrals in which God’s love would shine. As we celebrate the amazing women in our lives, may we remember the bricks that we are laying today. Instead of just laying bricks, let’s build a cathedral to the glory of God.

With you on the construction site,

Anita