Mothers and those who have gone before us

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2 

Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 1 Thessalonians 4:9

On Facebook there was a picture of a button box which had 9,556,133 views at the time I looked at it. Now why? Is it because we remember a grandmother, aunt or other older relative that had a button box? Does that symbol remind us of their love for us?

Some of the comments were:

• I have my moms or my grandmothers button box
• The buttons remind me of the clothes my mother made me
• The sculpture of these old buttons is more unique than today’s buttons
• It took me 40 years to discover the masking tape on the bottom of the tin that said I made this for you with love
• Mine not only has buttons but buckles, hooks & eyes, press, studs, zips, and suspender rubber attachments

I have two button boxes. Sadly, I don’t remember exactly their original owner. They could have been with some items I received from my husband’s great aunt or one of my grandmother’s or even my mom’s. I have received items from several generations before me. I do know that I loved each of them and these items are special to me.

The tin button box now has the old buttons. The delicate wicker one contains new buttons that came with clothes I bought, even one from a sweater bought in Australia. There are memories in those boxes, wonderful memories.

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, thank you for the ones who have gone before us. We remember their humbleness and their gentleness because we hold their buttons in our hands today. Thank you for their love and for you teaching them to love us. Amen.

Sandra Hilsabeck