Mrs. Frieda M. Thorp, my mother

My mother, Frieda M. Thorp, maiden name Moll, was a saint.

She was born in 1909 at her ancestral home in the Thumb of Michigan, in one of the small four corners, called Gagetown or Bach, one of those.  Her life revolved around her family of six brothers and five sisters, her family farm, the nearby Lutheran church and school and lots of lard work and hard times.

On this Mother's Day, the memories of her are still there in bold relief, but fading somewhat.

For me, she was a world-changer, a difference-maker.  She loved me unconditionally, always.  My father, Claude H. Thorp of New York, was an idiot.  He didn't love unconditionally.  I'm not sure he knew how to love.  But my mother sure did.

I was born the year after World War II ended, the first class of baby boomers.  My mom met my dad while he was in the Navy.  They set up housekeeping in Bay City, MI where my mom threw herself into being a wife and a mom.

Then my dad took off and never came back.  He never called and he never wrote. 

But, my mother never walked away.  She was always there.  She sacrificed for me and she did it in love.  She did it for other people too, especially for brothers and sisters, but I was her kid and that gave me special status and I always felt that.

Her life was a saga that deserves to be told on television.  She's a true hero a gift from God.  I hope that I have and can continue to pay forward what she gave me.

But, my mom always knew where her true strength came from.  She went through true hardship.  She struggled and she hit the wall more then once. BUT SHE NEVER GAVE UP.  It was never an option.

She had a very clear faith in Jesus Christ.  She knew her identity and she knew where her power came from.  It came from God through Jesus.

I remember once when I hit a wall.  This was a long time ago.  My mom encouraged me to do what her mother told her to do, "Put it on Jesus' shelf," meaning give it to Jesus.  I did and here I am. 

When she died and at her funeral, Pastor David Maier, in his sermon said that my mom ran the race and she never gave up and she won.  She's now sitting in the stands in heaven as a real winner.

Thank-you God for my mother.