Roma Eileen James was born in Tilden, Nebraska on June 22, 1936. When they weighed her, they recorded 14 lbs. because that was the highest number on the scale and she reached it. Her mother weighed 119 lbs. and gave birth at home.
Mom’s family was very poor, but she says she never knew it. They were rich in courage, honesty, loyalty, love and commitment.
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| Roma, and her sisters, Gloria & Barbara |
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| Roma Eileen |
Married at 19, she was mother to six children by the time she was 25. She recalls that she never felt resentful or “tied down.” Believing that her God-given responsibility was to raise us to the very best of her ability and be the best mom she could be, she stayed home with us and gave us her all. I remember that she babysat and took odd jobs in the home to help ends meet.
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| Janna, Barby, RomaLee, Stan, Steve, Kevin |
Mom always made holidays special. She started several traditions which my siblings and I carry on to this day. One that I remember in particular was that on the first snowfall of every year, no matter if it was in September or December, she would dig out Bing Crosby’s rendition of “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” and play it. If we woke up in the morning to that song, I knew it had snowed in the night.
Music was a huge part of my growing up years. Mom taught us to sing and somehow managed to see that all six of us had music lessons even though funds were tight. We all played instruments and sang, and in fact, in our elementary and teen years we had a family band that traveled extensively putting on concerts in schools, auditoriums, and churches. I marvel at her ability to get the six of us to cooperate and practice the amount of hours that it took to do what we did.
Mom’s life has not been without heartache. After two and a half decades of marriage, she and my dad divorced. She had never worked outside the home, but she went to work and excelled in several areas. She eventually became the office manager in a Physical Therapy Office.
Later on, mother remarried a wonderful man and together they had a ministry with the seniors in their community. Once a month they would host a lovely themed potluck. The tables were always beautifully decorated and the emphasis was on a particular topic. Mom would plan special music, skits, speakers, etc. Many of the older folks considered this meeting the highlight of their month. Over 100 people attended on many occasions.
At 68, along with her husband, my mother did all the reading, studying, and testing to become a licensed pastor in her denomination. No small feat!
Mom has faced numerous health issues over the years. She has had five knee surgeries which have caused excessive scar tissue in her legs. As a result, she has endured extreme and constant pain, and her activities have been significantly limited. While she is active in mind and spirit, her condition keeps her from doing many of the things she loves to do. In addition, early this year she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.
She is not able to get out as much as she would like, but I did take her to lunch on her birthday this week. There is a lovely garden estate in our area that hosts tours and luncheons. It was a pristine, summer day, and we reveled in the beauty and the peacefulness of gardens, enjoyed the warm sunshine on our faces, and ate every last bite of the cheesecake that was served after the delicious lunch.
So this is my tribute to our mother, another unsung hero in my book. The obstacles she has faced and overcome, the amount of sacrifice that no one will ever know, the commitment and dedication she gave us when it would have been easy to give up, and her love for the Lord and her service to Him –all of it has helped to forge us into the women we are today.
If you haven’t talked to your mother today, go call her. Just thank her for everything. A blanket thank you. It will do you good, and it will mean the world to your mother.
RomaLee
