Lyn's 2nd Annual MEGA May starts Monday May 3rd

Would you like me to send this postcard to some woman you love for Mother's Day?

Since the focus of this blog is Strong Women, I celebrate with Mother's Day with an all month special, MEGA May! I celebrate by asking readers to share their own family stories of strong women.

This year only two readers have so far shared their stories. Tuesday is Shirley from Mississippi and later in the month Edna T from South Carolina will pay tribute to their mothers. I have room for more if you have a story about a beloved mother, grandmother or daughter, let me know! You can email them to me at l(dot)cote(at)juno(dot)com

This year three brave men are going to pay tribute to their wives, authors Thom Lemmon, Harry Kraus, and Jeff Gerke. Also authors, Betsy St Amant, Linda Goodnight, Cheryl St John, Ruth Axtell Morren, Sharon Dunn, Stephanie Grace Whitson, Irene Hannon, Marta Perry, and Elizabeth Johnson will be sharing stories.

MEGA May is the only month where I ask authors to donate books for a HUGE once a year prize. Drop by this month and share a story or comment and your name will be entered to win the MEGA May basket of books and goodies.

Finally I always offer to send the postcard above to those you love. The postcard says: Happy Mother's Day from Author Lyn Cote. Someone who loves you asked me to send you these loving wishes. On the back, I give your name.

If you'd like me to send one of these postcards, send me the person's name and address. I will of course NEVER share this information with anyone. Deadline Monday May 3rd.

So don't miss MEGA MAY!--Lyn

Pat Jeanne Davis Tells about Her Mother's House & Her Mother

Another Christian writer shares this tribute to her mother.

"It was my mother’s house—a two-story, semidetached, red-brick dwelling—with a flower garden and many trees and shrubs in front. It was my home, too. And a safe haven for many in need of comfort. Some came through its doors to stay for only a week and others for longer periods. This included children, grandchildren, siblings, friends and members of Mother’s church. Each found in my mother a sympathetic heart and words of encouragement. “This’ll always be your home, too,” she’d say to me. Her house was very modestly kept with simple furniture, worn carpets and many plants. At times it seemed overcrowded with people living there.

I was pursuing my career goals then and wrapped up in my own world. Even now I feel ashamed that I didn’t do more to keep the place looking tidy. When my mother no longer needed her home, it became mine. So, seventeen years ago, as a newly married couple, my husband and I took occupancy. Since Mother’s death, we’ve done some remodeling. We’ve added rooms, replaced doors and windows, removed carpets to expose hardwood floors, and stripped wallpaper and painted the walls lighter colors. The former owner would no longer recognize it as her house.


Fifteen years ago we adopted a newborn. We turned Mom’s old bedroom into his nursery, and I hung a portrait of her in the room. I felt so sorry for our little one that he would never get to know his grandmother. “Your grandmother planted that dogwood tree. I gave it to her for Mother’s Day,” I told my son as we looked through the same window that she had looked through for twenty-five years. Two years later Joshua was born. Again, I had feelings of regret that my mother was not around to enrich his life. I tried to keep her memory alive by talking to my sons about their grandmother. “Grandmom would be so happy to know you both are here,” I would tell Johnny and Joshua. My husband and I provide a positive and nurturing environment for our boys.

I’m trying to set a good example of a mother and homemaker, because I had a wonderful role model in my own mother. One day this house may belong to one or both of my sons, and it will be their privilege to make it into a home. It’s the giving from the heart from those in the home—not the appearance of the house—that creates the lasting memories for others. I still miss my mother after all these years. Her Godly influence lives on in me and is felt by my children.

Drop by www.patjeannedavis.com to read more from Pat.
Thanks, Pat--Lyn

The 2nd Story from a Reader--Gee's Tribute to Her Mom

Today, another reader shares her tribute to her mother.

Here's Gee:
"I can think of many woman that deserve a Mother's Day Card but there is nobody like my mother, Doreen B. She raised us 4 children on her own and never gave up. She worked and made sure we had the best that she could get for us. She lived miles from us until about 7 years ago then she moved here to Idaho to be closer to us all.

This past year her health has not been the best but she never gave up and she puts her love in the Lord and what he can do for us all. Even at the age I am at now--she is always there to be my mama. I can still call her and tell her, "Mama, I just need someone to talk to." So we can talk, pray and laugh. She knows my dreams for my children and for myself. She knows the heartache I continue to hold onto to help my husband in hopes he will accept Jesus as his personal Savior. She knows I have a strong heart. But what she does not know is I got that strong heart from her.

My mom deserves the best..."

Thanks, Gee, for sharing your tribute to your mom. And she does deserve the best. It was my pleasure to send her a special Mother's Day postcard.--Lyn

The Launch of Mega May, Reader Jane S tells her mother's story

Today--May 1st--is the start of MEGA May on this blog which celebrates strong women.

This month several readers have sent me stories of women they wanted to honor. Others sent me the names and addresses of women whom they wanted me to send a Mother's Day postcard.

During this month ONLY there will be messages five days each week. And also this is the ONLY month that I will be holding a drawing for a special gift basket of books from the authors who have posted stories and many of my books and goodies. (The basket is very similar to the one pictured to the right that I'm donating to Brenda Novak's Diabetes Auction.)

If you sent me a story to post or if you make a comment, you will have your name entered in the drawing. So be sure to make a comment at least once this month!

I hope you will reap blessings from reading the stories of more strong women this month. I'm looking forward to each one.--Lyn

"My Mother is a Strong Woman by Jane S.

My Mother turned 80 years old on New Years Day. She married at 16 to a 35 year old man, my father. He had lost his second wife to cancer. She was friends with his second wife. People said her marriage would not last but it lasted 36 years when my father died. My Mother had a hard life. My Dad had a nervous break-down early in their marriage before us five kids were born. So he worked as a junker to earn a living. He would haul away stuff other people did not want, clean out their sheds, barns, basements, whatever.

Our home was furnished with furniture other people would throw away. He would sort and sell newspapers, aluminum, copper, brass and whatever he could from the stuff others threw away. My Mom could not budget for us when we went to school because they never knew when they would have work and when they would not. However she would separate into envelopes what was needed each month as it came in to pay the telephone, electric, and for coal to heat the house. We had a wood burning cook stove and her and Dad would cut all the wood to heat the house with.

We had a coal stove in the living room. Sometimes when we have ice storms, I think coal and wood would be good because we never missed being warm without electricity. We grew up without inside plumbing. My Mother would have to take the chamber pots out and empty them every morning. She washed our clothes with a wringer wash machine and clothes were hung outside to dry. When it rained they were strung all over the house. She would heat water over a hot fire to wash the clothes in.

As kids we grew up learning how to make the lye soap she washed the clothes in. I have always told my two daughters (one is now 28 and the other is 22) that I knew how to survive because my Mother knew how to not let people walk all over her. She fought to get anything and everything she could to provide for us. My Dad became disabled when he had a stroke at 55 and my Mom had to fight for every dollar of assistance we got. I have had to use a lot of the skills she passed on as I am disabled myself now. I know first hand some of the hardships she endured to provide for us kids.

My daughter yesterday wrote me an email to tell me how she is finally learning how hard it was for me to provide for her the best clothes, food, and such growing up and she truly appreciates it now. My Mother is 80 years old and suffers from dementia. She is starting to have attacks and it saddens my heart to hear of the things my brother has to put up. We are at the point of praying God takes her home so she won't go downhill anymore. I am 58 years old and I learned how to survive during rough times from my Mother."

Thank you, Jane S, for sharing your mother's story. She certainly set an example of devotion for not only you but your daughters and all who have read her story here. Thanks again.

Oops! I forgot to blog on Thursday!

What can I say? I had a busy day--did lunch with a friend and when we got to the restaurant, they had no power. And it was 10 below so off to another restaurant. Then I had to go to the library--with very overdue books--and then to the post office. And in the evening, I spoke to my local church's "Bookies" club.

So writing about strong women slipped my mind--though I think I was doing a pretty good impression of one.

I gave myself a full length down coat with hood for Christmas. And I'm so glad I did.

Pretty soon I'm going to be sending out a notice to readers who belong to my Lyn_Cote_to_Readers egroup.

May is going to be my MEGA month on this blog.

I have lined up several of my friends and fine writers of Love Inspired romances to guest.

But since May is Mother's Day month, I will be asking women to send me their stories of strong women in their family. And if they want me to proofread and spruce them up for posting, I'll be happy to do that.

Also I will be offering to send a Mother's Day postcard to someone you love if you let me know by a deadline (which I will set up).

And finally, I plan on having a SUPER-DUPER bunch of goodies and books to giveaway in a drawing of those who post a story or comment in May.

So I might have forgotten to post on Thursday, but I have been busy!

And wasn't it wonderful that the plane landed safely in the Hudson River?

Kudos to the brave and excellent captain!

I'll try to remember to blog next Tuesday!
Lyn