The Ballestero Blog

Call Yer Mom!

My cousin Pastor Clayton Brown and I sat in the quaint little Italian restaurant across from Bro. Paul Price in Napa, California. It was an honor for us to have supper with such a respected Pentecostal leader. He had been a dear friend of my family and my wife’s family over the years.

“I hear that you call your mother every day. Is that true?”

Those were his first words that evening as we sat down to eat. I was taken by surprise.

“I do my best to call her every day. Sometimes we have a problem connecting because I’m in a bad area or something.”

“Yes but you do try?” He pushed the subject. But now I noticed his eyes were beginning to brim with tears.

“Absolutely!”

The tears still made me wonder why this subject brought emotion so close to the surface for him.

“I’m proud of you for that. I wished more sons would call their widowed mothers.

“I just got off the phone talking to a man about that. I had to bawl him out for neglecting to call his widowed mother. She had no one to check on her. She was desperate to hear his voice. He said he was busy. I can’t tell you how much that upset me.

“Do you know that the Bible has much to say about the treatment of widows? There are curses on those that mistreat and neglect them. God hates them that do.”

The air was not completely out of Bro. Price’s sail yet on the subject, but we were interrupted by the waiter. Although we never continued the subject, I never forgot it.

I didn’t want to know who the person was, but I was glad it wasn’t me and that I had tried to call my Mom as often as I could. I also didn’t know who’d told on me, but I was glad I got caught doing something good for once.

Although my own Mom does very good for 88 years, there are many moments when I wish her short term memory was better. I may have to remind her a time or two within a single phone call where I’m preaching a revival or if my wife is with me or at our house.

It doesn’t matter whether she can remember tomorrow that I called her today or not. I remember. Right now that’s what matters to me.

I’ve pray my children keep close tabs on my beloved wife when I’m gone.

Oh, and here’s a bit of unasked for advice for the rest of you… ‘Call yer Mom!’

Happy Mother’s Day To My Other Mom

I know I have the best Mom in the world. I could not have been more blessed in life than to have had Content Faith Gleason Ballestero for my mother. I’ve never ceased to tell her that and to brag on her. I have already wished her a Happy Mother’s Day. I love her and call her very often to tell her that.

• But that is not my reason for writing.

I have the greatest Wife in the world; Marcia June Starr Ballestero. Besides the Holy Ghost, God could not have given me anyone more wonderful for a life’s companion than her. She is the love of my life, my soul mate and after 45 years I still thrill at the sight of her and the sound of her voice. I cherish her.

She has sacrificed her body and her life to bring five beautiful babies into our home. She is absolutely the most nurturing and loving woman you could ever hope to meet. She gave herself to me heart and soul and is a mother and grandmother whose abilities are wonderful beyond description. She is passionate about home and family (and me). She is also the world’s best cook.

She made a home that all of our children love to come back to and bring their children. All of her children rise up and call her blessed, and I am the president of her fan club. I would rather hear her sing than anyone else in the world. I fell in love with her the first time I saw her. I have already wished her a Happy Mother’s Day. I cannot imagine my world without her in it.

• But that’s not the reason for my writing.

I want to tell you about Marian ‘June’ Anderson Starr Davis, my ‘Other Mother.’

A prospective son in law understands that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. As awesome as my wife is, it wasn’t an accident. Although much was inherited in the beautiful Greek genes of her family, her Mom carefully taught her and set forth to her daughters the greatest example of what a Wife and Mother should be.

Mothers in law are the constant focus of unkind jokes. They always seem to be portrayed as mean spirited and unloving. I am not certain how that sentiment began. There must have been enough problems somewhere for it to become such a common concept.

Evidently, I got the best deal in the whole world. As a matter of fact, I don’t even tell ‘Mother in law’ jokes. Something in me is highly defensive of my ‘Other Mother.’ I would be crushed if she heard me laughing at one.

She has lived her life in a preacher’s home. Her Father, a Greek immigrant, was a Pentecostal pastor in Indianapolis, Indiana.

She married Bro. William R. Starr. (Bro. Starr pastored in Albion, Michigan and had been the District Superintendent of Michigan for 28 years when he died.)

Six years later she married Bishop Howard Davis of San Bernardino, California. This marriage was another match made in heaven.

Mom Davis (My Other Mother) is a gift from heaven to my world.

I found it easy to call her ‘Mom’ from the beginning.

She is loving to all of her sons in law. (Oh, did I mention that I am her favorite? Actually, she makes all of her five daughter’s husbands feel that way!)

She is supportive of them.

She is not intrusive into her adult children’s world.

She is affectionate.

She has great poise and grace.

She offers wise and practical advice when asked.

She is a Godly influence and example to her family.

All of her family feels thrilled and honored to be with her.

She takes time to listen.

She makes her home an inviting and comfortable haven.

She has been extremely supportive of her sons in law.

She taught her daughters to be loving and affectionate with their husbands.

She always compliments her sons in law.

Her Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren absolutely adore her.

When I was very young she would listen to me talk of my dreams and plans. She listened with animation and encouragement. Looking back at some of the stupid things I talked about, It’s a wonder how she tolerated my ignorance. Yet she made me feel like what I was saying was the most important thing in the world.

When my wife and I married, she sat us down for a talk. She said, ‘Marty, if you have a problem with Marcia, don’t tell your Mom and Dad. We want them to love her. Tell us, we know how to talk to Marcia.

‘Marcia, if you have a problem with Marty, don’t tell us. We want to love him. Tell his Mom and Dad, they know how to ‘fix’ him.’ (I think my wife’s had me fixed twice.)

At meal time, Mom Davis still serves her husband first.

She treats her man like a King.

In turn she is treated like a Queen.

Her beauty is inward and outward. She has been easy on the eyes for over 80 years.

She is a master at decorating.

She is an artist.

She is an author.

She is sought after a public speaker for Ladies Meetings.

She is a master musician with perfect pitch.

She is a woman of great wisdom and intellect.

She is comfortable hobnobbing with Aristocrats or commoners.

She may look like she dresses to the ‘nines’ but she still shops at Goodwill.

She is a great business woman.

She is a problem solver.

She is an administrator.

She’s smart (In her 80’s she’s figured out how to get around on the computer, read blogs and do Facebook in grand style.)

I have never heard one of her son in law say one negative word about her. She is loved, respected and honored by us all.

The term mother in law describes to me a person that has become a mother, by law. (i.e. By marriage to her child.)

Sis. June Davis may be my Mother by law.

The law says she is my mother (in law) but it doesn’t stop there…

My heart says she’s my mother too, regardless of the law.

Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom,

Marian June Davis

I Love You!

When My Mother Knelt To Pray

Dedicated to praying mothers, especially mine: Content Faith Ballestero

by

Martyn J. Ballestero Sr.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I cannot tell just how I felt

Or explain to you and say,

The way my little heart did melt

When my mother knelt to pray.

It mattered not just what I did,

Or with what I’d gotten away,

Nothing ever seemed to stay hid

When my mother knelt to pray.

Some mom’s pray with folded hands

And memorized words they say,

But it wasn’t like that, you understand

With my mother knelt to pray.

The power of God would seem so real

In that special time of day,

Heaven’s nearness I could feel

When my mother knelt to pray.

The sweetness of her voice did rise

To God, and melt us all that way,

With a tender cry that I still prize

When my mother knelt to pray.

If hearts could talk, mine’d be the first

To confess to you today,

The “dam” within my soul would burst

When my mother knelt to pray.

She prayed for us all, one by one,

That we’d live for God alway,

It gave new strength to overcome

When my mother knelt to pray.

Hearing my mother thus employed,

From my heart I can only say,

Oh what communion God enjoyed

When my mother knelt to pray.

Years have past and I have knelt

With my family today,

May they, through me, know what I felt

When my mother knelt to pray.

Thanks Mom!

1. Thanks Mom For Loving Me And Making Me Feel Cherished.

2. Thanks Mom For Making Home A Place Your Children Want To Be.

3. Thanks Mom For Being A Mom Your Kids Wanted To Talk To.

4. Thanks Mom For Telling Me “No”

5. Thanks Mom For Dedicating Me To The Lord.

6. Thanks Mom for Praying For Me.

• Beside your Bed at night
• Before School each day.

7. Thanks Mom for Having A Family Altar.

• Prov 22:6

8. Thanks Mom for Being A Woman Of Faith.

9. Thanks Mom For Showing Us How To Be Content At Our Lowest In Life.

10. Thanks Mom For Putting Church First.

11. Thanks Mom For Being Faithful To Dad.

12. Thanks Mom For Never Letting Us See You Argue With Dad Or Fight In Front Of Us.

13. Thanks Mom For Never Displaying Bitterness, Or Carrying Grudges.

14. Thanks Mom For Being Tender Hearted & Submissive.

• To the will of God
• To Your Husband
• Treating Daddy like a King (He treated you like a Queen)

15. Thanks Mom For Being Faithful To God.

• For saying Amen
• For backing up your amen’s with your dress and conduct

16. Thanks Mom For Being A Wonderful & Loving Mother In Law,

17. Thanks Mom For The Rich Heritage You Have Given Your Children.

Thanks Mom!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

I Love You!