IN 2011, one week before Mother’s
Day; Luke Tuplin met his mom in church
and presented this story to her. “It’s our
story,” he said. “It was a glorious day.”

My daughter asked me once, “Why did Jesus have to die?”

I told her, “He didn’t have to die; he chose to because he loves us so much!”

For several months now, I’ve used the word “abandoned” to describe what I thought God had done to me. There have been times in my life when things weren’t going good that I cursed God, saying, “If you’re not going to help me then leave me alone.” But God never left me alone!

For many years I thought God didn’t love me, because if he did, then why have I hurt and struggled for so long? But I now know the word “Love” is not nearly a strong enough word to describe the ocean of love God has reserved for me!

And I feel God wept tears of joy when I finally reached out, and then called out, “God, please help me. I can’t do this anymore!” I believe God weeps tears of joy whenever someone calls out to him!

I’ve also used the word “abandoned” to describe what I thought my mom had done to me as a child, and I wondered why she didn’t love me. Why she didn’t want me with her?

Well, in both cases I was wrong. What I didn’t understand was that my Mom and God were working together to make a better life for me, to find me a safe place of refuge. No, my mom didn’t put me in a basket and place me in a river, but she did put me in God’s hands.

When I was 9 years old my mom ran away with me and five of my brothers and sisters, we ran away to Canada to get away from an abusive father with a violent drinking problem. About a year after being in Canada things fell apart, my mom fell apart and my heart ache would begin.

Me and my brothers and sisters found ourselves homeless and fending for ourselves. As strong as my mom had been, she had finally broken, her spirit had finally broken! And it was very clear that we needed to be in foster care! So we were sent to foster homes, and these homes were nice, with nice people. But every time we would run away and find our way back to our mom. She would be happy, and we would be happy, because our hearts belonged with our mom!

I was hoping that things could be fixed and that we could somehow be a family again. Eventually social services would round us up. My mom would let us go again, and they would put us back into these homes. Eventually we would stop running away.

It was painful for me because I always hoped my mom would come back for me, that she would come get me and tell me she had a new house and that the fridge was full! But that never happened; my mom never came back for me.

Had my mom abandoned me? No! I don’t believe so! My mom had put me in God’s hands, and where her care ended, God’s would begin!

At the time I thought my mom gave me away, but my mom didn’t give me away. But she did give me a chance at a better life. My mom sacrificed so much for me, for her children. She is the toughest woman I have ever known.

I remember that in Boston my mom stood up to a giant! A 6-foot-2 heavyweight boxer who was my dad; my mom is 5-foot-2 maybe 105 pounds, so it was the classic David vs. Goliath. But she would stand up to him, stand up for her children. And she would take a beating and would end up in the hospital on more than one occasion. My mom didn’t have to stand up to my dad and take a beating, but she chose to because she loved us so much.

There were also the nights after feeding her 11 children she would scrape the leftovers into a single plate, then she would sit down to eat her dinner. She didn’t have to do that either, she chose to!

There are so many stories like that and how much my mom sacrificed! Well for 33 years I’ve carried in my chest, the broken heart of a 10-yearold boy, and today is the day God has designed for me to say what I really need to say to you, Mom!

Mom, thank you! Thank you for all that you have sacrificed for me; thank you for getting me from then, to now, to this moment in my life, safely! God has been working on this day for 33 years, in fact he’s had it planned out long before we were both born, because that’s how God works. That’s his way! I also need to tell you Mom that I don’t forgive you, because there is nothing to forgive! But I hope you can forgive me? Forgive me for not understanding your way! For not understanding God’s way!

So many amazing things had to happen for this day to come about, I’d go so far as calling it a miracle.

You see, 33 years ago I hoped and I prayed that you had not forgotten about me, and I hid in my room and cried for you to come get me. And for 33 years we have been criss-crossing paths. And I would hear stories about you, and I’d hope you heard stories about me! I was trying so hard to make everyone proud, but most of all I was trying to make you proud mom.

Because for so long I thought you left me, gave me away! And I’ve been trying to prove that I am good enough, that I am normal and worthy of love. But for so long I’ve felt unworthy, I felt ugly! Until just over a year ago I finally cried out to God to please help me, help me save my marriage, help me save my family. Please don’t let me lose another one! During that time, Mom, you were sick and my brother Travis hitched from South Carolina to Canada and got word out to anyone who would listen, that you were sick.

While back here in Lisbon I was working with Father Beau Wagner and the men in Bible study to somehow save my family, my marriage, to save me! Then Amelia and my brother Jeff were compelled to go to Canada and bring you back here to Lisbon and begin radiation treatment and surgery.

At the same time me and my wife fell in love again, and I found that I connected with the church and my new friends at Bible study and men’s group! I started sending prayers of hope to my family and friends, I sent one to Lorraine who has taken my mom into her home and watches over her. I reached out to my brother Jeff with a prayer and we no longer share beer stories, but we now share amazing stories of the Bible and the power of prayer!

I visited you in the hospital, Mom, and you had lost so much weight. I asked my reverend to please visit you and he did. He’s been praying for you Mom, my Father Beau. And incredibly you started to get better. Two times you walked up to death: once when Amelia and Jeff found you, and once when Father Beau visited you.

But somehow you turned it around. You weren’t ready for heaven and God wasn’t ready to take you, not just yet! Now here you are in my church, St. Matthew’s. Amazing! So many things to say!

Did you know I graduated from high school? I was a little sad that day because nobody came, but I knew you would be so proud of me!

I joined the Navy, Mom, and served with the United Nations. I boxed with the Marines and in my very first fight I took one on the chin and went down. You would have been so proud of me, because just like you, I got back up, and went on to win.

I have five beautiful children and they all think you are so sweet; and funny too. My wife has figured out where my daughter Maddy gets her personality — from you Mom!

I could go on and on — 33 years is a long time! It’s a miracle Mom how you have traveled in your wilderness and I have traveled in mine and somehow we are to finally meet here in this clearing, these holy grounds of St. Matthew’s.

I’m sorry Mom for not being as tough as you. I’ve never seen you cry, and I tried for so long not to either. But God told me that it’s OK, that each tear drop is a painful memory leaving my body, or a loving memory overwhelming me inside! I remember when I was a kid, Mom, and Dad would grab me and tickle me and ask “whose boy are you?” and I would always say, “Mom’s. I’m mom’s boy!”

Well Mom, I’m still your boy and I’ve waited 33 years to say this to you. For 33 years I’ve carried this heart, the heart of a 10-year-old boy in my chest! And I thank God for giving me this day, this moment. I thank God for all my struggles, because they have made me who and what I am. I thank God for opening my heart and pouring every ounce of love into my soul and bringing me back to life! I’ve never been so proud to be your son, Mom.

And I think I speak for all your children when I say thank you, thank you for standing up for us, for sacrificing so much. We love you, always remember that! I love you Mom, and most importantly you need to know that God loves you!

I also need to say something just for my 10-year-old heart! I’m so glad you didn’t forget about me, Mom! And I also knew that someday, someday you would come back for me.