Mother’s Day, the day we celebrate “Mother, Mom, Mommy, Mama …”

As I sit down to write my mind is spinning off in a million different directions like a cotton candy machine spinning sugar. Oh the countless hours I’ve spent perusing the card section, looking for the perfect Mother’s Day card, only to find that they were all dripping sweet, syrupy sentiments. I almost felt the need to wear a hazmat suit to protect myself from all the goo!

In my search for the perfect card I noticed how much the price of cards had gone up. Now the dilemma is, card or gift? Or is the card a gift? I know mom is worth much more than that, but it seems Hallmark and 1-800-Flowers have it going on.

Motherhood is a high and lofty calling. It is one of those callings that many people don’t understand; yet it is the most influential position one could hold.

Think about it.

Every doctor, rocket scientist, President of the United States and even the Queen Mother, has a mother.

Every homeless person, drug addict, prostitute and gang member has a mother.

Every world leader, terrorist, professional ball player and everyone in between has a mother.

And every one of them wants to either praise or blame their mother for what they are today.

Even Jesus had a mother!

In a culture where motherhood is increasingly under attack, as believers we should be the first in line to honor mothers. But because we live in a fallen world, among fallen people, not everyone has a mother they want to enthusiastically celebrate.

As I stare at the shelves overflowing with cards, trying to decide if I want to go with a funny one or sentimental one, my mind drifts. I am mindful of those in my own circles who have struggled, who are struggling and who will be facing a gamut of emotions in the face of this upcoming Mother’s Day celebration. You know them; they are in your circles as well. There are those who are facing Mother’s Day

  • without their own mom who has died (Isaiah 46:4) This year this particular point is weighing heavy on my heart as we grieve with and pray for part of our faith family in the loss of their mother/grandmother/wife.
  • without their mother who has abandoned them – leaving children with unanswered questions. What did I do to make her leave me? What do I need to do to have her come back? I promise I will be good! And the cry goes on. (Isaiah 66:13)
  • with a wayward child – who is never far from the heart no matter where they are and all the mother wants is to know that they are ok.
  • plagued with infertility – month after month there is that reminder that you are not yet a mother. (Psalm 113:9)
  • riddled with memories of childhood abuse – abuse at the hands of the very one who should have protected them.
  • having lost a child – it seems so wrong, mothers should not have to bury their children. Children should be the ones burying their parents.
  • with memories of having aborted their child – plagued by the what “ifs”. If I had only known then what I know now maybe I would have made a different choice. If I hadn’t been so afraid… If I had only ….
  • with the memories of giving their baby up wondering where they are and how they are doing?
  • with the knowledge that their mother or child is an unbeliever – understanding that unless God intervenes they will not spend eternity together.
  • as a single parent – alone with no one to share the load. (Genesis 21:19)

I love my mother, and I appreciate what she has done to shape me into who I am today. So I struggle. Do I celebrate and take the chance of opening up the wounds of those whose hearts are raw and hurting? Or do I ignore it like some do? We celebrate it because God said so!

Honor your father and your mother – Exodus 20:12

So, I have chosen to celebrate mothers at the risk of causing harm to others, because all mothers suffer a certain amount of guilt and shame whether it is deserved or not and need encouraging.

Today I celebrate moms, deserving or not, because regardless of their short comings, in reality we are all “broken” and living in a broken world. Regardless of whether or not you like the circumstance you grew up in, those circumstances have fashioned you into who you are. All of those circumstances will be used by God for your good and His glory. Because God is sovereign, your past is the foundation from which He will launch your future. He will cause all things to work together for good, because He can.

So, celebrate Mother’s Day. God gave you just the right mother. Your mom has shaped you to be all that God designed you to be. Good or bad, her influence is the foundation of your life. And honestly, it fits right into God’s plan for you.

The choice is yours. You can resent your past and stay stuck steeped in bitterness and pain. Living a life that “coulda, woulda, shoulda been better if only…!” Or you can accept your past and use it as a platform from which you influence others to become who God created them to be, making Him known to all who are watching!

Happy Mother’s Day!

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