Ode to a Mother

Motherhood has been the topic of millions of sermons, essays, books, songs...the list is endless.  Throughout recorded history the topic of motherhood has been a hot one.  Now, I shall add my ramblings to the countless others...just because this is my blog, and I can do it if I want to!  **smirk**

One would think with my (cough) many years of experience, that I could consider myself an expert on mothers.  After all, I HAVE a mother, I AM a mother, and I have RAISED a mother.  At this point I suppose I should have gleaned all there is to know about motherhood, and in placing it on the page could wow you with my superior insight.  This is so far from reality that I laugh (ha ha) at the thought.

With all the countless experiences there are in motherhood, not one of us has mastered the trade.  There are just too many variables to consider.  Each of us "mothers" in their own unique and imperfect way.  Sure...there are those who seem to make mothering look effortless...and others who seem to struggle with the role each day. We have all seen the "Leave it to Beaver" mothers, who we imagine are dusting their homes while wearing a skirt, high heels and pearls; who arrive at the door with milk and cookies for their little darlings as they return bright eyed and still freshly ironed from a long day at school.  We have also seen the "Rosanne" mothers who yell at their children and live amidst the clutter and chaos of everyday life.  Most of us live somewhere in between.

I am thoroughly convinced that parenting (today "mothering") is the most challenging job on the planet.  And we have so little training to do it!  Have you ever thought about the fact that in order to flip hamburgers at McDonalds you have to go though "training," but when you have a baby they just send you home without so much as an orientation?  Suddenly we find ourselves with this needy little (adorable) creature who depends upon us for their very survival.  The realization hits that every decision we now make not only affects us, but our children as well!  We are now the ones who will nurture their dreams, bind their wounds and clean up the messes that our children get into...and don't think it stops at 18 or 21...this is a lifelong commitment!

SO...for all of you mothers who have experienced the joy of sleep deprivation when your new baby is home for the first time; to you mothers who have found the curdled, half filled bottle under the rocking chair (you were wondering where that went); for you mothers who have wiped gooey fingerprints from glass doors, hallway walls and the dog (peanut butter and jelly does not go will with fur); for those who fished toy trucks out of the toilet, extracted toast from the VCR and stepped on Cheerios in the hallway in the middle of the night; to those who have dried tears and mended skinned knees with a kiss; who have sat through t-ball, basketball, baseball, soccer...and cheered even when the score was 20 - 5; to those mothers who walked all day in the mall for the "perfect dress" for your teenage daughter, only to find that you "embarrassed her" when you met her friends at the pretzel place;  to you mothers who have prayed for your children, laughed with them, wept with them; wept FOR them....

For all those mothers and many more...I wish you a hearty Happy Mother's Day and offer you a "Well Done!"  Throughout the chaos, there are those special moments...when those sticky little fingers wrap around yours; when that hyperactive child wearily climbs into your lap to snuggle; when that teenager gives you a smile; those times are when we remember...this is why we do this!

 

With Malice Toward None...

Death and dying has been on my mind of late (in case you haven't noticed).  In general it is not a morose topic, but rather one of reflection.  One wonders what lies beyond the grave, and how it will be revealed to us as we pass on to eternity.  For those of us who have Hope, we see death as a transformation into a higher existence; one of perfection and eternal peace.  Death for the believer is not the enemy; Jesus defeated death at the cross. 

Death, in my opinion however, is not an event to celebrate.  When a believer passes into eternity, we celebrate their life.  We meet together to reflect upon their accomplishments on earth and celebrate their eternal freedom with Christ in Heaven.  When my sister passed last month we celebrated the tremendous testimony she left us; her impact on hundreds of people will echo throughout eternity.  I would never have thought to celebrate the death that took her.  Death, in fact, had been rendered powerless by the blood of Christ. 

Likewise, I do not celebrate the death of an unbeliever.  Their death is a cause for true mourning, for they have no hope of peace with God.  In the past few days, the death of a terrorist has caused great rejoicing in the world.  I cannot join in that celebration.

Yes, I am glad that justice was done.  Yes, I appreciate the sacrifices made to remove this tremendous threat from the world. No, I do not question the importance or necessity of the actions taken by our government.  Yes, I love my country.  But...I can appreciate the event without celebrating the death of the man.  He had the same chance we all have to do good in the world.  He had the same opportunity to seek the Truth and be set free.  Instead he used his considerable intelligence for evil.  His choices caused death and pain around the world.  Still, his soul was precious to God, and I am certain God's tears fell as he passed into eternal judgment.

As the body of Christ, we need to take great care to display our faith for all to see.  Christ commanded us to love our enemies.  Not that we support them...not that we refrain from trying to stop them...but that we keep the cancer of hate from filling us so much that there is no room for His love...for if we act out of hate, are we not as bad as our enemies?