Don't Forget...

In 1907 a wonderful ministry was begun by a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church (the forerunner of the UMC) by the name of Anna Jarvis.  She organized a special service in her home church in Grafton, West Virginia.  In that service the congregation honored her mother who had died a couple of years before.  Within a year, she began to push that all Methodist churches have a service to honor mothers.  Eventually, the idea caught on and it literally swept across the globe as countries all over the world adopted some form of a Mother's Day celebration.

Just like with many other holidays, Mother's Day can be commercialized.  Stores try to sell more stuff, greeting card companies try to guilt us into buying expensive cards, and flower shops push their wares.  But as Christians, we should rise above the hoopla and regain the true essence of the holiday.  It's really not about the gifts, cards, or flowers.  It's not even about dads trying to fix a nice meal for their wives or children coloring pictures to hang on the fridge.  It's more about saying "thank you."

To be honest with you, I didn't really learn to appreciate my own mom until my wife became a mother.  I will never forget that first night that Myranda and I spent in the hospital after our eldest child was born.  It had been a long day.  We were both exhausted.  That night, the nurses came and picked up our baby to take her back to the nursery and we quickly fell asleep.  And then it happened...at about 2:00 in the morning the phone rang.  We both sat up, bleary eyed and still out of it.  The voice at the other end said, "It's time to feed your baby."  Myranda said, "What baby?" and I thought "Who's calling us at 2:00 a.m.?"  Needless to say, we finally woke up enough for Myranda to nurse the child.  Unbeknownst to us at the time, this was just the first of many sleepless nights and confusion on what we were to be doing as parents.

For the last 13 years, I have watched my wife mother our children.  Each one is different.  Each one is special.  Each one drives us up the wall in her own way.  And each one is loved so much.  As I reflect on Myranda's mothering ability I can't help but think about God's divine love for us.  His love goes deeper than even a mother's love.  He cares for us even when we cry and throw a fit.  He watches over us even when we do really dumb things.  He continues to show us the right path to follow even when we don't listen.  Sounds a lot like a mother loving her children, doesn't it?

In 1 John 5:1 we are told "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child."  I have found this to be true in my human relationships and in my spiritual relationships.  The people who have loved me for as long as I have known them also love my girls.  The people I love their children I love too.  I guess that's what makes Christianity so amazing to me.  I love God with everything I have.  Sometimes I disappoint him.  Sometimes I fail to live up to his standards.  Sometimes I spend more time disliking others than I do trying to understand them.  But the truth is, I no longer doubt his love.  I know he loves me and I am doing everything I know to do to love his other children too.

So this week we get to honor mothers.  We get to celebrate a love that reflects the love that God has for people.  We get to give back in a small way to women who have borne us, loved us, showered us with attention, and watched us grow from needy infants to real people.  May God allow us to catch a glimpse of his love through the love of a mother for her child.  Until next time...




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