May 10, 2021

Continuing To Honor Moms and Each of You as Moms

This year’s Mother’s Day was different from last year’s as many of us had been quarantined. It made me appreciate even more each moment with Mom.

Even though Mother’s Day 2021 has just passed, I wanted us to still ponder you as a Mom and our moms for a bit.  How were you honored this year? How did you honor your Mom?

This year I bought a journal called “50 Things About My Mother: A Celebration.” I confess to you I am still working on it page by page. It lists different questions like “I’ll always ask your advice about…” and other statements or questions like that.

Within the journal I’ll include some of the memories and accomplishments I owe all to Mom. Here are a few:

1) Thank you, Mom, for your unconditional love and support as Lord nudged me to launch a new ministry last April called Blessings Brokers, a Christian Donor Development Consulting Firm. Your rock solid faith and courage continues to bolster mine.

2)  Thank you for serving as a patient gentle nurse and  caregiver last December/January as you helped me take care of my 67-year-old cousin and your nephew Mark as he suffered with a cirrhosis of the liver diagnosis. He was able to get into an assisted living facility in January thanks to your nursing his open wounds caused by edema. He lived 6 1/2 months and went to be with Jesus on 5/4/20. Thank you for helping me honor him with a Memorial Service last July and scattering his ashes on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Thank you for helping me love him unconditionally.

3) Thank you for praying for me for years before I was even conceived. Since my only brother Jamie is 12 years older than me, you said you suffered a miscarriage and complications as you and Dad tried for more children after Jamie. You were about to give up when you found out you were pregnant with me.  Thanks be to God for His plan and His timing. Thank you for being my Mom.

4) Thank you for serving as a room mother in elementary school and chaperoning our field trips.

5) Thank you for dancing and for teaching me to dance. I always loved watching you and your brothers, your family shag dancing to beach music at my grandmother’s home growing up. I remember after Thanksgiving meals that the men would push aside the dinner table to create a large dance floor, perfect for dancing and making a “Soul Train”  line. We had so much fun. Watching you dance is a joy.

6) Thank you for displaying the Fruit of the Spirit each day and showing me Jesus’ unconditional love through you. “But the fruit of the Spirit IS (that means all one fruit) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and  self-control. Against such things there is no law.” –Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

7) Thank you taking such good care of  me six years ago after my serious six-car accident. You were there every moment, from meeting me at the Trauma Center soon after the ambulance transported me, to gently dressing my wounds, to serving every meal, driving me everywhere as I recuperated. Words cannot express my gratitude for you being there, being present.

8) Thank you for the example of your well-read, well-worn Bible that shows to me and to anyone how “Thy Word is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path.” Psalm 119:105.  If we may be the only Bible someone may ever read, you radiate the Word. “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” John 1:14a NIV

9) Thank you for teaching me the love of flowers and God’s majesty. I appreciate that you asked me growing up to “dead-head” our 100+ roses each day after school in our garden. I will always remember the wonderful fragrance of roses in every room of our home growing up–what a gift.

10) Thank you for giving me the grace and freedom and wide open space to fail and succeed, knowing you would love me unconditionally.  You are the best cheerleader and encourager I know.

For all of us who struggle with not being a traditional Mom, may this prayer encourage each of us.

Dear God,
Thank You for the gift of motherhood. Thank You for the blessing it is for many of my friends and loved ones to be called “Mom.”
Thank You for the good plans You have in store for those who still wait to be a Mom.
Thank You for the numerous spiritual children You have given to so many of us “spiritual moms” and mentors.
We pray that You would fill this day with favor and grace as we honor Moms all around the world.
We ask for comfort for those who are grieving loss and heartache, especially on this day.
We ask for strength for those who wait for children to come back home.
We ask for healing for those who have been hurt by relationships that were intended to be loving and nurturing.
We ask for faith for those who will someday be Moms, who find themselves on a journey that seems so hard.
We ask for great encouragement and grace to cover those who have made a brave and loving choice for adoption.
We ask for incredible provision and care over every single parent mom who works so hard on behalf of her children.
We ask, Lord, that You would remind many of us who, though we do not have “physical” children, have the gift of being amazing hope-bringers to many spiritual children we’ve been blessed to nurture through these years.
God, thank you, for the gift of life. Thank You that your heart is for us, and that You are with us, in all our unique journeys and pathways.
Thank You that You are Sovereign over every part of our lives. Thank You that Your ways are perfect and You make our footsteps secure.
Today we pray for refreshment, for joy, for grace, for wisdom, for great peace…for all moms, for moms to be, and for women who nurture and lead.
In Jesus’ Name, by the Power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Reflect:

–How were you honored as a Mom? How did you honor your Mom for Mother’s Day? Please comment.

Renew:

–“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” –Exodus 20:12 ESV

–“Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopus), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, ‘Dear woman, here is your son.’ And he said to this disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from then on this disciple took her into his home.” –John 19-25-27 NLT

Recharge:

–Which mentor lady in your life will you still show appreciation for?

—“All I am I owe to my Mother.” –Abraham Lincoln

May 6, 2020

Quarantined Ode to Moms

This Mother’s Day will be a little different as we all begin to emerge out of our homes to love on our Moms. Some still may safely quarantine.

With just four days before Mother’s Day, let’s ponder our moms for a bit.  What are you planning to do to honor your Mom?

This Mother’s Day, let’s try something different. Let’s try to write at least 31 memories or characteristics you’re grateful for with your Mom. Then write or type them, cut them into slips of paper, and give to her for Mother’s Day in a little glass jar or box. You can even buy them at the Dollar Store. She can enjoy reading a month of encouragement over and over, one for each day. This year is the fourth Mother’s Day I have written memories and will write 31 new memories this year (shhh, please don’t tell her). This blog or a box simply cannot contain my gratitude. The following are some the Mom gratitude memories:

1) Thank you, Mom, for your unconditional love and support as Lord nudged me to launch a new ministry in April called Blessings Brokers, a Christian Donor Development Consulting Firm. Your rock solid faith and courage continues to bolster mine.

2)  Thank you for serving as a patient gentle nurse and  caregiver in December/January as you helped me take care of my 67-year-old cousin and your nephew Mark as he suffered with a cirrhosis of the liver diagnosis. He was able to get into an assisted living facility in January thanks to your nursing his open wounds caused by edema. He lived 6 1/2 months and went to be with Jesus on 5/4/20. Thank you for helping me love him unconditionally.

3) Thank you for praying for me for years before I was even conceived. Since my only brother Jamie is 12 years older than me, you said you suffered a miscarriage and complications as you and Dad tried for more children after Jamie. You were about to give up when you found out you were pregnant with me.  Thanks be to God for His plan and His timing. Thank you for being my Mom.

4) Thank you for serving as a room mother in elementary school and chaperoning our field trips.

5) Thank you for dancing and for teaching me to dance. I always loved watching you and your brothers, your family shag dancing to beach music at my grandmother’s home growing up. I remember after Thanksgiving meals that the men would push aside the dinner table to create a large dance floor, perfect for dancing and making a “Soul Train”  line. We had so much fun. Watching you dance is a joy.

6) Thank you for displaying the Fruit of the Spirit each day and showing me Jesus’ unconditional love through you. “But the fruit of the Spirit IS (that means all one fruit) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and  self-control. Against such things there is no law.” –Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

7) Thank you for teaching me that if three or more cars are in line at a fast-food restaurant, it’s faster to go inside to order your food. I don’t eat fast food much, but I still abide by this.

8) Thank you taking such good care of  me five years ago after my serious six-car accident. You were there every moment, from meeting me at the Trauma Center soon after the ambulance transported me, to gently dressing my wounds, to serving every meal, driving me everywhere as I recuperated. Words cannot express my gratitude for you being there, being present.

9) Thank you for the example of your well-read, well-worn Bible that shows to me and to anyone how “Thy Word is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path.” Psalm 119:105.  If we may be the only Bible someone may ever read, you radiate the Word. “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” John 1:14a NIV

10) Thank you for making me have a curfew, even though I didn’t appreciate it at the time. I so respect the healthy rules and boundaries you set for me growing up. You set them with love.

11) Thank you for teaching me the love of flowers and God’s majesty. I appreciate that you asked me growing up to “dead-head” our 100+ roses each day after school in our garden. I will always remember the wonderful fragrance of roses in every room of our home growing up–what a gift.

12) Thank you for giving me the grace and freedom and wide open space to fail and succeed, knowing you would love me unconditionally.  You are the best cheerleader and encourager I know.

Do you struggle with this upcoming holiday?  Some have beloved Moms who are in heaven. Some struggle with their relationship with their Mom. If either is the case, my hearts hurts as yours does. I encourage you to seek out an older lady in your life who can or currently serves as a mentor to you. Please consider honoring her for Mother’s Day. Some Moms are blood-related. Others are related by the blood of Jesus. Happy Mother’s Day, friend.

Reflect:

–How do you plan to honor your Mom for Mother’s Day? Please comment.

Renew:

–“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” –Exodus 20:12 ESV

–“Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopus), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, ‘Dear woman, here is your son.’ And he said to this disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from then on this disciple took her into his home.” –John 19-25-27 NLT

Recharge:

–Which mentor lady in your life will you show appreciation for?

—“All I am I owe to my Mother.” –Abraham Lincoln

May 13, 2018

Ode to Mother’s Day

Abraham Lincoln once said, “All I am I owe to my mother.” I feel that way also. She is beautiful, Spirit-filled, wise, generous, resourceful, kind, and is the most selfless, Godly woman of integrity I know. Her Bible and knees are well worn from daily study  and prayers.

Mother’s Day, though, can also be a struggle for many of us.  Some have beloved Moms who are in heaven. Some struggle with their relationship with their Mom. Some of us want/wanted to be Moms, and it isn’t God’s will for that to be so.  My heart hurts as yours does.

Sometimes our friends’ moms become surrogate mothers to us. One example in the Bible is the apostle Paul’s friend Rufus and his mother.

“Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well.” –Romans 16:13

May we be encouraged to seek out a Godly, older lady in our lives who can or currently serves as a mentor. Also look for those single ladies who might deep down ache a little today. Please consider reaching out to them in some way for Mother’s Day. Some Moms are blood-related. Other spiritual moms are related by the blood of Jesus. Happy Mother’s Day, friend.

Reflect:

–How do you plan to honor your Mom for Mother’s Day? Please comment.

Renew:

–“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” –Exodus 20:12 NIV

–“Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopus), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, ‘Dear woman, here is your son.’ And he said to this disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from then on this disciple took her into his home.” –John 19-25-27 NLT

Recharge:

–Which mentor lady in your life will you show appreciation for?

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