Here it is, May again. May flowers are blooming after April’s showers. May begins summer-like weather. May closes out the school year. And May celebrates mothers. All in all, May is a pretty good month! 😊
Being a mother myself, I know how hard mothers work, how thankless their job can be, and how many sleepless nights they may endure. But I also know that from the first moment a mother holds her newborn child, something happens in her heart that changes her life.
There is a scripture that asks, “could a woman forget her nursing child?” (Isaiah 49:15) God uses a mother’s love, care and concern for her children as a tangible example of His love, care and concern for us. It is almost unfathomable for most of us to imagine a mother ever forgetting her child. However, this verse says that it is possible, but that God NEVER forgets us. As strong as a mother’s bond may be, it can be broken. But God’s bond with us is unbreakable because His love is infinite.
I will readily admit that I wasn’t the greatest mother in the world. As much as I loved my kids, I had the patience of gnat; and most of the time, I was guessing at whatever I was doing. It is by the grace of God that my children grew up to be the wonderful adults they are today.
But I took my job seriously and I tried to do it well because I wanted the best for my kids. From the time they were born, I wanted them to learn about God. I wanted them to have a strong relationship with Him, because I knew how much that meant to me, and how good it would be for them. When they were little, I read Bible verses and sang Bible songs to them. I prayed for them and taught them to pray. I took them to Bible fellowships. I tried to make the Bible as much a part of their lives as it was of mine. And it was a good life for them. They had a network of friends at fellowship, they learned a lot about the Bible, and they were surrounded by good Christian examples.
Throughout their school years, Bible fellowships were still a big part of my children’s lives. They had good friends who were part of the group, and they were exposed to a lot of Bible teachings. A good foundation was laid. But later in the high school and young adult years, time for fellowships and Bible teachings seemed to become secondary to all their age-related activities. The Bible wasn’t lost to them, just kind of put on the back burner.
At that time, this scripture became my go-to verse:
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
This is a promise in God’s Word. God promised that He would NEVER leave us nor forsake us, right? (Hebrews 13:5) Will He ever leave or forsake our children? NO! If our children are not as enthused about God as we are, do we stop loving them? No. Do you think God stops loving them? Absolutely not! God is patient with us and patient with our kids. It is the goodness of God that will lead them to Him (or back to Him).
In reminiscing about raising my children, I could think of all the times that I fell short or missed the mark. I could compare myself to the ‘super-moms’ and feel very second-rate. But I don’t do that. I see the journey as my kids and I learning and growing together. I used to say, “If only I knew then what I know now, I would have been a better mom.” But – I would not know now what I do without going through the experiences that taught me. So, I guess that’s not a valid argument. The best that I can say is that I love my kids and always have.
We moms just love our kids and are thankful for them, no matter what age they are. If you are a new mom, savor those sweet years of innocence. They go by so fast, and it may be the only time that you have them all to yourself.
If you are a mom of a teenager or 20-something, remember the promise (Proverbs 22:6). Remind yourself of all the dumb stuff you did at that age. And always remember, “this too shall pass.”
If your children are grown, relish your relationship with them now. It is so fun to enjoy their company as adults. And even more fun to watch them with their children. You can sit back and slyly quip, “Been there. Done that.”
If you are a grandmother (or great-grandmother), your cup runneth over! Grandchildren are your reward for a job well done. All the hard work you put into raising your children has paid off and now you get to have fun with your grandchildren while someone else does all the hard work!
May celebrates mothers because mothers are an essential part of life. None of us would be here without one! If you love your mom or your relatives who are moms, or if you know a mom that you admire, take a minute this Mother’s Day to express your thanks for their lives. If you are a mom, enjoy your day!
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!
Note to my readers: Thanks for reading!