Good morning! Happy Mother’s Day to all of you wonderful Moms out there! We would literally not be here if it wasn’t for you! Now I am sure that you are all great Moms – but of course MY Mom is the BEST! I am still trying to figure out how she managed to have eight kids and was able to keep up with each one to nurture, guide, discipline, and love, each one of us in our own special way! All eight of us have had different interactions with her throughout the years and there are things that stuck out to me that probably didn’t to anyone else.
The unique interactions that we have had with our Mom have shaped the relationship that each one of us have with her today – but it doesn’t change who she is! She is loving, caring, empathetic, strong, and selfless. There have been moments where she has wrapped me in her arms to console me, times when she has brought correction and punishment, and still others when we would just enjoy one another’s company.
When I was hurting, I could run to her for comfort. There were so many times growing up that I injured myself, enduring sprains, breaks, and lots of bumps and bruises; Mom was the first one to come to me and care for me. She took care of many wounds and sat with me in many doctor’s offices showing me how much she cared for my well being.
When I was out of line, she would bring correction and discipline from a place of love – although I am sure there were times out of frustration because of how disrespectful and stubborn I was. She would always let me know when I was being stupid and tried her best to lead me to live for Jesus!
One of the most special times we would have together as Mother and son is when I was a little older and we would enjoy a cup of tea together as we watched something on tv. It’s not like we sat there and always had the deepest of conversations, but it was so nice to just be with each other and enjoy each other’s company.
My Dad worked nights so he would not go to work until eleven o’clock at night. For some reason, we always woke him up at 10:41pm – yes, that only gave him nineteen minutes to wake up, get ready, and drive to work (still makes me laugh just thinking about that). But while Mom was up waiting to wake him up and see him off, I would have the privilege of spending time with her (and of course watching my Dad leave for work looking like a zombie LOL)!
In these moments, we talked about what was going on in my life, she would encourage me, challenge me, and would help me stay grounded in my relationship with God as I walked through the craziness of my teenage years.
Now that I’m older and have moved away from home, our relationship has changed. I have not always been the best at calling home and checking in with my parents, but every time I called they would make time and prioritize our relationship. Within the last five years to ten years, our relationship and respect for one another has increased substantially as we continue to learn and grow from one another!
My Mom has not always been perfect, even though I expected her to be – and I for sure have not always been the perfect son! But she has loved me more than anyone ever could on this side of heaven. She didn’t always approve of what I did, but she would always accept me for who I was and encourage me to be who God wanted me to be!
What a beautiful picture of the relationship available to us with God! There will be times when we are hurting and He will comfort us!
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
The moments when we step out of line, He lovingly corrects us to bring us back to Him! The wounds of discipline are followed by the promise of strength and support.
“Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal.”
Job 5:17-18
But the most special of all times we can have with our loving Savior are the times when we just simply choose to spend time hanging out with Him; being in His presence! It is in those times where we can experience His love the most!
Heavenly Father, thank You for all of the Mothers today! These are the special women in many of our lives who have nurtured and cared for us like none other! Help us to recognize how you care for us, even in the moments of correction. Help us to prioritize those special moments of just spending time in Your presence, to shape us and TRANSFORM us to be more like You! In Jesus Name – AMEN!
Be Transformed 