Mother's Day, 2011

If you curse your father or mother, the lamp of your life will be snuffed out. The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures. (Proverbs 20:20-20; 30:17 NLV)

Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948) first suggested the national observance of an annual day honoring all mothers because she had loved her own mother so dearly. At a memorial service for her mother on May 10, 1908, Miss Jarvis gave a carnation, which was her mother’s favorite flower, to each person who attended. Within he next few years, the idea of a day to honor mothers gained popularity, and Mother’s Day was observed in a number of large cities. On May 9, 1914, by an act of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. He established the day as a time for “public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.” By then it had become customary to wear white carnations to honor departed mothers and red to honor the living, a custom that continues to this day. It is such a wonderful time to pay tribute to those who have served us in our lives. The following story illustrates the worth of a godly mother.

By the time the Lord made mothers, he was into the sixth day working overtime. An Angel appeared and said, "why are you spending so much time on this one?" And the Lord answered and said, "have you read the spec sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic; have 200 moveable parts, all replaceable; run on black coffee and leftovers; have a lap that can hold three children at one time and that disappears when she stands up; have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart; and have six pairs of hands." The Angel was astounded at the requirements for this one. "Six pairs of hands! No Way!" said the Angel. The Lord replied, "Oh, it's not the hands that are the problem. It's the three pairs of eyes that mothers must have!" "And that's on the standard model?" the Angel asked. The Lord nodded in agreement, "Yep, one pair of eyes are to see through the closed door as she asks the children what they are doing even though she already knows. Another pair in the back of the head is to see what she needs to know even though no one thinks she can. And the third pair is here in the front of her head. They are for looking at an errant child and saying that she understands and loves him or her without even saying a single word." The Angel tried to stop the Lord. "This is too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish." "But I can't!" The Lord protested, "I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can feed a family of six on a pound of hamburger and can get a nine year old to stand in the shower." The Angel moved closer and touched the woman, "But you have made her so soft, Lord." "She is soft," the Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish." "Will she be able to think?" Asked the Angel. The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason and negotiate." The Angel then noticed something and reached out and touched the woman's cheek. "OOPS, it looks like you have a leak with this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one." "That's not a leak." the Lord objected. "That's a tear!" "What's the tear for?" asked the Angel. The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her disappointment, her pain, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride." The Angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything for this one. You even created the tear!" The Lord looked at the Angel and smiled and said, "I'm afraid you are wrong again, my friend. I created the woman, but she created the tear!"

If your mother is living today, pray for her. Bless her with your special attention and love today. Lift her before your heavenly Father that He may bring to her His very best blessing.