Happy Mother’s Day to the Sisterhood!

Happy Mother’s Day to the Sisterhood!

A few days ago I spoke about the verb and action-word, mother or mothering, and how we can all (men and women) be participants in encouraging, supporting and loving others.

I checked out the history of this day. Anna Jarvis, who had no children of her own, conceived Mother’s Day as an occasion for honoring the sacrifices individual mothers made for their children. I love her love for mothers even though she had no children.

In May 1908, she organized the first official Mother’s Day events at a church in her hometown of Grafton, West Virginia. By 1912, many other churches, towns and states were holding Mother’s Day celebrations. Her hard-fought campaign paid off in 1914, when President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. You’re welcome!

And on this day, we are celebrated and often get a little spoiled. My Austin family are taking Shawntel and I to a bountifully prepared meal at a gorgeous location. We’ll celebrate even more when my Staci and her family comes in at the end of this month for my grandson, Brennan’s, graduation festivities.

While it’s my day, I can’t help but think about those who may find this day difficult to face. Mother’s Day can be a day that stirs heavy thoughts and emotions. Today, I am challenged to make this day less about me and a little more about others.

As Christian women and men, we have an opportunity to reach out and show the love and compassion of Jesus. The same love we crave, we can give to others. We can be intentional to bless the mothers who may not have the cards and flowers pouring in this Mother’s Day. Let’s be on the look-out for:

1. The mother raising a child/children on her own

2. The mother battling/has battled personal illness

3. The mother married to an unbeliever and doing the best she can to raise her children to know and love God

4. The mother who may not have biological children, but is a spiritual mother to many

5. The mother who may have lost a child

6. The child who may have lost their mother

7. The mother raising a child with a disability

8. The mother who might seem to go unnoticed but is doing a great job raising her children

9. The father whose wife passed, the mother of his children

10. The grandfather whose wife passed, the grandmother of his grandchildren

I have a few faces that come to mind as I consider those others in my life. We don’t have to reach out to everyone, but at least we can be intentional with those God drops into our hearts. We can love and encourage them.

No matter what we choose to do, may we remember Matthew 25:40, that tells us “Whatever we do for the least of these we do unto Him.”

If we open our eyes (from my blog, yesterday), we’ll be one of those found in Proverbs 11:25: “Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”

As we love others this Mother’s Day, God will pour His love on us. YES, this is Mother’s Day for the biological moms, the adoptive moms, the single moms, the dad-moms, like-moms, the dog and cat moms, the grandmoms, the sisters, and all who “mother”.

As we soak in the love poured out on us from our children and family this Mother’s Day, I pray for the others in your life are blessed and refreshed, too! Happy Mother’s Day!