Mother’s Day is a really important day for me. First, to honour my own mom. When I was about six, our family crumbled apart, and my father left. My mother (about 35 at the time) was left with four kids. What do you do? Life becomes about grit and faith. Each day is a battle to survive. The emotional storms, the loneliness, the poverty, and the need to raise kids because we weren’t going anywhere! For me the environment was deeply rooted in love and discipline. Faith in God was not a concept, but a daily reality expressed in prayers, church attendance and living distinctly. I think today, people would perceive our lifestyle as strict.
Yet the important concepts of faith, family, church, and responsible citizenship were planted, and we (the kids) learned how to work hard. All this was guided and overseen by a mom who was both carrying her own grief and trying to do what was best. Her faith in God was a huge part of us “making it”. She tried to balance the demands of life and her responsibilities. For this I will always be amazed and deeply grateful.
Second, today I celebrate my own wife and her ability to be a “pastor’s wife”, raise our three kids and have a career. What a mom! This year we celebrate our 33-wedding anniversary. Life has been very full. Sara has worked hard to balance our life objectives. Maybe like you, one of her greatest challenges was to keep life balanced. That included keeping her own soul, keeping the house (we’ve always had people in, through and living with us), raising the kids, be at the church and balancing her own career as a teacher. What is amazing to me is her ability to do all that with a kindness and wisdom that is genuine and sincere. She expresses love by being a counsellor and referee. She gives unselfishly to meal prep and hospitality. She patiently guided our children and all her students through homework assignments and life lessons. She has been the best assistant pastor I could ever have, taking on every role I’ve thrown at her and joining me at hospitals, weddings, staff events, funerals and on assignments. How does she do it? Like my own mother, by being grounded in faith and personal relationship with Christ. Jesus said “out of the abundance and overflow of your heart your mouth speaks”.
Today I honour all mothers for their love, devotion, and hard work. I pray that your faith is strengthened by joy and rejoicing today. May the Holy Spirit continue to anoint you for the roles that you’ve been called to. May you do it by His grace. Today is for you – Happy Mother’s Day. Past, present and future. For those in our past who may not even be with us, to those who labour in the role today (parenting never ends) and for those who have recently become moms, we pray a blessing upon you.
