Happy Mother's Day

Let me be the first to send out a Happy Mother’s Day greeting to all the wonderful mothers in Petersburg - and from wherever you've logged in throughout the world wide web. 

I see you rocking your baby to sleep at three in the morning. I see your tender touch as you hold her in your arms. I see you beam as you describe the way you’re sure she said, “Momma,” even though to everyone else it sounded more like, “hmbmh.” I see you making the choo-choo train sounds as you vainly attempt to slide a spoonful of mashed carrots into her mouth. You may feel like nothing more than a diaper changing machine sometimes, but you do it all in love for your baby.

I see you, young mother, getting your children up and fixing breakfast, helping them get dressed and off to school. I see you staying up late to help them with their homework. I see you getting them involved in baseball and softball and swimming and soccer and karate and gymnastics and cheerleading and dance and music and art and Boys Scouts and 4-H and all that stuff. You may feel like a taxi service many days, but you want the best for your children, and you’re there for them in love.

I see you, mother of teenagers, struggling to figure out who this person is in your home, and what he did with your son. I see you praying for her late at night when nothing you say seems to get through to her. I see you giving them more responsibilities and freedoms, yet still guarding and protecting their precious and pliable hearts. You may feel sometimes like you’re beating your head against a brick wall, but you’re not about to give up on them, you’re not going to lose them, and you’re never going to stop loving them.

I see you, military mom, unable to hold back the tears as you watch your son or your daughter march off to the unknown. I see you raising your flag and proudly standing by his side from across the ocean. I see you nervously watching the news and waiting for the phone to ring and breathing a prayer of relief when you hear her voice again. You may feel like you’re living in a surreal world, but you’re hanging in there and your love has never been stronger.

I see you, precious grandmother, raising up your grandchildren just when you thought you’d already done this once and were ready to move on to real grandparenting, where you could spoil them and hand them back at the end of a long day. I see your loving patience and your kind wisdom as you brace for the challenges today and for the years yet to come. You feel like this wasn’t what you signed up for, but your love for those poor little ones fuels you and you’re just glad to be able to do it.

And I see you, dear mother, who has suffered the excruciating heartbreak of losing your child. I see you who have grieved for your child who was miscarried. I see your tears and your pain, though more importantly, God sees your hurt and He knows the tears you’ve cried and He cares you with a compassionate, empathizing love, for He too knows what it’s like to see His Son die. 

I see you, barren woman, who so desperately wants to have a child, but it hasn’t happened and you don’t know why. I see your cries to the Lord and your frustration over His silence. May your trust rest in His unfailing love and salvation.

I see you, mother of regret, who has lived with the silent anguish of having aborted your child. O, woman, there is forgiveness and healing in the name of Jesus, whose blood shed for the forgiveness of our sins is sufficient for cleansing away all guilt and shame.

And I see you, godly mother, leading your children to know and love the Lord. I see you teaching them to honor and obey His Word. I see you displaying His gentleness and humility, His mercy and grace, His kindness, forgiveness and compassion and patience. I see you embody His servant heart in the way you interact day by day with your children. I see you longing to impress His truth upon their hearts, and I see you on your knees interceding with them before the Father in heaven. I know you're not perfect and sometimes you feel like a failure, but your love is reaching their hearts and they are growing strong in the faith, largely because of the example they see in you.

Keep pressing on, mom, and know that God is using you in shaping the lives of these precious children into the image of His own Son.

To you all, I say Happy Mother’s Day. May God bless you richly.