Mother’s day is one of the most emotionally complex days of the year.

Some people are grieving their moms. A friend of mine lost his mom a short time ago so Mother’s Day 2022 will be a bittersweet day.

Some moms are estranged from their children. Some women chose not to be moms and feel overlooked or devalued. Some women tried and tried but the biology never connected and thus their wombs were never filled with new life.  Some people had a very painful relationship with their mom.

And then there are moms, as the scriptures describe, whose quivers have been filled with arrows.  Every mom with kids who have grown up and gone away hopes they will come back for at least a day or two. Every mom with kids who have been home every day for what seems like eternity hopes one day they will leave at least for an hour or two so they can rest.

Whatever your state around this emotionally charged day, let’s all acknowledge the obvious, we all entered this earth via a woman called “mother.”   Let’s also acknowledge true motherhood is more than the biology of conception, labor, and delivery.  Motherhood, as God designed it, is worthy of more than a hallmark card, a bouquet of flowers, and a day of no household chores.

True motherhood is saying no to personal desires and wants to feed and nurture the never-ending hunger for love, safety, and approval.

Motherhood is laying down pride and picking up whatever falls onto the floor.

Motherhood is forgoing sleep to rock a crying baby and holding a heartbroken teen.

Motherhood is wiping bottoms and noses and floors and toilets and counters while washing clothes, cooking dinner, checking homework, and listening to the same joke over and over and over again.

Motherhood is chasing toddlers instead of chasing your own dreams.

Motherhood is helping dress your princess for the prom instead of dressing for your own prince and a stolen night away.

Motherhood is cheering others onto victory instead of pursuing the podium yourself.

Motherhood is a daily decision to live out endless ordinary days, filled with unlimited ordinary moments, imitating the extraordinary love of Christ.

“This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”  I John 3:16

True Motherhood is a sacred calling. True Motherhood is more than raising the next generation, it is an invitation to lay down a life for the sake of others.

We who have been the recipient of such love know that a Hallmark card, a vase full of flowers, and a day off from chores may be a nice gesture but they can never alone express our gratitude for being so loved.

Yes, Mother’s day is a day full of complex emotions, but it is also a day to remember and give thanks to God for the moms, bonus moms, grandmothers, aunts, and female mentors who laid down their lives and showed us the love of Christ.

Thank you Mom!

I am praying for you.

Please pray for your mom.

 

-Rick

RICK OWEN

Senior Pastor

Married to Dallas 43 years, three sons: Justin, Jacob, James, three daughter-in-laws: Lara, Summer, and Corinne, two grand-daughters: Lennyx and Dallas, one grandson: Ryder and 5 grand-dogs. He is a son, brother, sports enthusiast, cross-fitter, lover of life, people, especially youth and children, most of all a sinner saved by grace.