Your Picture of Mother
by Marilyn J. Ehle
Do you have a hurt in your heart that needs the “parent” help of God? Ask for prayer now.http://thelife.com/interactive/share.html
Whatever you do…do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus… Colossians 3:17
Our North American eyes have a limited view of “mother.” Our Christian North American
eyes have an even narrower concept of that woman. Jesus described a hen “gathering
her chicks,” and we frequently transpose that picture into our vision of what a mother is
and does. Or should be doing. Do you see mother garbed in an apron, surrounded by
eager children in the kitchen? Or perhaps your view has mother rocking a baby cuddled
to her breast?
Over the years my vision of mother has expanded. I see the single working woman who
rises before the sun to throw yet another load of laundry into the washer, fill her son’s
cereal bowl and pack his lunch, then deposit him into the loving arms of a caregiver
before she hurries off to her job.
Or the African woman hammering at rock-dry earth in the effort to deposit a few seeds
which she prays will one day produce grain for her starving family.
Or the woman who has never given birth to children but shares warm cookies with
neighborhood latchkey children.
Or the Christ-loving public school teacher who, without words, expresses the love of God
each day to a roomful of inner city children.
Or the woman who regularly visits prisons to lovingly touch the arms and hearts of
women who have never before known such love.
Or the woman who cannot plant seeds or bake cookies or teach or visit prisons…but she
fervently prays each day for the millions of physically enslaved and abused children
around the world.
When God sees “mother,” He sees women with hearts as big as His own, committed to
sharing His love with children, children of all ages, colors, races, circumstances. His
picture of mother needs to be mine.
Father God, I thank you for my own birth mother, but also for the many women who
through the years have “mothered” me. Help me pass it on.
Questions: Who has been a “mother” to you? Phone, e-mail or write a note today to express your
gratitude. If she has died, spend time remembering and praising God for her role in your
life.
About the Author: http://thelife.com/experience/devotionalforwomen/authors/marilyn-ehle/
74 Responses to “Your Picture of Mother”
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Dear Margaret, I am sorry that you have had a bad week. And I am glad you shared about your Mom. No matter how long one of our parents have been gone, it is especially sad for us on the date they died. That was sweet of you to take flowers to her grave.
Praying that our Heavenly Father will comfort you in your grief. And all of us here love you too. Blesings , Hannah
I am sorry for your lost Judy! Yes, Grief is a real thing.
My mom was buried 2 years ago today! And grief has been pretty strong this week.
My husband and I went to a plant store and we found a small orange plant. At the moment the flower doesn’t come to me at the moment. Mom stood about 5 foot but because of Osteoperosis she swunk in size. Growing up mom had a bun in the back of her head but in later years her hair she had her hair cut! I had never seen mom with short hair. When Mom smiled her whole face lit up. She wore glasses but at the Nursing home mom’s glasses were lost! I earlier pointed out my mom’s sense of humor and sensitivity to others. I feel the hug! Sometimes the grief is so much this week I have thought I’d come out of my skin!
I could always count on her being my cheerleader. I know she is doing it from above but I really miss her.
Thanks for the hug! and responding!
Margaret, how special that you put flowers on your mother’s grave. What kind of flowers were they? Were they some flowers you knew she grew or liked? Or just a “surprise” mixture for her? Tell us about your mother. Sharon shared a “picture” of her mother. You can share a picture of your mom, too. Describe her to us. I reach out to you now and give you a big hug. Do you feel the hug? I just recently lost my dad about two weeks ago. Grief is real. God bless you my dear Margaret.
My mom was buried 2 years now! I put flowers at her grave. It has been a rough day! I am sorry for the others who are going through a rough time! I have heard most people comment back and forth and I am feeling left out a bit talking about my mom! It has been a rough week for me.
thank you judy d this has been a hard day
sharon b
Thank you, Sharon, givng us a “picture” of your mom through the words you wrote. How sweet that was. I lift you up in prayer, too, has you go through the anniversaries of your loved ones, your mom and your first husband. May God minister to you and comfort you.
today is my moms birthday she would have been 86. i miss her very much she was a wonderful person. she grew up in the hills of tennessee. one ofsix children they did not have a lot and lived on a farm she went to school with no shoes. i saw a class picture taken and she was in the fron’t row with one of her brothers and none had shoes. she had adefecut life shew had two brothers one older one younger who she lost in accedents the younger one was killed in a tornedo that struck their school he was only six the older was hit by a car when he was 15. she picked cotton worked in a egg packing plant,helped her father hang dry wall all to help her family make ends meet. her mother was sick a lot and after the youngest child was born mom had to quit school at 15 to take care of the two youngest. i could go on and on but i won’t i just wanted to let you know what a great mom i had. and tommorow is the day my other husband passed away
it will be 16 years so two sad days for me
sharon b
Hi Everyone, I just wanted to say that I feel as if I had just met a whole bunch of new friends on this site. I love you all and feel so close and can really tell you anything and you would be true friends and listen. Thank you for making me feel so welcome here. It is so wonderful for God to let our paths cross like this on such a Blessing of a site. All of the devotionals are so inspiring and I send a lot of them on to other friends. Love and Prayers, Hannah
Judy D. Thank you for thinking about my health. I first thought it was someone else. Then as I was reading it again today, I realized it was you. You can read about it where I was writing to Andi. I am sorry I got so mixed up. It wasn’t the first time and it won’t be the last either. LOL
I am so sorry about your Dad’s recent death on the earth. and I ask God to let you and the rest of the family feel His presence and mercy and love. It was so sweet for all of you to drive and have dinner with your Mom. I know she appreciated it and felt your love for her.Blessings, Hannah
Marlene, I forgot to comment on your role of an older, mature godly woman and grandparent figure. YES! YES!! YES!!!
Be blessed as you find the place HE has prepared for you in this new church body! May you continue to be as sensitive to the Spirit as you were this day!
We too have some ‘spiritual grandchildren’ and their mother who is alone now and a new immigrant to Canada. What a joy to be used of HIM this way; ‘make those tent pegs wider’ eh?
Andi
Marlene, we loved it in Canberra even though some we met there complained it was too regimented in its design. We stayed at a YWAM base for a month while I recuperated from a serious illness and my husband took a course in constrution.
G’day to ya!
Hannah,
Thanks for the prayers and concern but I must correct a mis-understanding.
My dad died 18 years ago. My mother died 11 years ago.
It was my husband’s mother who died 2 years ago and his dad we called as we knew it would be a difficult day for him.
Sorry for the misunderstanding.
HANNAH I AM PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOUR HEALTH PROBLEMS. IT IS SO TRUE THAT WE ALL HAVE HEALTH CONCERNS BUT YOURS SEEM A LOT MOR TO BEAR THEN WHAT I HAVE TO DEAL WITH. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS FOR OUR THREE WONDERFU MOMS WE HAD IN OUR LIVES.
SHARON B
LINDA J PTL FOR THOSE CHILDREN THAT WERE FOUND!!!!KNOW YOU THAT YOU AND YOUR COUNTRY ARE IN OUR PRAYERS .
SHARON B
Hi everyone, there are so many great stories about Mothers on here and I enjoy reading them. GOD Bless them all and the ones that are taking birth Mother’s places.
Andi, thank you for your remarks and also concern over my health. I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me so I don’t often mention my problems. But since you asked so you would know how to pray for me and I apprediate all the prayer I can get.
For one thing I have MS, and that in it’s self is a challenge. The worst thing is that I was boen with a tethered spinal cord that was hooked to a lipoma growth at the end of my spine.I did not find this out until 1997 and was operated on to have it untethered in 1998. It grew back within a year. It has pulled on my legs and everything else since I was a child. It caused a lot of pain and I have been on pain med for about 20 years and so wish I could get off of it. But when you are screeming, you take it. I am 67 years old now. But the pain did not start until I was in my 40′s. I could walk by myself and did not have any real bad problems until I was in my 50′s. I had to use a cane to help with balance and after the surgery, I now have to either use a walker or a wheel chair. I fall a lot since my right knee muscle does not work and even with a walker you can fall. I sprained my right foot 3 times in 2007 and 1 time in 2008 and also the right knee. the tethered cord had caused Circulation problems and I have PAD. It has also caused Osteoporosis in my hips and spine. It causes bladder and bowel problems, so I don’t get to go out much. Most of our family get -to -gethers are at our home, as it is handicappable in everyway. Larry has had everything done to make it easier for me, snd so has our son and son-in-law.
I thank God daily for them and also our daughter who cooks for us a lot. My husband and I cook together as much as we can, but he has had 3 back surgeries and had a pain in his thigh like a cramp that won’t go sway. I am so proud of him because he quit smoking this year. and he only takes 1 pain pill a day even though he is hurting. The Dr. told him to take at least 2 a day.
There are others out there that are so much worse than I am and I pray for them. and I will pray for any one of you that I have read anything in your post that needs prayer.
For China, my heart hurts and I pray off and on during the day for them and other places that are having a bad time. Love to you Linda Ji.
For Celia’s Mother that had the stroke. I ask God to heal her and wrap His merciful arms around her, and also her family. she may not be able to express it but I bet she feels the love flowing from her family. I ask for God to let His Presence be felt to her.
For Andi, I am sorry for your Dad’s recent death and ask Our Heavenly Father to comfort all of you in this grieving time. That was sweet when all of you got to gether with your Mom so she would not have to be by herself on Mother’s Day.
Sharon B. Love to you and may God Bless you with many happy memories of the 3 that you and your husband morn. I pray for God to take away your hurt and replace it with sunny thoughts.
The Southern Baptist Church that we have been members of since it was a mission in 1966 is very supportive to me and I am also a prayer warrior for the church and a friends’s church too. and my family couldn’t be any more careing to me and I have the most wonderful husband. He was a gift from God I know. I knew when we fell in love in 1997 that it would be ” till death do us part.” And Joshua is so sweet to me and all the things he says and does, I should write a book. It would be a best seller.
This is long and I apologize. Love To All and thanks to Marilyn Erle for her writings. God gave her a gift ahd she uses it for Him. Praise God and thanks to Him for letting us share and pray for each other and He so lovingly listens and responds. Some times it may not be the answer we were looking for, but it will be the right one. We might not know why until a later date. But He has a plan for all of us and it must be done His way to come out right for our lives .
Andi, I live in Adelaide, South Australia, having just moved back here after 20 years away, most of that time being in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT). It was in the ACT that Les and I were led to the Lord. We started going to church and studying, and then joined a really alive church after Les’s subarachnoid haemorrhage and they supported us so well. They had accredited Christian Ministry courses, which we started, and would like to continue here in Adelaide.
We have joined a nearby church here in the Adelaide Hills area. It seems as though God was leading us to this church. When we arrived they welcome us saying that they really needed older people as they had so many young ones without grandparents to talk to – so that was the start of the ‘ mothering’ role. Recently I met a young married women who is going through an awful time and who’s mtoher and family have deserted her, so there’s another ‘mothering’ role. I guess, Andi, the ‘how’ is determined by God. Last Sunday was Mothers’ Day here in Australia, and we had a special Sunday morning service, praying for mothers. I was very conscious of a woman in front of me. On speaking to her afterwards I found that her mother had recently died, and that she wasn’t married and had no children. But she has so much love to give but feels she has no way to give it. I was in this situation once, so could relate to it. God will lead me here as well as I listen to Him tell me what to do.
God is so good!
Marlene
Dear Ladies,
Thank you for all your prayers. Yesterday at our English Bible Study. We prayed for the earthquake hit areas with tears, hand-in-hand and donated money with love. Please continue to pray for more lives to be found and saved. Today after more than 50 hours from the earthquake, some middle school students were found alive. Life is so fragile. We should value our life and know the true meaning of life.
Dianne,
What an articulate, complete picture of your mum you have painted for us. Thank you. She reminds me of my maternal Grandmother who emigrated from Britain as an ‘indentured servant’ and went on to raise 5 daughters on her own. These strong talented women and Christian women may not always be ‘easy’ to live w/but we certainly learn HUGE amounts as a result of them in our lives.Grandma could be as hard as nails depending on the circumstances and yet she always had time to rock us and read and sing to us. Nurture and security and safety went hand-in-hand in her attitude of love towards us.
Linda Ji,
Still praying. China is special to my husband and I
Andi,
Canada
Sorry, I should have capitalised “God” in “God-willing.”
My mother is a unique woman. She immigrated here from a country where the language doesn’t even recognize gender differences; you are either a human being or you are a thing (things include animals). Consequently, she has probably been seen as a feminist by some Americans, but she has always been against feminism–I guess because you have to acknowledge sexism before you can embrace feminism, and she has long ignored both. She has thought both ideas stupid.
So mom has an interesting mix of characteristics. At 73 years old, she is a “self made woman” in a field that is traditionally female (early childhood education). She has become one of the most respected leaders in the field in this area. She is about to retire, for the second time, in a few weeks.
Mom enjoys doing a variety of crafts, as well as knitting, sewing, crocheting and reading. She sings and plays piano. She gardens organically–both flowers, and vegetables and berries. She is a do-it-yourself-er around the house, fixing things, stripping and painting the woodwork, laying flooring, and tearing out wall-to-wall carpeting.
Her favorite subjects in high-school were wood-shop and leather working. She studied to be a missionary to China and South Africa before she met dad.
Mom loves to travel. She loves dry camping and fishing in the northern Canadian wilderness, blueberry picking and mushrooming. She loves hiking, bird-watching, and identifying plants. She enjoys swimming, and sitting quietly in silence.
She follows current events, politics, and social trends and enjoys discussing all. She is interested in with psychology, and enjoys reading about people who have overcome all kinds of odds.
Mom attends church faithfully, sings in choir and in the annual community Messiah chorus, and is active in church affairs.
She is active in the ethnic community, and remains in regular touch with her family overseas-mostly through the internet.
In many ways, I think she has been a wonderful role-model.
In other ways, I don’t. She is very competitive–with everyone. She never had any interest in being submissive to my dad (a minister); in fact, she wore the pants in my family.
She also worked full-time most of my life, and she made more than dad did for at least 20 years.
Mom hates domestic activities–cooking, cleaning, baking, laundry–all of it; and as soon as we kids were old enough to do some of it, she was eager to pawn it off. By the time we were teen age or junior high age, her idea of making dinner could be frying up some pork chops, telling us they were there and saying that the rest was on us.
On Saturday mornings, she would get up before the rest of us, and she would blow through the house doing a general dust, vac, and pick-up, and when we got up, she would brag about how much she did, and tell us we should do be able to do the same. But she often did a shoddy job of it.
She did the dishes the same way. I used to have to check everything I used that she washed to make sure that there wasn’t still food on it somewhere, and then she’d try to make me feel bad if she saw me checking.
Her attitude and actions about domestic activities bled through so much that she taught me to hate them and resist doing them just as much as she tried to teach me to do them. She also had the whole family (overseas) aware that I didn’t help her much with the housework, and whenever we had contact, they would try to teach me that I should.
Mom is also not a very emotionally sensitive person, and is capable of being pharisaical about some things. For instance, when I got pregnant before marriage, she told me that she would never have any contact with the baby because of the way it was conceived (I had a miscarriage, so I never found out if she would actually carry that out).
She is also not physically affectionate, or emotionally demonstrative. Growing up I got the sense that she mothered me more out of duty than out of love.
Mom also gives out mixed messages. She asks me to do things that she knows I do better than she does(that she tells me she knows I do), and while I am doing it, or when I have finished, she then finds something wrong with it. She hands me a steady stream of niggling criticism whenever we are together for more than a few hours every few days or weeks, too. She can be very cutting at times, and has defendend her “right” to be a “__itch” when she wanted to be that way.
At the same time, she has always been generous, and has gone out of her way to help me financially, materially, educationally, and even in “quality of life” areas more than just a few times in my lifetime. She has let go of (I don’t know if she has actually forgiven) many wrongs I have done to her over the years, too. She is generally optimistic and is always looking for practical solutions to problems. She can be very playful with and nurturing to little ones (toddlers and preschoolers), and they just love her. She was great that way with me, too, when I was little–as long as it was about learning and playtime.
She never let others tell her how to raise her children. She breast-fed when almost no one else did. She let us run around barefoot for the sake of our foot bone development, even in the department stores.
She expressed pleasure at not having had to go to pastors’ wives classes at the seminary because he’d completed seminary before they met (but at the same time, she did do pastors’ wife things, like played the organ on Sundays, taught some Sunday School classes, helped dad administratively at times, attended church board meetings, went to Wednesday night Bible Study classes with him, and so on).
She did get very angry and indignant when some church members criticized her housekeeping skills, though. Someone had said that they didn’t feel comfortable coming to the parsonage because it was so messy, and her response to that was to say that they had no right to tell her how she should keep her home, and she wasn’t going to change for them.
Mom is usually cheerful and helpful, though. She is intelligent and interesting. She is very much a woman of the culture she grew up in (the 2nd in the world to give women the right to vote), and has refused to let that go. She insists that she is going to live to 100, and god-willing, I believe she will. Her old scouting attitude keeps her going (she was in Girl Scouts all the way through to becoming a Master of a troop).
So, my mother is unique among women in America, especially of her generation. She isn’t perfect. She is accomplished. And she is mostly happy.
She is an example of never giving up. And, especially in the last few years of dad’s sickness and death, she did become a caretaker and more “domestic” in her ways–he couldn’t do a number of things for himself anymore. She softened a bit, you could say.
So, when I think “mother” I have a pretty broad picture of the possibilities of what the word might mean. I don’t agree with everything my mother is and does, but I can’t deny that she is a woman rich in the scope of her life.
I like the pictures of the nurturing, teaching, playful young mother and the wise, thoughful, non-controlling/non-meddling mothers the most :-}. I am fortunate that neither my mother nor my mother-in-law meddle in our lives!
Linda I will pray for everyone in China. I know that the Bible saids that we will be having floods and earthquakes and things of that nature it’s scarey but thats the Lords work I will pray for you and everyone in China. My prayers goes out to each and everyone of you. God Bless you Linda.
I have a really wonderful mother she is getting up there in age but, she is wonderful I do miss her she moved to Texas. I don’t get to see her as much like I used when she was living here in Minneapolis. I just want to say I thank God for her she raised 11 children and was a single mom. I thank God for her and she is still on the ball she still cooks and clean. God has been really good to her she is now 83 years of age and I just love her. Mothers Day is everyday to me.
linda j i have been looking for you here to see if you were ok i am much in prayer for you and all others there who have been struck by this terable tradgey
my God watch over you all
sharon b
celia my heart goes out to you and your mother my own dear mom had a stroke at the age of 68 and passed on i miss her every day
sharon b
lisa you have atruly wonderful grandmother
sharon b
Linda J,
Praying for you and your countrymen…May God work through his people to help those misplaced and save many lives. I pray LindaJ that you and your family would have a peace knowing that this is in God’s control whatever the outcome. I pray that China would receive the aid it needs and that you will be able to rebuild very soon. May God in his mighty power be with his people. Love and prayers from Sydney….Donna
Amen to the prayers for China.
Dearest Celia,
What an amazing story of your mother! Thank you for sharing it w/us.
I believe that your mother is aware of your love. She may not be able to speak to you or ‘do for you,’ as she did all those wonderful years; but you can keep showing your love and appreciation for her……tell her……….tell her over and over how much you love her! She will hear you, this I believe. She may not be able to speak but she can still feel your love. You make me weep. The love of a mother can never be replaced; but you have told us that she ‘taught you well,’ so now is the time for you to simply love her back and meet whatever needs you can. Enjoy her presence. She needs you now.
love
Andi
Dear ladies,
A major earthquake of 7.8 magnitude ripped through southwest china on monday afternoon May 12, killing more than 10,000 people, leaving 900 students buried and sending shock waves through cities across a large swathe of country and southeast asia.
PLEASE PRAY FOR CHINA, PRAY FOR THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LOVED ONES, AND PRAY FOR MORE LIVES TO BE SAVED!!!
Linda Ji from China
i am 56 now. we are eight in the family. my father died when i was barely 19. my mother, a schoolteacher, raised us subce then. being a mother myself who raised two children, now grown ups, almost by myself, i realize that my mother was a tower of faith and strength. she had a stroke recently and when i look back, i miss her caring, thoughtfulness, encouragement and so many valuable traits that are now strongly ingrained in me. there can be no one like her in my life. i wish she can be her old self so i can express my love, gratitude and appreciation for her. she is wheelchair bound now and can no longer speak. i wish i can embrace her and she can embrace me back.
Even though I don’t have a relationship with my mother, the Lord put a very special person who was way overqualified…my Grandmother in her place. Oh, I can in no way shape or form describe the love & respect I have for her. She is my “Mother” and will always be. She is 81 and still going strong and very independent. My father and I lived with her and my Grandfather all the way growing up and it was such a blessing, she took me to church and Sunday school as early as I can remember and has really helped set my Christian fundamentals. I will always be thankful to her.
Wow! What wonderful stories and memories you have been sharing today!
Hannah:I laughed at Joshua wondering if it was him in the Bible; what a thot for him to hold dear to his heart and mind….and his comment about you ‘needing him during the night! Praise God.
Patti: you are SO funny. I thank God for your wonderful sense of humour!
For anyone wondering about Andy and a job: he is still looking & we are still seeking HIS will thru this. God has raised up a couple who made the verse in Isaiah come alive for us. [sorry but I've forgotten who received it for us].
The verse basically said, ‘before you have finished asking I will have answered you.’ Do you remember that one?
Anyway, 2 or 3 weeks BEFORE Andy was informed they ‘didn’t think he would work out,’ the husband said to his wife: “I think we’d better begin to save some $$$ for Andy & Andi. God seems to be telling me they are going to need it.”
NOW, how is that for someone hearing HIS voice and being obedient and that God would give one of you that verse to let us know that this couple are there to help us should the need arise?
We serve an awesome God don’t we!
It is wonderful to hear all of your stories of your mums’ and adoptive mum’s and other special women in your lives.
Keep the stories coming!
Andi
Gina….what a beautiful story…..such unconditional love you both share.
This has been a wonderful reflection on mothers and mother figures. Even though my mother and I weren’t close until her latter years, I have focused on such fond memories of her today…the good times.
Hannah, thank you for sharing about your mom and your precious grandson, Joshua. What a special family you grew up in—even with the loss of your father, you still have wonderful memories of him. How blessed you were to grow up with Christian parents and the instilling and sharing of the Lord they did with their children. You said you are physically limited. From birth? From chronic pain? From a stroke? Direct me how I should pray for you, please. Are you in pain? Lord, I pray that you be with Hannah, lift her up and encourage her Lord. You know her needs. Thank you Father. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
What inspiring comments about Mothers and other women who acted liked Mothers. Some of them brought tears to my eyes and a good feeling in my heart.
My Mother is 90 years old now and is doing fairly well. She is starting with Dementia but is happy and still sewing, and showing her love for the Lord which she has done ever since I can remember her as a child. My Dad died at 42 following a surgery when a blood clot formed in his lung.In 1953 they did not get people up soon after surgery like they do now and he felt tired and went into a coma and never woke up untill he got to Heaven. My parents were wonderful Christians, both taught Sunday School and we always had a family devotional time each night which I loved. My Dad was so much fun and loved music also . The last thing he bought me was a violin. I already could play the piano.
I was the oldest of 5 children, so when he died, my Mother had her hands full. We had great Aunts and Grandmothers who halped her and also Uncles. Many of my friends even back in High School and even now tell me that they wish they could have had a Mother like mine. She was always there for them as well as all of her own children.
She had a hard life financially at times, but God always provided and I have always thought it was because she tithed her money even when she hardly had enough to feed us. It would always come from somewhere, neighbors, church members, family members, etc. God always provides when we follow his word.
Her main love was and still is Missions , which I followed suit, and my wonderful husband of 46 years and our 2 precious children have the same goals and a heart for Missions. That is one gift my Mother passed down in the family. Her passion is contagious, and her Love of the Lord fills our hearts with Joy. Jesus is # 1 in my life.
I am very physically limited, but it gives me time to pray for others and sit and read to our darling 4 year old Grandson, Joshua, who loves to hear Jesus stories as he calls them. He wanted to know one day if he was the Joshua in the Bible and I explained to him who that Joshua was. he brings me a lot of happiness and is so loving and will ask me if there is anything I need him to do.
I know this is long, but I just have to tell you all this . He was spending the week-end with us and he always aleeps with me since he got out of the crib. I ask him if he wanted to make our spare bedroom into a room for him so he sould heve a room of his own like he does at his home. His comment was: But Nana, on the middle of the night, I moght hear you crying and saying ” where is Joshua, and I would come running in your room as fast as I could” and he hugged my neck and kissed my cheek and fell asleep. That will always be a happy memory for me.
Blessings on all of you and thank you for the thoughts you put in here about your Mothers and those that took your birth Mother’s place. They are wonderful people . Thank you Father God for all kinds of Mothers on this earth and I know we all are looking forward to being with you one Glorious Day in Heaven and being with out Faithful Abba Father. In Jesus Loving name, Amen.
i agree with gina mothers day is every day
sharon b
You see how the honor continues. Mother’s Day may be a commercial holiday, but those who we have honored with our posts did not just love us for a day. So this devotional was just on time. Praise God!
Gina
i thank you lord for giving me my grandmother who was always there for me and my sisters and brothers when my own mother was in the world during drugs, my grandmother made sure all of us eat even tho she had young kid of her own, and my mother had seven kids, it was always safe with my grandmother anything went wrong she was always there for us, i truly miss my grandmother so much, now that she’s in heaven with god i no she pain free. thank you god
I smiled, Andi, when you asked what kind of legacy our mother/mother figures left with us.
My piano teacher gave me a love for music and it was a refuge for me in the midst of a dysfunctional home.
As from my mother…I started to say cooking…but she was the wonderful cook and pie maker. What I have that is truly like her, is (I suppose you can call it a gift??)that she was quick to speak and would use a word…that she did not intend. One example was when we had dinner guest. The out of town guest were to be introduced to my parent’s friends. The guest’s name was Mignon. My mother introduced her as Filet.
When my brothers, daughters and I get together, we laugh and laugh at the many times she did things like that.
I now do it……and I can, as mother did, laugh right along with everyone.
Sunday was Mother’s Day. My sister drove 2 1/2 hours from the East and my husband and I drove 2 1/2 hours from the north to meet our mother at a restaurant for Mother’s Day brunch. Dad just recently died and we had his funeral May 3rd. We didn’t want Mom to be by herself on Mother’s Day, so we drove 2 1/2 hours and she drove 1 1/2 hours and we celebrated Mother’s Day together. I always felt closer to Dad than to Mom. Perhaps now is the opportunity to develop my relationship with Mom.
Interesting question, Cathy. It is two days after the official Mother’s Day, but I feel it is appropriate because as the commandment says – honor your mother and father, so why limit it to one day, right?
I never met my birth mother. She was a “liberal” girl who wanted to upset her parents by having a relationship with an African American man. Oops! I came along. She put me up for adoption because I would put a cramp in her life. Her mother encouraged it because, well goodness, look at how dark I was. Well, God has his reasons. I could feel bitter, but I won’t because He saw to it that I was adopted by a wonderful couple who had one son, but due to medical reasons, the woman could not have any more children. This loving couple wanted a daughter and had prayed fervently for one. We were all blessed in this. I pray for my birth mother and I thank her believe it or not. My brother passed two years ago, my father just this past February 12 so it is down to my mother and me. Her finances are in a mess, but I am here to help her. Am I being proud? No. See, we often just look at God working “a” miracle, but He has a plan, an ultimate plan. If I had not been adopted and loved and cherished by this wonderful family, my mother would have lost her home and most likely fallen in to a terrible depression but as she cared for me for more years than she should have (yes, we all had those “wild times”) I am caring for her. And we LOVE each other. I mean we really LOVE each other. When something wonderful happens we cannot wait to call each other.
Yes, mothers (birth, adoptive, surrogate, foster, grand, etc.) are all part of God’s plan – the “good” ones and the “bad” ones. Through them, the Lord gives us life, hope, guidance, understanding, compassion and all.
Thank you Lord Jesus for Kate who raised me and taught me to love you first. Bless her for she is worthy of honor and praise. And thank you my God for all the mothers on this list. And when I say mothers, not just those who have had the pleasure of giving birth, but to those who “mother” others in ways that they may not even be aware. Protect them and love them, my God. Stay strong in their hearts and in their spirits. Guide them, hold them in your loving arms. They are worthy of our praise Lord Jesus. Halleluiah!
God bless you all!
Gina
Cathy, perhaps this devotional was left until today to spread out the focus and thots we have for our mums?
Patti, you are right in saying we miss our mum’s when they are gone. My mum became a ‘best friend’ to me and I spoke to her every day via phone. I loved her SO much and the hole is still huge when I think too much of how she impacted my life in such a positive way.
My husband’s mum died 2 years ago and he feels the same way.
We both experience things in life when our immediate reaction is: I want to call my mum and tell her this! And then we realize we can’t do that anymore. On mother’s day he called his dad as he knew his dad would be feeling a bit lost as well. Sure enuf his dad had taken a spring plant to the gravesite.
I think of Margaret now who is going to do the same thing this week.
My mum taught me to love, laugh, to be kind and to accept people just the way they are. She was also a great mum, and baked the best cookeies ever!
What kind of a legacy have your mum’s left you w/ladies?
Andi
My mom went to be with Jesus 2 years ago yesterday the 12th ! My mom had the greatest sense of humor and we laughed a lot together. I remember one time when mom had broke her ankle and she was staying at my sisters and asked if she would like to go home for a few days! She was elated! I tried to keep her from doing house-hold chores! She was up and vacuuming the house and making breakfast! One afternoon we went to Cobourg for lunch (next town over from Port Hope) We had a disabled car sign. When we got to Pizza Hut she decided she didn’t need her wheelchair she could use her crutches. She was convinced we could not park in the handicapped parking spot because it had a wheelchair on it! I explained about the sign and what it meant. My 5 foot determined mom said well I guess we might as well go home if you won’t move the car. So I parked the car next to the wheelchair just to keep mom happy! We got into the restaurant and the floor was wet so she decided she needed the wheelchair! So back out to the car I went and I put the car into the wheelchair parking spot and dragged the heavy wheelchair out of the trunk of mom’s car! I brought the wheelchair in and we were seated. When we were at the table I quipped I parked the car in the wheelchair spot! Mom retorted back I see that and we giggled! about that!
Another time my husband was driving mom’s car to church and as my husband was ready to drive mom commaned my husband to get out of the car she was driving! My husband is a bit pokey in his driving got his eyes opened about much on the ball my mom was. We joke about the Sunday morning Mom taught my husband to drive!
I shouldn’ttell all my secrets, but I hate making beds! One morning I went down stairs to catch mom with her bed unmade. Mom turned on me and wanted the camera. We giggled and laughed as I tried to get a picture of her bed unmade! I have a picture of mom running towards the camera.
My birth mother my aunt is day and night different and I am so glad to have been blest by a mom who was my friend, my mentor, a godly woman of God, and a lady who loved to have a lot of fun!
I have written a book on my mom’s life and on my journey to truth and hope have it published within the next year or so!
Today’s devotion was good. I feel that everyone should have had a Mother like mine, as all of you feel! Why was this sent two days after Mother’s Day?
I have heard it said and believe it is true…that no matter what kind of relationship you had with your mother, you will miss her when she is gone.
I truly miss my mother, yet I am so thankful I was there with her when she took the hand of Jesus.
Today’s devotion was good. Please don’t take me wrong, I feel everyone should have had a Mother like mine, as do all of you, but why was it sent two days after Mothers Day?
What beautiful stories both Patti and Marlene shared about the other mothers in their lives. I have a wonderful mother. She worked all her life to raise 5 children and put food on the table under very challenging circumstances. She is an amazing women. There have been other mothers in my life. My neighbor growing up who sheltered us when life became to challenging in my own home. Another neighbor who nurtured me in the early years of my marriange while living far from home. Happy mother’s day to all those who nurture others.
My mum was the best. That is wonderful to be able to say. The only thing is she rejected Jesus to become a Jehovah’s Witness.
Marlene do you know what kind of work you’ll be doing, or who you’ll be working with? Where are you from [as I see you also write 'mum' in the British/Canadian fashion]?
I aslo had a woman who helped me thru a few ruff spots like a ‘mother.’
I am a good mother but even our daughter, Sarah, had a ‘mother’ type friend at her work place.
I think it is good that we have these special other ‘mother’ types in our lives.
What do you ladies think? I feel that to ask one person to fill all the roles of being a ‘mum’ is asking a heck of a lot; so IF God brings other loving parental figures into my kids lives as HE did for me then I thank HIM. As these ‘extra parents’ can fill in the spaces I left empty or 1/2 full. What do you think?
Andi
my dear mother passed in 1990 my husbands 1986 we had the most wonderful lady living next door to us who for 13 years was like a second mother to us her name was kate but in april she went to be with The Lord so now we have three mothers to morn. but we were very blessed by her. and are grateful for having her in our lives
sharon b
Like Patti, my birth mother was not my ‘mother figure’ I didn’t remember her, and only vaguely remembered my stepmother. It always seemed as though I was in the edge of the shadow watching life. One night my stepmother climbed in through my bedroom window, crying, and then I was sent off to her mum’s home, on the back of a motorbike, in the middle of the night. My father had committed suicide while she was out with another man. I didn’t stay there long, but after a court case was sent to live with my grandparents. My grandmother was ailing, my grandfather had a stroke because of the stress and it wasn’t until I married that, after a few altercations, I found my other figure in my mother in law. I had three beautiful children. But when my marriage failed, she, too, left. I was seeking then for a reason, a meaning, and nearly got caught up in dangerous ‘spiritual’ pursuits, but several years later met a wonderful man who became my husband. We were led to Jesus at the same time. I then found my birth mum and she committed her life to Jesus just before she died. I then felt as though the cycle was completed. I had Jesus, my mum had told me she loved me and was in heaven where we will meet for the final reunion. So no gaps now in my heart, just an overflowing abundance of love which I have recently decided to pour out on women who have not known the love that a mother gives to her birthchild – they have so much locked up inside of them just waiting to pour out with some encouragement. Thank you Lord that you have given me this insight and help me to do your will.
Marlene
I had to think about this one, as I was not close to my mother growing up. My piano teacher, I believe was my mother figure through my years at home. She taught me much more than piano. She exposed me to different music, talked with me about what I wanted to do after High School, took me to music workshops and concerts and most of all, she truly believed in me.
I remember listening to stories of when she was a girl. Her mother would play piano for the silent movies….right here in Oklahoma. Her stories came alive in my mind and I always looked forward to them.
Though I didn’t understand at the time, she did talk to me about her faith. She was direct and to the point, but always encouraged me and we were always able to laugh about something. She was a true lady..a very dramatic woman, a very caring and nurturing woman who filled in the gaps that I was missing at home.
I’m very thankful for her in my life as I know the Lord placed her there for more than piano lessons….to teach me some things about life…that it isn’t always fair…that there is always a bright side and after the dark night, morning will come.
Dear Jesus,
How thankful we are for special women/mother figures in our lives. I thank you for this woman in my life and I also thank you for my mother in my life. She did what she could….as she had so many struggles herself. I thank you for the time I had with her later in my life. May I always focus on the good times. In Jesus Name.