Mother’s Day is an annual day set aside to celebrate the “MVP” of every home. Unlike most MVPs, moms don’t get enough recognition. To you, Mom, this post is dedicated.
Thank you for…
…keeping house and home together.
…meal after meal after meal after meal.
…load after load after load after load of laundry.
…packing lunches.
…caring if everyone is at home and tucked in.
…caring regardless if everyone is at home or not.
…being the number one fan of the children regardless of what they are doing.
…going to ball games and practices.
…taking all those pictures and video.
…listening, talking, and explaining life.
…not being distracted when dad is.
…correction.
…thinking way ahead.
…for organizing your way and helping keep all the balls in the air.
…feeding, watering, walking, and cleaning up after dogs and cats.
…saying no to so many things because the something better was hanging out with a child.
…tending to a sick child or children.
…risking it all to have a baby or babies.
…loving when it is difficult.
…tracking everyone’s schedule.
…volunteering at school, checking homework, reading school-related emails, or homeschooling children.
…establishing bedtime and morning rituals.
…caring if everyone gets enough sleep.
…helping manage conflict in and outside the home.
…turning to prayer personally and with the children often.
…taking what’s crazy and making it sane.
…not being distracted by so many good things that you miss the best things.
…going to the dress rehearsal, the opening performance, and the closing performance, or some semblance of those.
…helping memorize lines, listening to songs sung, helping with the public speech rehearsal, and making sure the instrument is practiced.
…shopping for the family.
…thinking ahead to plan birthdays, birthday parties, and otherwise making special days more special.
…taking care of Christmas – planning, shopping, wrapping, baking, and so much more.
…packing the whole family for trips.
…preparing the whole family to do anything.
…praying and praying and praying.
…pointing all of the family to Christ.
…keeping yourself right with Christ.
…supporting dad when it is not easy or popular.
…over-performing in almost everything.
…seeking help when you need it.
…checking pockets.
…holding stuff.
…finding stuff.
…cleaning uniforms.
…doing science projects.
…proof-reading papers.
…unraveling the drama that is life.
…the notes in lunch boxes.
…providing perspective.
…quietly changing beds and washing pjs.
…cooking favorite meals.
…remembering everyone’s favorite everything.
…speaking words of hope and life.
…reminding everyone of Jesus.
…loving like Christ.
…working faithfully inside and outside the home.
…being a living example of selflessness.
…keeping it all together when dad forgets, fails, disappoints, and discourages.
…staying home when going out would be more fun.
…going out when staying home would be more pleasant.
…picking up, dropping off, picking up, dropping off, picking up, dropping off, and everything else you do in vehicles, parking lots, and car lines.
…arranging so many special and ordinary things with other parents.
…making events special.
…making any day special.
…keeping snacks and favorite drinks available.
…picking up the house again and again and again and again.
…this list could go on and on and on. That’s the point. It is random because life is random. It is long because life is long.
In Sum…
This list could go on and on. For most of the things on this list you do not get “Thank You” notes. In fact, many times you do these things and no one even notices. It just happens. Everyone is blessed. You are left with the simple satisfaction of doing what love demanded but no one else possibly even noticed, took for granted, or otherwise sometimes even cared. Oh they would care if it didn’t happen, but didn’t care to make sure it happened. That category alone is huge.
There are so many of you today that carry heavy, unspoken burdens – burdens about which sometimes only you know or a very limited circle of family and friends. Real burdens. Additionally, you do not just love and serve children, but you also love and serve their dad, or deal with the loss of their dad.
Although some of you moms are single, many, at times, feel single. Yet, you continue to care, provide, and support.
Some reading this are dealing with their own sins and disappointments. Just know today that God’s mercy in Christ is greater than your sin or struggles. Never a life does a sin make. You are weak because you are human. God’s grace and strength is greater.
Some moms have not heard from a child in ages. Some have but it was poison. If that is you today, just know that God knows, hears, and cares.
Moms, your “Good job!” “Well done!” “I’m so proud of you!” and so many other words of support may be the only ones that keep a child or the family going.
Thank you! A million times over, Thank you!
This is your day to humbly allow us to say, “Thank you” to you but also recall the One Who is greater. Your role, your energy, your strength, your constitution, your faith, your power, your weaknesses, and your personality were all given to you and are sustained in you by God. We rejoice in Him today as well and give Him glory for who you are.
To my own mother, I’m so grateful. To my grandmothers, I noticed. To my children’s mother, I’m at a loss of words because of everything you do on top of knowing the dad of the bunch. To so many of you moms that I have observed quietly, listened to, and counseled, thank you. To the ones reading this blog that I have never met, please received this as a thank you to you as well.
To you moms, thank you.
Join the Conversation
Do you have something to add to the list? What special thing did your mom do for you for which you’re grateful?
From the archive for Mother’s Day:
The Link: Mother’s Day Edition (several great articles available here)
Pastor Kevin’s Blog | Walking together through life as friends in Christ sharing wisdom along the journey