Mom & Me
Ephesians 6:2-3
2 "Honor your father and mother"-- which is the first commandment with a promise--
3 "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."
(NIV)
If Mom’s not happy,
Nobody’s happy!
A University of Minnesota study on Motherhood released this week said moms should get $131,000 a year for what they do! When you add together all the different jobs they do it becomes obvious how valuable mothers are in our lives. Some reports say mothers do 17 different jobs while raising their children: Here are some examples: psychologist, social worker, doctor, nurse, executive chef, teacher, police officer, judge, counselor, manager, dish washer, maid, financial manager, etc. One researcher stated, "Of course, no one can place a value on the love and affection that mothers give to their families." But it shows what they are worth far more than a 3 figure salary and their love and service to their families is “Priceless".
Here are some examples of some mothers and what they could have SAID:
MONA LISA’S MOTHER: "After all that money your father and I spent on braces, Mona, that’s the biggest smile you can give us?"
HUMPTY DUMPTY’S MOTHER: "Humpty, if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a hundred times not to sit on that wall. But would you listen to me? Noooo!"
COLUMBUS’ MOTHER: "I don’t care what you’ve discovered, Christopher. You still could have written!"
MICHELANGELO’S MOTHER: "Mike, can’t you paint on walls like other children? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off the ceiling?"
NAPOLEON’S MOTHER: "All right, Napoleon. If you aren’t hiding your report card inside your jacket, then take your hand out of there and prove it!"
JONAH’S MOTHER: "That’s a nice story, but now tell me where you’ve really been for the last three days."
Yup, sometimes they just don’t know what they’re saying or asking… That’s because it is not easy to be mom.
James Dobson tells about a time he came home when his son, Ryan, was a small baby. It had been a terrible day for his wife. Ryan had been sick, & had cried all day long.
Once, as she was changing his diapers, the telephone rang & Shirley reached over to answer it before fastening up his diapers. Just then Ryan had an attack of diarrhea.
She cleaned up that mess & put him in clean, sweet-smelling clothes. Then she took him into the living room & fed him. As she was burping him he threw up all over himself, & her, & the couch, too.
Dobson writes, "When I came home I could smell the aroma of motherhood everywhere." Shirley cried out to him, "Was all of this in my contract?"
“Countless times each day a mother does what no one else can do quite as well. She wipes away a tear, whispers a word of hope, and eases a child’s fear. She teaches, ministers, loves, and nurtures the next generation of citizens. Moreover, she challenges and cajoles her kids to do their best and be the best. But no editorials praise these accomplishments - where is the coverage our mothers rightfully deserve?”
Of all the relationships a person can have,
none is more important than
Mom & Me!
Snapshots of the Relationship
between Jesus and His Mother:
Mothers are a
Safe Place
Luke 2:15-19
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
(NIV)
A baby asked God, ’They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?’ God said, ’Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you.’
The child further inquired, ’But tell me, here in heaven I don’t have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy.’ God said, ’Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel’s love and be very happy.’
Again the child asked, ’And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don’t know the language?’ God said, ’Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.’
’And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?’ God said, ’Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.’
’Who will protect me?’ God said, ’Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life.’
’But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.’ God said, ’Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you.’
At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, ’God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel’s name.’
God said, ’You will simply call her, ’Mom.’
Mothers are Directors of a Child’s Dreams
Luke 2:41-52
41 Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.
42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom.
43 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.
45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.
46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?"
50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
(NIV)
"I believe very strongly in visualizing goals way beyond what seems humanly possible," says Cathy Guisewite, creator of the syndicated cartoon ’Cathy.’ "I got this from my parents. When my mother first suggested I submit some scribbles to a syndicate, I told her I knew nothing about comic strips. Mom said, ’So what? You’ll learn.’ When I pointed out that I didn’t know how to draw, she said, ’So what? You’ll learn.’ All parents believe their children can do the impossible. They thought it the minute we were born, and no matter how hard we’ve tried to prove them wrong, they all think it about us now. And the really annoying thing is, they’re probably right."
While sorting through "treasured" stuff her daughter Elizabeth had accumulated over the years, a mother came across a questionnaire Elizabeth had filled out while completing her master’s degree. In response to the question, "What was the most important advice you received from your mother?" Elizabeth had written, "Always rely on your own good judgment." And to "What was the most important advice you received from your father?" Elizabeth answered, "Ask your mother."
Moms are a child’s
Silent Partner
Matthew 13:54-57
54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked.
55 "Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?
56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"
57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor."
(NIV)
Mom can be a child’s
Primary Support
John 19:25-27
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son,"
27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
(NIV)
Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure.
Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, "I love you and I wish you enough".
The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough , too, Mom".
They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?".
Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?".
"I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.
"When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, ’I wish you enough’. May I ask what that means?".
She began to smile. "That’s a wish that has been handed down from other generations My parents used to say it to everyone". She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more. "When we said , ’ I wish you enough’, we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them". Then turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the he smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.
She then began to cry and walked away.
They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them but then an entire life to forget them.
