William Makepeace Thackeray, a British journalist and novelist once remarked: “Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children.” Proverbs 31:25-29 confirms: Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”
Mothering Sunday, more commonly known as Mother’s Day is a day when most offspring will give thanks and show appreciation for all the efforts and love given over many years by a very special person. Unless one has been adopted, most mothers are the natural-bearing female parent of their children. They feed, bathe, nurture, guide, advise, tend to wounds and care for us throughout many years with devotion and fortitude. Their role is never-ending. We are their proud visible product of conception and very often the apple of their maternal eye.
Mothers are often considered the most wonderful person in the world. They may be considered a first friend, a best friend or even a forever friend. For some, a car may also be considered a best friend and may even, like a child, become a pride and joy.
A car, no matter how fond we are of it, is only expected to last for a certain number of years. A mother is for a lifetime. If we care and look after our vehicles, one of the regular maintenance requirements recommended in the accompanying manual, to keep it in good and trouble-free condition, is an annual service. Like a valued car, Mums need regular maintenance too, to feel loved and retain top form. Some of the components or checks required in a service that may be equatable to the needs of a mother are:
Engine: All engines need a regular oil change to maintain fluidity and smooth functional ability, Mums benefit from a similar experience. At least one good holiday a year is recommended in the manual for optimum lubrication and movement of parts.
Battery Check: This is the heart of the system. Without this, nothing will operate. A fully charged battery is essential to provide a lasting, but often exhausting daily performance. It is the necessary ingredient to encourage the initial surge of power to rise in the morning and continue throughout the day. Batteries are usually recharged by running the engine for periods of time by driving from a given point A to B. In a mother’s case, this may be substituted by regular top-ups of days out for purely leisure purposes.
Wing Mirrors: These are important on a vehicle to provide rear sight and monitoring. Mothers also need eyes in the back of their heads to monitor their children’s activities.
Brakes: These are essential in a car to provide stopping power. A day’s relaxation in a health spa or full body treatment allows for an unwinding process to occur to relieve stress and frustration. The brakes of life are applied to effectively inhibit motion.
Carburetor: Flooding of this necessary device should be avoided at all costs.
A readily available supply of handkerchiefs or tissues is recommended for the occasional necessity of need. Now predominantly replaced by a modern fuel injection management system to improve efficiency and lower pollutant emissions in a vehicle, this cleaner alternative remedy, hopefully, eliminates any need for tears, by giving more love and respect, portrayed through modern-day understanding and ultimately less chance of a tidal surge in the most difficult of situations.
Fuel: This is essential to provide any movement of the vehicle. It is the food of the system. Regular evenings out to a restaurant or social event can provide a good substitution for the required and necessary sustenance.
Paint or Bodywork: This is the overall pleasing representation of the car. Regular washing and polishing can significantly enhance the overall external effect. Likewise, relaxing baths, some exercising, and additional cosmetic touch-up to important areas will help to maintain a sleek and stylish outer appearance.
If these recommendations are adhered to, together with respect for her as an individual and recognition as an important person, then the finished result should create a healthy and contented serviceable life that will be maintained with the minimum of problems. We care for, admire and look after our beloved cars with adoration and pride, why should we not apply the same principle to our mothers? They try to do the best for us throughout their lives; surely at the very least, they deserve the same love and attention that we give to our beloved cars.
Mothers are often considered the rock and security of a child’s life. They provide the necessary stability and encouragement during times of uncertainty or need. They endure the rough, along with the smooth. They are often the receiver of a child’s frustration or temper. They may even, on occasions, deem it necessary to turn a blind eye to the antics of their offspring for the sake of peace and quiet.
They sometimes need to motivate or reverse lethargy or disinterest. However, one of the major roles of responsibility is to provide love and reassurance in times of necessity when no other option appears apparent.
Children are considered in the Bible as a reward and the fruit of the womb. Most are believed to be a gift from God. Psalm 127:3 refers. However, they are often delicate creatures that rely heavily on others. They require careful and responsible handling to achieve the best in life. Proverbs 22:6 reminds us: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Everyone experiences good and bad times during childhood and each circumstance has to be treated individually. A mother often has to decide the best course of action for the prevailing condition and guide accordingly. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 confirms: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
Amen.
