The Highs And Lows Of Motherhood

“The Highs And Lows Of Motherhood”

Text: Angel -- “Greetings, you are highly favoured… the Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28)

“I am the Lord’s servant…” Luke 1:38

“Mary responded, ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.’ And then the angel left her.” Luke 1:38

Text: “…a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Lu 2:35)

Introduction: What’s it like to be a Mom?

A lady who wanted to be a mom for many years finally announced on Mother’s day that she was pregnant. It was a miracle… after a prayer prompted by the Holy Spirit.

Dorothy Day… writer…social activist lived in the (1897-1980)

• Lived as a wild living bohemian… and later became a devout catholic.

• Day was an active journalist and described her social activism in her writings. In 1917 she was imprisoned as a member of nonviolent Silent Sentinels. In the 1930s, Day established the Catholic Worker Movement, a pacifist movement that combines direct aid for the poor and homeless with nonviolent direct action . She practiced civil disobedience, which led to additional arrests in 1955,[5] 1957,[6] and in 1973 at age 75.

Dorothy Day became a follower of Jesus…What triggered her conversion?

In part, it was motherhood.

Being a writer she describes labour pain…

Labor – “ earthquake and fire swept my body. my spirit was a battle ground on which thousands were butchered in the most horrible manner. through the Rush and roar of the cataclysm which was all about me I heard the murmur of the doctor and answered the murmur of the nurse in my head. In a white blaze of thankfulness I knew that ether (sedation) was forthcoming.”

I’m sure the Mpom’s listening today can relate to this colorful account!

Dorothy Day describes becoming a mother and holding her baby this way…

“If I had written the greatest book, composed the greatest symphony, painted the most beautiful painting, or carved the most exquisite figure I could not have felt (the presence of ) our exalted creator more than I did when they placed my child in my arms… no human creature could conceive or contain so vast a flood of love and joy as I often felt after the birth of my child. …and with this came the need to worship.”

But who to thank?

… she came to see, worship, adoration, Thanksgiving, prayer, these were the noblest acts of which humanity was capable of in this life.”

David Brooks comments, “the birth of her child began her transformation from a scattered person to a centered one, from an unhappy bohemian to a woman who had found her calling.”

I want to contrast this picture with another picture… picture with me an orphanage… I speak of Grace Orphanage in the city of L’viv, Ukraine. I place I have visited and where my heart has been deeply moved by the beautiful children living there and the godly people who mother these children.

• 30 plus children

• Beautiful.

• Innocent.

• some have been neglected

• some have been abandoned

• some taken by the government from their parents – or a single mom

• …and then they come into this orphanage – not a state orphanage – but a Christian orphanage… where they learn of God’s love and become part of a church…where the house parents read the bible and pray before tucking the children into bed.

A place where “Mom” takes on new meaning… and family has a new dimension…all inspired by the love of God.

My good friend Pastor Taras Kolovoska provides the oversight… and raises the funds to keep the orphanage open.

On Sunday two years ago, at Taras’ church, I met a boy who isn’t an orphan but has had to grow up too soon…his Mom is disabled and his Dad isn’t a believer… so he comes to church by bus every Sunday…with his sister.

A few day later, I travelled to a small town 2 hours outside L’viv to visit my friends Roman and Victoria… they have 3 children

• Diana 12

• Elizabeth 8

• Roman jr 5

They were excited to have a visitor in their home and couldn’t wait for me to arrive… then once I did arrive, they played shy… but I know my way around shy… I pull out my phone and start showing them pictures of my kids and our dog… they couldn’t resist!

We played games …we laughed and I listened to the children on the piano and the violin .The next day, Sunday when I had to say good-bye…little Roma actually cried.

…But my point is I saw a beautiful, Christian family where children are loved… they have no TV and no computer… there house is under construction – no doors on the kitchen cupboards yet…but there is family and there is joy… and there is God’s presence.