Jump Start # 1350

Proverbs 23:25 Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

  Yesterday was Mother’s Day. The restaurants were packed. The sermons were reminders about the importance of mothers. There were phones calls from grown kids to their moms. There will sweet attempts to give mom breakfast in bed and gifts that she would enjoy.

Moms sure deserve at least one day off and most didn’t even get that. Raising children just wears a person out. My wife spent a day babysitting our little granddaughter. She’s learned to crawl and she just takes off across the floor and record breaking speed. My wife came home that evening declaring that God knew what He was doing by giving young people children. She was tired. The spills, the messes, the fusses that mom must be involved in only gets harder and deeper as the children age. Spilled milk is nothing compared to the disappointment of not making the team or a broken heart. Moms say a lot of prayers. The early prayers are for the joys that come with little babies. Then the prayers shift to their safety, especially as they go off to school and start driving. Then the prayers shift to their spiritual wellbeing. One thing I’ve noticed is that the mom button is never turned off. No matter how old the mom gets and how independent the grown children become, mom is always mom.

My mom has been gone for twenty years now. She’s missed many adventures, births, weddings in our family. I wonder what she would think about all this now. She would be a great grandmother today.

I believe one of the greatest blessings for moms or dads is to see their children grown, spiritual, connected and engaged in the things that make a difference in life. All parents want to see their children happy. All parents like to see them doing well financially. Getting the kids off the payroll and independent and then to see them making wonderful financial decisions on their own is such a blessing. But the greatest is knowing that they walk with the Lord. To know on any given Sunday, your children will be in the house of the Lord worshipping God is such a deep satisfaction. It began long ago with moms singing those sweet songs, such as “Jesus loves me, this I know.” It continued with naming the books of the Bible as the family rode together in the car. It included prayers before dinner and working on Bible lessons. It involved many discussions and sometimes battles with the kids when they became teens. There was the modesty lessons. Then the dating lessons. Then the ‘remember who you are’ talks. Parents often got sighs, rolled eyes and the look from their teens. But that wouldn’t stop good ole’ mom. She hung in there and fought for her little cubs, just like a mamma bear. She wouldn’t put up with any lame excuses. She expected to be obeyed, the rooms clean and definitely no attitude. Those little chicks of hers grew. Then there were weddings and mama cried. She was so happy for her child. And today, she sees her children raising their own children. They are repeating the same songs. They are doing the same things that were done to them. Mom sees her little grandbabies growing up and learning about Jesus and what is right. Mom smiles. This is what it is all about. All those battles. All those messes. All those sleepless nights. Another generation doing right. Another generation that has placed a stake in the ground for the Lord. Another generation that is going to make a difference.

That is the best gift any parent can have. Most kids have moments when they are prodigals. The worry, tears and prayers are intense during those periods. But when those prodigals get it and come back to where they belong, what a powerful and wonderful moment that is. Many of us today are preaching, shepherding, serving as deacons, Bible class teachers and engaged in kingdom work where we are. We have done well because of our parents. Where I worship, I see two and three generations of families worshipping together. What a great feeling and satisfaction that must be for those parents.

For the moms that have made us say our prayers, apologize and do right, “Thank you.” For the moms that are right in the middle of all of this, hang in there and keep going. Don’t quit. Don’t get discouraged. Those little ones need you.

Yesterday, I preached and two of my sons preached in two other states. My daughter taught her first Bible class in another city. We were spread out yesterday, but what a joy it was to hear and learn of the great things that all of them were doing for the Lord. Children doing well and doing right, this is the best present any parent can received.

God bless you moms. Now, get busy, you’ve got little ones and big ones to see after. Moms don’t resign. Moms don’t quit. This mom business is tough, but God wired you so you can handle it. What a blessing it is that someone calls you, “Mom.”

Roger