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Celebrating the freeing, supportive presence of God.  So your experience of God may become your experience of life.  It is wonderful what God can do!

May 8, 2005

GRATITUDE

JESUS HAD JUST HEALED TEN LEPERS. YOU COULD SAY THAT IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE IN THEIR LIVES. YET JUST ONE RETURNS TO SAY "THANKS" TO JESUS, TO SHARE THEIR GRATITUDE.

WE MAY WONDER WHAT THIS SCRIPTURE HAS TO DO WITH MOTHER'S DAY. YET, THE THOUGHT THAT COMES TO MIND IS THAT OF GRATITUDE. THE ONE LEPER TOOK THE TIME AND GENUINE EFFORT TO SAY THANKS, TO OFFER HIS GRATITUDE FOR WHAT HE HAD RECEIVED IN HIS LIFE.

IN FACT, THAT WAS THE IDEA OF THE FIRST MOTHER'S DAY. A DAUGHTER BY THE NAME OF ANNA JARVIS SIMPLY WANTED TO FIND A WAY TO SAY THANK YOU TO HER MOTHER. SO, FOR A CHURCH SERVICE IN HER HOME TOWN, ON MAY 10, 1908, SHE ORGANIZED A MOTHER'S DAY REMEMBRANCE AS A WAY TO SAY THANK YOU TO HER MOTHER AND TO ALL MOTHERS.

THE IDEA CAUGHT ON. IN FACT, IT CAUGHT ON SO QUICKLY THAT ON MAY 9, 1914, JUST SIX YEARS LATER, BY AN ACT OF CONGRESS, PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON PROCLAIMED THE SECOND SUNDAY IN MAY AS MOTHER'S DAY. HE ESTABLISHED THE DAY AS A TIME FOR "PUBLIC EXPRESSION OF OUR LOVE AND REVERENCE FOR MOTHERS OF OUR COUNTRY."

MOTHER'S DAY IS A TIME TO SAY THANKS, TO OFFER GRATITUDE.

YET, ALSO, FOR WHAT ARE WE SAYING THANK YOU TO MOTHERS. THOUGHTS THAT COME TO MIND ARE HARD WORK, SELF-SACRIFICING LOVE, WHAT COULD SOMETIMES BE DESCRIBED AS TOUGH LOVE, AND INSPIRATION.

FOR, ERMA BOMBECK IN HER NEWSPAPER COLUMN WROTE ABOUT HARD WORK THIS WAY. BY THE WAY, HER COLUMN THAT DAY WAS ENTITLED, "THE EASIEST PART OF BEING A MOM IS GIVING BIRTH."

"FOR THE FIRST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AFTER I HAD CHILDREN, I CONSIDERED MOTHERHOOD A TEMPORARY CONDITION - NOT A CALLING. IT WAS A TIME OF MY LIFE SET ASIDE FOR EXHAUSTION AND LONG HOURS. IT WOULD PASS. THEN ONE AFTERNOON WITH THREE KIDS IN TOW, I CAME OUT OF THE SUPERMARKET PUSHING A CART (WITH FOUR WHEELS THAT WENT IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS) WHEN MY TODDLER SON GOT AWAY FROM ME.
JUST OUTSIDE THE DOOR, HE RAN TOWARD A MACHINE HOLDING BUBBLE GUM IN A GLASS DOME. IN A VOICE THAT SHATTERED GLASS, HE SHOUTED, "GIMME! GIMME!" I TOLD HIM I WOULD GIMME HIM WHAT-FOR IF HE DIDN'T STOP SHOUTING AND GET IN THE CAR. AS I PHYSICALLY TRIED TO PRY HIS BODY FROM AROUND THE BUBBLE GUM MACHINE, HE PULLED THE ENTIRE THING OVER. GLASS AND BALLS OF BUBBLE GUM WENT ALL OVER THE PARKING LOT. WE HAD NOW ATTRACTED A CROWD. DONNA REED WOULD HAVE BRUSHED AWAY HIS TEARS AND GRANTED HIM ABSOLUTION ON THE SPOT. I WASN'T DONNA REED. I TOLD HIM HE WOULD NEVER SEE ANOTHER CARTOON AS LONG AS HE LIVED, AND IF HE DIDN'T CONTROL HIS TEMPER HE WAS GOING TO BE MAKING LICENSE PLATES FOR THE STATE. HE TRIED TO STIFLE HIS SOBS AS HE LOOKED AROUND AT THE STARING CROWD. THEN HE DID SOMETHING THAT I WAS TO REMEMBER THE REST OF MY LIFE. IN HIS HELPLESS QUEST FOR COMFORT, HE TURNED TO THE ONLY ONE HE TRUSTED HIS EMOTIONS WITH - ME. HE THREW HIS ARMS AROUND MY KNEES AND HELD ON FOR DEAR LIFE. I HAD HUMILIATED HIM, CHASTISED HIM AND BERATED HIM, BUT I WAS STILL ALL HE HAD. THAT SINGLE INCIDENT DEFINED MY ROLE. I WAS A MAJOR FORCE IN THIS CHILD'S LIFE. SOMETIMES WE FORGET HOW IMPORTANT STABILITY IS TO A CHILD. I'VE ALWAYS TOLD MINE, "THE EASIEST PART OF BEING A MOTHER IS GIVING BIRTH. THE HARDEST PART IS SHOWING UP FOR IT EACH DAY."

AND IN TERMS OF MOMS AND HARD WORK I CAME ACROSS SOME STATISTICS FROM A STUDY.

BEING A MOTHER IS A DEMANDING JOB. AS A MATTER OF FACT, ACCORDING TO A RECENT REPORT FROM SALARY.COM, A WEBSITE DEDICATED TO RESEARCHING AVERAGE SALARIES FOR VARIOUS JOBS AND INDUSTRIES, REPORTS STAY-AT-HOME MOMS WOULD EARN AN AVERAGE OF $131,471 ANNUALLY, INCLUDING OVERTIME, IF THEY RECEIVED A PAYCHECK. OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT WOULD BE ABOUT $43,000 TO COVER THE BASE SALARY FOR 40 HOUR A WEEK JOBS. THE MOMS HERE CAN ATTEST THAT THEY WOULD DEFINITELY EARN THE OTHER $88,000 A YEAR FOR 60 HOURS OF OVERTIME EACH WEEK. AND THAT JUST COVERS THE WAKING HOURS! AMONG THE JOBS THE STAY-AT-HOME MOMS REPORTED TO SALARY.COM WERE DAY-CARE CENTER TEACHER, VAN DRIVER, HOUSEKEEPER, COOK, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NURSE AND GENERAL MAINTENANCE WORKER. THESE ARE ALL JOBS THAT ARE FAIRLY EASY TO APPOINT A DOLLAR VALUE BUT LIKE THOSE MASTERCARD ADVERTISEMENTS THERE ARE MANY "PRICELESS" ASPECTS TO THE JOB: THE HUG THAT COMES AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME, THE CRUST CUT OFF THE SANDWICH IN JUST THE RIGHT WAY, THE REASSURING LAUGH THAT REMINDS US NOT TO TAKE OURSELVES TOO SERIOUSLY, AND THE COUNTLESS OTHER LITTLE THINGS THAT WE CELEBRATE ON MOTHER'S DAY.

OF COURSE, MANY MOMS WORK AND OFTEN DO THE HOME THINGS TOO.

A CARTOON SHOWED A PSYCHOLOGIST TALKING TO HIS PATIENT: "LET'S SEE," HE SAID, "YOU SPEND 50 PERCENT OF YOUR ENERGY ON YOUR JOB, 50 PERCENT ON YOUR HUSBAND AND 50 PERCENT ON YOUR CHILDREN. I THINK I SEE YOUR PROBLEM."

WE ARE HERE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR A LOT OF HARD WORK THAT IS OFTEN DONE BY MOMS.

ALONG THAT LINE, MOM'S HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO BE SACRIFICING IN THEIR HARD WORK AND CARING TOO.

A TEACHER ASKED A BOY THIS QUESTION: "SUPPOSE YOUR MOTHER BAKED A PIE AND THERE WERE SEVEN OF YOU--YOUR PARENTS AND FIVE CHILDREN. WHAT PART OF THE PIE WOULD YOU GET?" "A SIXTH," REPLIED THE BOY. "I'M AFRAID YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR FRACTIONS," SAID THE TEACHER. "REMEMBER, THERE ARE SEVEN OF YOU." "YES, TEACHER," SAID THE BOY, "BUT YOU DON'T KNOW MY MOTHER. MOTHER WOULD SAY SHE DIDN'T WANT ANY PIE."

ON THE OTHER HAND, MOMS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO OFFER UNSOLICITED WHAT COULD BE TERMED TOUGH LOVE, THEY HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO GIVE THAT WORD OF ADVICE JUST AT THE RIGHT MOMENT THAT STAYS WITH US FOREVER.

FOR EXAMPLE, FROM A SOURCE UNKNOWN HERE ARE SOME OF THOSE TOUGH WORDS THAT HAVE GIVEN US EVERLASTING DIRECTION IN OUR LIVES.

MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME…

1. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE. "IF YOU'RE GOING TO KILL EACH OTHER, DO IT OUTSIDE. I JUST FINISHED CLEANING."

2. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME RELIGION. "YOU BETTER PRAY THAT WILL COME OUT OF THE CARPET."

3. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT TIME TRAVEL. "IF YOU DON'T STRAIGHTEN UP, I'M GOING TO KNOCK YOU INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK!"

4. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME LOGIC. "BECAUSE I SAID SO, THAT'S WHY."

5. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME MORE LOGIC. "IF YOU FALL OUT OF THAT SWING AND BREAK YOUR NECK, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO THE STORE WITH ME."

6. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME FORESIGHT. "MAKE SURE YOU WEAR CLEAN UNDERWEAR, IN CASE YOU'RE IN AN ACCIDENT."

7. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME IRONY. "KEEP CRYING, AND I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT."

8. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF OSMOSIS. "SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND EAT YOUR SUPPER."

9. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT CONTORTIONISM. "WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT DIRT ON THE BACK OF YOUR NECK!"

10. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT STAMINA. "YOU'LL SIT THERE UNTIL ALL THAT SPINACH IS GONE."

11. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT WEATHER. "THIS ROOM OF YOURS LOOKS AS IF A TORNADO WENT THROUGH IT."

12 MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT HYPOCRISY. "IF I TOLD YOU ONCE, I'VE TOLD YOU A MILLION TIMES. DON'T EXAGGERATE!"

13. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME THE CIRCLE OF LIFE. "I BROUGHT YOU INTO THIS WORLD, AND I CAN TAKE YOU OUT."

14. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION. "STOP ACTING LIKE YOUR FATHER!"

15. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT ENVY. "THERE ARE MILLIONS OF LESS FORTUNATE CHILDREN IN THIS WORLD WHO DON'T HAVE WONDERFUL PARENTS LIKE YOU DO."

16. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT ANTICIPATION. "JUST WAIT UNTIL WE GET HOME."

17. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT RECEIVING. "YOU ARE GOING TO GET IT WHEN YOU GET HOME!"

18. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME MEDICAL SCIENCE. "IF YOU DON'T STOP CROSSING YOUR EYES, THEY ARE GOING TO FREEZE THAT WAY."

19. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME ESP. "PUT YOUR SWEATER ON; DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW WHEN YOU ARE COLD?"

20. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME HUMOR. "WHEN THAT LAWN MOWER CUTS OFF YOUR TOES, DON'T COME RUNNING TO ME."

21. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT. "IF YOU DON'T EAT YOUR VEGETABLES, YOU'LL NEVER GROW UP."

22. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME GENETICS. "YOU'RE JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER."

23. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT MY ROOTS. "SHUT THAT DOOR BEHIND YOU. DO YOU THINK YOU WERE BORN IN A BARN?"

24. MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME WISDOM. "WHEN YOU GET TO BE MY AGE, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND."

25. AND MY FAVORITE: MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME ABOUT JUSTICE. "ONE DAY YOU'LL HAVE KIDS, AND I HOPE THEY TURN OUT JUST LIKE YOU!"

SO, IT IS NOT ALWAYS SWEETNESS AND LIGHT IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MOM.

IN FACT, FOR MANY, MOTHERS DAY CAN BE A VERY EMOTIONAL DAY. MANY TODAY ARE WITHOUT THEIR MOTHERS. YOUR MOTHERS HAVE PASSED AWAY.

ALSO, AS IN ANY HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS, SOMETIMES THINGS HAVEN'T GONE WELL IN ONE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR MOTHER. THAT CAN MAKE MOM'S DAY HARD TOO.  OR, THINGS HAVE WORKED OUT WITH YOUR MOM AND BEING APPRECIATIVE CAN BE AN EMOTIONAL THING.

THEN, THERE ARE PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN LIKE MOTHERS FOR US, NOT INFREQUENTLY GRANDMOTHERS OR OTHER PERSONS IN OUR LIVES WHO HAVE BECOME LIKE A MOTHER TO US. GOD DOES FIND A WAY TO PROVIDE.

SO, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE EMOTIONS OF THIS DAY AS WELL, THE JOYS AND CONCERNS, AND OFFER THEM UNTO THE LORD. LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.

FINALLY, WE OFFER OUR THANKS TO MOMS AND TO PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN LIKE MOMS FOR US, FOR THE INSPIRATION THEY HAVE BROUGHT US IN OUR LIFE.

IN ONE CHURCH, WHEN A BIBLE IS PRESENTED TO A THIRD-GRADE CHILD, THE CHILD RECITES A PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE. ON ONE OCCASION, EVERYTHING WAS GOING WELL UNTIL THE MINISTER CAME TO ONE LITTLE BOY WHO COULDN'T REMEMBER HIS NAME, MUCH LESS A BIBLE VERSE. THE LITTLE BOY'S EYES FRANTICALLY SEARCHED FOR HIS MOTHER, WHO WAS SEATED VERY NEAR THE FRONT. WHEN HE FINALLY SPOTTED HER, HE WAS GREATLY RELIEVED WHEN SHE WHISPERED HIS BIBLE VERSE, "I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD," TO WHICH HE IMMEDIATELY BELLOWED, "MY MOTHER IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD."

AGAIN, WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE INSPIRATION THAT MOMS HAVE BROUGHT TO OUR LIVES.

AND IN RESPONSE TO THE HARD WORK, OFTEN SELF-SACRIFICING LOVE, EVEN TOUGH LOVE AT TIMES AND INSPIRATION THEY BRING TO OUR LIVES,

WHILE WE TAKE THIS DAY TO ESPECIALLY HONOR MOTHERS, LET US THINK OF IT AS A PLANNING DAY. HOW CAN WE HONOR OUR MOTHERS, GRANDMOTHERS, AND PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN LIKE MOTHERS TO US EACH AND EVERY DAY? HOW CAN WE RECOGNIZE THEIR SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR LIVES EVERY DAY?

LET US PRAY.
DEAR GOD,
THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF MOTHERS. AS THEY HAVE HONORED US, HELP US TO HONOR THEM IN HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVES.
AMEN.

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