Mother's Day

Today is Mother’s Day. It’s an easy day to celebrate, right? All you have to do is talk about how wonderful and perfect your mother was during your growing up years. You can also tell warm, happy stories about women who are extraordinary, selfless, sacrificing and noble, with your mother at the top of the list. Perhaps you tell the story about how much you wanted that last piece of strawberry pie – the one that was supposed to be your mother’s, so you took it and she forgave you! Or the story about your mother working all day and staying up all night for weeks when you had the measles and how she never even frowned or complained about being tired. Then there was the time you invited 30 2nd grade classmates to your birthday party which your mother didn’t know you were having (because it wasn’t your birthday) and she didn’t yell at you. And then there was the time that...(insert your own story here). Everyone will be happy, right? ...well, maybe not everyone.

I used to have a lot of problems with Mother’s Day programs. I’d go to church and hear people tell stories of impossibly perfect women who lived lives of sacrifice and never said a cross word and never wanted to escape for even an hour. I went home from church feeling terrible. I couldn’t live up those perfect images. – I was a disgrace to the office of mother. I’ve come to learn that I was not alone in those feelings. Some women hate Mother’s Day. They come away from church either filled with guilt or else they don't go at all. They know they’re not perfect and feel that they can never measure up to the image of what a mother ought to be. Others are filled with anger. Their mothers weren’t perfect. They can’t forgive them for things done in the past, or for things happening in the present.

Perhaps this Mother’s Day is tinged with sadness because you’re a long ways away from your mother, or from your children, and you’ll not be able to see each other and express your love face to face. Perhaps you spend Mother’s Day all alone surfing the net while waiting for the phone to ring (or writing blogs).

Perhaps your mother has moved on to the next life and Mother’s Day is a reminder of what you have lost.

There are many women who have tried to become mothers, but without success. To them, having a baby is a dream just out of reach, and Mother’s Day is a day of tears instead of joy. Every year at church a little plant or some other gift to be taken home and thrown away is forced into their clenched fists.

There are two simple words that contain a lot of power to heal. The first one is "attitude" and the second is "action."

First of all, let’s talk about "attitude." Tremendous healing can come into our homes and our families if we would take the "attitude" of "speaking the truth in love." It starts by realizing that our parents weren’t perfect–they turned the hose on us full blast through our bedroom window when we wouldn’t get out of bed! They made mud puddles in the yard and threw our clothes in the puddles when we left them on the floor. They made mistakes. They said things which hurt. They made us cry. We expected them to be perfect, but they weren’t. We may have been disappointed in them at times(foolish children that we were). Now, let’s think about our own children. If we are realistic, we have to admit that our children aren’t perfect either. They’ve made a few mistakes along the way. Now comes the hardest one of all. We must admit that we’re not perfect either. “ I wasn’t a perfect child. And I haven’t been a perfect parent–I ate the last peach on the tree, and the last piece of fudge and I’m glad! I even lost my temper a time or two! I occasionally burnt rice (Ok, so my daughter says that she never had rice that wasn’t at lease scorched until she left home at 18! Pay no attention to her) You know what? It's all right to admit that we make mistakes, because no one else is perfect either."

So what do you do?

OPEN YOUR HEART.
"Be kind." Be kind to each other. Be kind to yourself. Forgive yourself if your child can’t recite the alphabet in Latin by the time he’s two, or name the make and model every car ever made by the time she’s 3.

SHOW COMPASSION
Wouldn’t it be enlightening if somehow we could crawl into the flesh of our aging parents and know what it is like to be trapped in a body that won’t function anymore - that doesn’t see the way it used to - that doesn’t hear the way it used to - that can’t handle things the way it used to, and to know their frustrations because of all that.
What would it be like to have arms that have never held their own child and might never have that joy? How do you comfort the grieving mother who will never seen her child again in this life? Or heal an empty heart that longs to be filled with the sound of a husband’s voice and children’s laughter? Would we value our own children more, would we help others to understand that God still loves them and that being a "mother" is more than giving birth ?

Would we share more? Would we understand more? Would we care?

FORGIVE
Paul says, "Forgive each other," so learn to forgive. Forget those things that have caused rifts in the family, that have brought division and strain. Leave those things to God and forgive so that healing can take place and wounds can disappear. Once they have, your heart will open to the good memories, to the moments of laughter and silliness, of gospel truths taught. The future will be more joyous.

This morning, if you’re a mother living in a beautiful little house in a quiet little neighborhood, and your spring flowers are in full bloom and your children are healthy, and you have a loving supporting husband - then thank God for your blessings. Today is a happy day for you. But if you’re not one of those women, then it is important for you to know that our God has not forgotten you. He wants this to be your day, too. He wants to bring the healing power of His love into your life and into your home and into your family. He wants this to be a happy Mother’s day for all.

*~*

My mother loved bread pudding. I loved her, and wish I could make her some bread pudding today. I'd even put raisins in it(I HATE cooked raisins!) I hope it’s on the Celestial Menu for the Angel Arms Apartments in Heaven today.

Bread Pudding with sauce
2 cups half & half
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups bread, torn into small pieces (dried cake cubes work well too)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

In medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat milk (or half & half) just until film forms over top. Combine butter and milk, stirring until butter is melted. Cool to lukewarm. Combine sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute. Slowly add milk mixture. Place bread or cake cubes in a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. Sprinkle with raisins if desired. Pour batter on top of bread. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Serve warm.

Sauce
1 cup whole milk
2 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. flour
dash of salt
Mix everything together and bring to a boil for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Set aside for 5 minutes, then pour on warm bread pudding.