I know this is a week late for Mother’s Day. Sometimes I forget to look at the calendar and do a little advance planning (and writing). But to all the moms, this is for you and hope you had a happy Mother’s Day.
Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948) first suggested the national observance of an annual day honoring all mothers because she loved her own mother so dearly. At a memorial service for her mother on May 10, 1908, Miss Jarvis gave a carnation (her mother’s favorite flower) to each person who attended. Within the next few years, the idea of a day to honor mothers gained popularity, and Mother’s Day was observed in a number of large cities in the U. S. On May 9, 1914, by an act of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. He established the day a time for “public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.” By then it had become customary to wear white carnations to honor departed mothers and red to honor the living, a custom that continues to this day. (Pulpit Helps, 1991) With that history of the holiday, let me share another story of how moms were made.
By the time the Lord made mothers, He was into the sixth day of working overtime. An Angel appeared and said “Why are spending so much time on this one?” And the Lord answered, “Have you read the spec sheet on this one? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic; have 200 movable parts, all replaceable; run on black coffee and leftovers; have a lap that can hold three children at one time and disappears when she stands up; have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart; and have six pairs of hands!”
The Angel was astounded at the requirements for this one. “Six pairs of hands! No way!” said the Angel. The Lord replied, “Oh, it’s not the hands that are the problem. It’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers must have!” “And that’s on the standard model?” the angel asked. The Lord nodded in agreement, “Yep, one pair of eyes are to see through the closed door as she asks the children what they are doing even though she already knows. Another pair, in the back of the head, are to see what she needs to know even though no one thinks she can. And the third pair are here in the front of her head. They are for looking at an errant child and saying that she understands and loves them…without even saying a single word.”
The Angel tried to stop the Lord. “This is too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish.” “But I can’t!” the Lord protested. “I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can feed a family of six on a pound of hamburger and can get a nine year old to stand in the shower!”
The Angel moved closer and touched the woman. “But you have made her so soft, Lord,” the Angel replied. “She is soft,” the Lord agreed, “But I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish.”
“Will she be able to think?” asked the Angel. The Lord replied, “Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason and negotiate.”
The Angel then noticed something and reached out and touched the woman’s cheek. “Oops, it looks like you have a leak with this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one.” “That’s not a leak,” objected the Lord, “That’s a tear!” “What’s the tear for?” asked the Angel. The Lord said, “The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her disappointment, her pain, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride.”
The Angel was impressed. “You are a genius, Lord. You have thought of everything for this one. You even created the tear!” The Lord looked at the Angel and smiled, “I’m afraid you are wrong again, my friend. I created the woman but she created the tear!” (Story from 10,000 Sermon Illustrations) Thanks Moms for all you do and Happy LATE Mother’s Day!
Bro. Tim
