Maybe you’ve had a rough Mother’s Day. Forgotten. Overlooked. Rejected. Pained. Hurt.
I’ve had many of those too, the hard ones that leave you breathless as you swallow the pain of it down hard and toughen your way through the way Mamas do.
Unkind words spoken by unkind hearts directly to the core of your self-worth. Just a few words from a hard tongue can break another heart into a thousand pieces. Your chin held high you survive the day but when nightfall comes you surrender to tears.
Arms outstretched to the God of heaven grasping for the understanding of broken babies gone, restored in heaven but far from your Mother arms. Maybe you have children to hold but they remind you of the children gone and your mind wanders and wonders what your family would be like if they were here. Would your arms feel whole again along with your heart?
Then there are the Mamas who have only heaven babies and wonder what the feel in their arms of a child of their very own would be at all. Wondering and waiting to see if it will ever be their turn to call a precious child their very own. They crave that touch and the chance to belong to one who will call them Mother.
Or you are the Mama craving the solitude, away from the toddler who won’t stop whining or the baby that keeps needing nursing. All you want on Mother’s Day is to make it through one entire church service. Maybe to hear the preaching or maybe it’s just for one solid hour in the presence of adults. No judgement here. I imagine even Mary wished for a few minutes of quiet in the presence of her Jesus child. Your number flashes up on the screen and you know your minutes are up as you get up one more time to give more of yourself on the day for Mothers.
Or your the Mama who wasn’t ready for time to slip away. You thought there was all the time, they way we always do when it’s our own Mama or child. Maybe your own Mama is lost due to an irreparable relationship or through death. Couldn’t things have stayed the same? You pick up the phone to call and wish a “Happy Mother’s Day” only to remember you cannot. You whisper the words up to heaven or into the silence but it’s not enough.
These are the stories of many on Mother’s Day. It’s been mine more often than not. The song is different but the message is the same. In all my years as a Mama though something began to happen deep inside my heart.
My strength grew bigger.
I saw fear and with a slight cringe, leapt.
My tolerance for the difficult increased.
Boundaries from those who chronically hurt, protected me within the walls of those who would honor and encourage.
The critical voices were drowned out by the promises of my almighty God.
You never forget the loss of those left behind but you begin to see the ones standing beside you, chosen by God for you to love, right now.
How does a Mama in pain feel blessed by the generations?
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed. Luke 1:46-48
Giving up control is never easy but right here in Luke we see that God is mindful of us and aware of our humble state, imperfections and limits. Mama, God already knows what you can and cannot handle. Those tears you cry, that broken heart, those arms that ache, pour it all out to the one who will bring you comfort with a spirit of joy, knowing even in the pain He has your blessing in mind.
When we glorify God and rejoice in Him as our Savoir, our rescuer, beautiful things begin to happen. The only way to get your rescue is to admit you need rescuing. So Mama, don’t be too proud or tough to take a leap without God beside you. Cry out to Him to watch the wounds bind up and the heart can feel free to love again.
This morning straight away I thought longingly for my six in heaven. It isn’t always easy for me to accept that my Little Brave is probably the last of our bunch, the third of my rainbow babies and a miracle all by himself. Then I turned my eyes with a fullness in my heart to my four who bring me blessing each day, the kind that reaches it’s hand down to the generations.
A blessing deeper than a moment, one that lasts for eternity. When we can look into our children’s wondering eyes and say, “I would rather have the most challenging journey with God than an easy journey without Him.” and they nod their heads in beginners understanding because we’ve been on this journey together. It’s a journey of faith in something you must fight to hold onto.
When we give the big plans up to God we can rest in His plan turning our hearts towards greater things. I’ve never been good at making plans anyway!
Whatever your weary battle may be today Mama,
God isn’t just with you,
He is mindful of you.
Let Him rescue you and reap generations of blessing.