Mother's Day Celebration
"7 Ways to Love Your Mom Mother's Day"
Pastor Jerry
Proverbs 31: 10, 28-30 (NLT)
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Today is Mother’s Day! But we are going to be celebrating Mother’s Day quite different this year. The coronavirus pandemic restricts where we can go and what we can do, many past traditions will have to be postponed to another year.
But because Mother’s Day this year won’t look like it usually does, we all have an opportunity to make it more memorable and perhaps even more special, than they were in previous years. We just have to make sure our moms, grandmother’s and others who are deserving of the honor feel appreciated on this special day.
So, on this Mother's Day I want to spend some time giving adoration to the greatest mothers ever: Our Moms!
Mark Twain, the humorist, had these words of advice on raising children. He said,
“When they become teenagers put them in a barrel and fed them through the knot hole. When they turn sixteen stop up the knot hole!”
Mothers …we have to say to you today … “Thank You …for everything you did on our behalf …to love us through the thick and thin …to love us through the sick nights …to love us when we were unlovable …to love us when we thought we knew what was best for us …to love us when we were so dumb …to love us, really love us.
Today it’s our turn to love you. I am going to give us some ways you can love your mom; or, if your mother is no longer with you, ways to honor her as we remember our moms.
So, you can love her in these 7 ways:
- Love your Mom verbally.
You have to say it out loud! Don’t think that because you’ve said it before - that she knows you love her. A woman needs to hear those words,
“I Love You!” How often? (Everyday!)
Many men are reluctant to express the depth of their feelings. But, our spouses need to hear the words,
“I love you!”; our children do too…and especially our mothers! Love your mother verbally… by saying it out loud, “I love you!”
And for you whose mother is no longer with us on earth, ask Jesus to tell her that you love her and look forward to the day when we will get to heaven and be reunited with her again.
- The second way to Love your Mom, is to show it.
When’s the last time you gave her a big hug w/ out her asking for it…or a kiss on the cheek, or held her hand, or just sat on the couch and looked her in the eyes as you talked? Well the coronavirus pandemic has forced us all to readjust and rethink how we would show such love to our Moms.
But think back and remember…She’s the first person who ever touched you…she wrapped you up in her womb for months, and you came out and first priority was to hold you, and she cuddled you. When you were little she would give her bear hugs and cling to her as she walked around! She wiped food off of your face years longer than she should have!
She wrapped her arms around you and she still wraps her heart around you! What can you do? Your touch would mean so much …but even without that …holding up a picture of you and your Mom hugging …or pictures of you two doing something together …laughing together … it would mean so much.
And for you whose mother is no longer with us on earth, ask Jesus to tell her that you remember how lovingly she held you and hugged you and you look forward to the day when we will get to heaven and give her the biggest hug ever.
- The third way to Love your Mom is, to do it patiently.
Mothers have an incredible job w/ no pay. No position in the business world compares to the physical, emotional, and spiritual commitment she has in motherhood.
Don’t ever make the mistake of asking a lady,
“Do you work, or stay at home?” The only thing worse you can ask a woman is “
when she’s due” if she’s not pregnant! And many women today have to work publicly on top of the full time job at home they already have.
Here’s the point, in spite of all she does for us, we often become impatient with her…we get so used to her taking care of things we come to expect it and are outraged when something is not clean, or out of place, or not ready. Love your Mom patiently. Because she’s tender to your needs is no reason to take advantage of her, its reason to be patient and to love her all the more!
And for you whose mother is no longer with us on earth, ask Jesus to tell her that you were sorry for being impatient with her at times and you look forward to the day when we will get to heaven and ask her personally for forgiveness.
- The fourth way to Love your Mom is, to do it attentively.
Mothers listen as you pour out your heart…she has a sympathetic ear and care about your feelings…and even as an adult you’ve gone to her when you want someone who will really listen and understand…and she’ll always be by your side.
But when our mothers get older, they have issues of concern of their own, and now it’s our turn to be her “rock”…and take time to listen…it’s payback time!
And for you whose mother is no longer with us on earth, ask Jesus to thank her for lovingly caring for you during hard times and you look forward to the day when we will get to heaven and see her again.
- The fifth way to Love her is, to do so gratefully.
Moms needs a sincere thank you, and not just on Mother’s Day, but most every day and gratitude from a genuinely thankful heart when least expected! You won’t always have your Mom at your side. Remember her while you can with apprecition!
And for you whose mother is no longer with us on earth, ask Jesus to tell her how thankful you were that she was your Mom and you look forward to the day when we will get to heaven and tell her so.
- The sixth way to Love your Mom is, to do so generously.
There’s nothing too good for her, we could never repay her, but we ought to die trying before she does! She didn’t spend on herself unless all your needs were met…she could easily do without, and now it’s time for her to have something she wants! Mothers often give up opportunities so you can have more opportunities!
And for you whose mother is no longer with us on earth, ask Jesus to tell her you were so blessed by her generosity and you look forward to the day when we will get to heaven and share that blessing.
- The seventh way to Love your Mom is, to do so honorably.
Exodus 20:12
“Honor thy …mother ...” Some of you might say,
“Yeah, but my mother wasn’t honorable!” I am very sorry if that may have been your experience – and for some of you it has been. But, the Bible says nothing about that qualification if she is good…it only asks, is she your mother!
When the good Lord created mothers, an angel appeared and said,
“What’s taking so long?” The Lord replied,
"She is real complicated to create. God said,
"I’m so close to creating something so close to myself." Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the mother.
"There’s a leak," she pronounced.
"That’s not a leak," said the Lord,
"it’s a tear." "What is it for?" asked the angel. The Lord replied,
"It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness and pride." "You’re a genius!" shouted the angel. With a quiet look on his face, the Lord said,
"I didn’t put it there." Brother and sisters
…Honor thy …mother…! …while you live on this earth.
And for you whose mother is no longer with us, ask Jesus to tell her you are honoring her today for Mother’s Day and you look forward to the day when we will get to heaven and honor her every day for all eternity.
