Mother's Day
by Barbara Chadwick


I always loved Mother's Day. We made cards in school and church. We hugged our mother and told her she was the best mother. Then we went to Grandma's house and had a big dinner, which, of course, our mother and grandmother prepared.

After I got older and realized how much Mother did and what it cost her in time and energy, not to mention the planning and preparation that went into each day I wished I could have somehow shown my appreciation more appropriately.

Paul said to the Thessalonians, "...we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children." Thes. 2:5 When I read that verse I'm always reminded of my own Mother. There were five children so she had a lot to do. I have pictures in my mind of sitting in her lap, of her combing my unruly hair, of her holding a pattern up to me for measurement and so on. These are pictures of love. And when she did any of these things for the others I still felt loved.

Then there's the discipline. I thank God that she cared enough to discipline me.

I am told that when I was three years old that one day I banged my fist on the table and said, "I want my blankety-blank-blank breakfast right now! You know that verse in Colossians that says, Let your conversation be seasoned with salt? I don't think that's what it means!

My mother looked at me with her mouth hanging open. "Where on earth did you hear that?!"

I said importantly,"Wichad says it all the time." Richard was my friend from next door.

I am also told that I got a good spanking and was told NEVER to say that again! I don't remember ever swearing again. Some lessons are learned quickly.

That verse in Colossians - Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Col 4:6) - I learned the importance of that from watching my Mother. She is very gracious - full of grace and love.

She felt that motherhood was God's plan for her. In Ephesians 4:1-2 Paul is talking to the church at Ephesus but the words apply to my mother: I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

She settled our quarrels in love, she patiently guided us through all those childhood phases and taught us to treat each other kindly.

On Mother's Day I reflect on God's gift to me of a Godly Mother.