Motherhood: A "Labor of Love" Rerun from 5/9/10

This is a rerun from Mother's Day 2010, still appropriate today...read on:

"Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.'"  Proverbs 31:28-29

I imagine this is the key verse for today's celebrations...Mother's Day...an opportunity for children, both young and old, to show their appreciation for their Mothers in some way.  A phone call, a card, some flowers, taking her out to eat, serving her breakfast in bed, planting a new rosebush or other flowering plant in her yard, building her a birdhouse, going on a picnic that she doesn't have to prepare...these are all typical ways of showing our love and appreciation for our Mothers on one day of the year.  Some of my most favorite Mother's Day gifts were the home-made cards and gifts made by my children with their own little hands.  No matter what the gift, just the fact that you made the effort to show your love in some outward way means so much to the recipient of this gesture of love. 

This morning in my devotional reading the theme was about peace...based on John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you...Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid."

We mothers often have a difficult time finding peace...and keeping our hearts from being troubled or afraid.  How often during the years of raising our children can we remember having a sleepless night because we were concerned for the safety or well-being of one of our children? Perhaps we were hurting due to the loss of companionship with a child, whether because of him or her being away from home attending college, or off to battle in the armed forces, or other circumstances beyond our control...possibly a child was lost...lost in soul, a prodigal wandering far from the security and safety of home.  Whatever the reason for the separation, a mother's heart yearns for that comfort of knowing her child is safe and happy, no matter how old the child may be.

Someone shared this idea of a way to deal with this kind of worry, anxiety, or fear, and I like this concept...ask yourself, "Could this be labor?"  Instead of fighting against the fear, sorrow, or pain...give in to "the labor pains" and let them take you to the time of giving birth.  Working with the labor pains instead of fighting them brings you to that place of giving birth to new life...new hope, trust, and a sense of peace. Surrendering your anxiety to God allows Him the opportunity to give you rest.  For those of us who have experienced the pain of labor, we can remember the joy and peace and complete rest that followed the birth of our child...That is the same rest that God wants to give us today.

If today has not been a day of total joy for you as a mother because you are wrestling with the pain and anxiety of overwhelming concern for or loss of fellowship with your child, why not give this idea a try...surrender your control over these "labor pains" and let God take charge and bring you to a new birth of peace. This is a new concept for me as well...and I am working on it too.

May God's peace be your peace today. Amen.

This Rose of Sharon bush is blooming today for Mother's Day.
This bush was planted in memory of our son Matthew in the Memorial Garden at our home.
These blossoms are the first of the season, and I consider it
a heavenly bouquet, sent from heaven from our son just for Mother's Day.
What a heavenly gift!