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Sunday, May 13, 2012

To All Whose Mother's Day Is Hard

Mother's Day provides us with a tremendous opportunity to thank all the moms who mean so much to us in a special way. It's a celebration that often has a flip side that I hardly ever see mentioned, and that's sad. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and I wanted to compose this post before I got too tired to make heads or tails of the thoughts running through my head.

But through all the well-wishes, thank-you's, and proud pronouncements wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day, it doesn't seem like the people who hurt most at Mother's Day get any mention or attention.

There are women all around us who struggle every day, because they can't have children. My family experienced that heartache day after day, month after month for a long time before God blessed us with our first child. Some are experiencing that frustration today. How hard it must be for those ladies to watch as everyone celebrates the very thing that keeps her so heartbroken day in and day out.

Or the moms who have difficult children. Who love their children dearly, but suffer daily through major challenges, doubts and depression at the journey they must travel.

Or the moms who have children who are older, and they see their children living contrary to everything they were taught. How helpless, alone and hopeless some of those times must be.

But everywhere, I see Happy Mother's Day cards, hugs, and thank you's. As a church, we should be reaching out and seeking those who hurt deeply because of this day. We must be sensitive to realize that for every mom who deserves this day to celebrate who she is and her contribution to our lives, there's a woman who aches deeply because it's Mother's Day, and she feels like doing anything but celebrating.

Who's going to comfort those who hurt? Thankfully, the God of all comfort will never let you down. To all ladies, whether you're a mom or not, please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you in whatever situation you're in.

And remember that your worth isn't found in being a mom, or not being a mom. It's not found in being the perfect parent. It's not found in the lives your kids live now or after they're grown. Your worth is found in Jesus Christ. And please know that the "Happy Mothers" may get all the press, but you, too, are not forgotten today.

2 comments:

  1. Been thinking about this today as well...

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  2. Wow...this is really encouraging Jesse. Up until last year Mother's Day was the absolute worse day for me. Each year as the day approaches I dread it. There are many reasons for it, but suffice it to say, I HATE Mother's Day. There is always pain that goes along with that day. I say up until last year because last year shortly after Mother's Day... on Father's Day... we buried my daddy. So a new "worse" day has been given to me from now on. I am not the only mom that has a hard Mother's Day. As you mentioned, there are many moms out there or women longing to be moms that have to face this day with pain. But I serve a God that reminds me, as you mentioned, exactly where my true identity lies. And when my focus is on that it makes it much easier to make it through the day. Thanks for remembering those like me whose mother's day may not be so perfect.

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