What Does Mother Mean

When I was growing up, there was a song we sang especially around Mother's Day. It was an acronym for the word "Mother" and, I believe the composer was attempting to explain what the word meant to him or her. I used to sing the song a lot without thought to its meaning, but now that I'm a mother -and grandmother - I've become a little more analytical and question to some degree the meaning of the words.

The song goes like this:



M is for the million things she gives me.

As mothers, we want to show our love to our children by giving them everything their little hearts desire, and so we give them more then a million things, only to see them discarded in a few days. We have to ask ourselves if we are harming or helping our children in this way.



O means only that she's growing old.

Mothers, no matter how young you are, or how young you look, in your children's eyes, you are old. So, don't try to look or behave like your twenty-something-year-old daughter. Just be yourself and your children will appreciate you for it.



T is for the tears she shed to save me.

We can all relate to this one. We shed tears the first day we leave little Johnny in pre-K, then when he goes off to college, we shed tears. More tears as we escort him up to the altar to meet his bride. Another deluge comes when we hold his newborn baby for the first time. Whether we shed tears of joy or tears of sorrow, we have an unending supply.



H is for her heart of purest gold.

Who else but a mother would exemplify a heart of gold by the way she cares for her children? Who else would give them unconditional love, devotion, selflessness, understanding. I can go on and on. Unfortunately, not all mothers do. Some of us expect our children to fall into some particular mold that we set for them instead of following their God-given talents and interests.



E is for her eyes with love light shining.

The eyes are the window to the soul, someone said. The love a mother has for a child shines through her eyes, but hurt, disappointment, loss, separation may dull the light in those beautiful eyes, even though the love remains.



R means right and right she'll always be.

I don't know about this one. Despite the halo around our heads, mothers are flawed beings like everyone else. We make mistakes, bad decisions. I know I have made some mistakes in raising my children, and I daresay, my mother did too, and most likely her mother before her. But the good news is, God knows our heart. If we confess our mistakes and shortcomings to Him, He would redeem those mistakes and set us and our children on the right path.



As you celebrate Mother's Day today with your children, consider the words of this song. Do they all ring true for you? Maybe not. But no matter how young or old you are, you can still thank God for the gift of motherhood and for the wonderful children He has placed in your care. Acknowledge your need of Him and ask Him to partner with you in "training up these children in the way they should go, so that when they are old they will not depart from it".

Happy Mother's Day!



Today is Mother's Day, and you may have already given your mother a beautiful gift, but you can still give her a gift that never fades, grows old or out of style. Give her the gift of a book that is guaranteed to bless her heart and remind her of the power of God’s love. Give her a printed copy of Coming Out of Egypt, complete with swag – tote bag, bookmark, bandana and pen. She will love you even more - if that's possible.


Coming Out of Egypt