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

Mothers, Pray For Your Children

This is Mother's Day weekend, and I really ought to focus on wishing all you wonderful mothers a Happy Mother's Day,
but this past week, a conversation with a friend inspired me to write this post. As a mother and grandmother, I understand all too well the angst we experience in raising our children. And even when they are grown, our mothering responsibilities are still not over.

Being a mother is hard work. 

But mothers, rest assured, God knew what He was doing when He chose us to carry on the human race. Have you ever thought what it would be like if men were mothers? I would admit, some of them do fulfill both roles as mother and father - my oldest son is a fine example - but God equipped us to be mothers. So, on this Mother's Day, I want to implore you to do one more thing - if you don't already do it.

Pray for your children. 

When my children were little, I assembled them at the front door just before leaving for school, we held hands, and I would say a little prayer with them. In today's world we need God's protection over our children more than ever, and the best way to get it is through prayer. One minute of prayer before they leave the house can prevent a lifetime of sorrow.

In the Bible, there's a story of a slave named Hannah who cried out on behalf of her son after they had been thrown out of the home of his father Abraham. Read Genesis 21: 14 - 20. You can read about other wonderful mothers of the Bible in my book Women For All Seasons or give a copy to some special mother in your life. It will make her day.

Happy Mother's Day!

There's No Charge For Being A Mother

Mothers Day Graphics

Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful mothers out there. Whether you are married, single, an adoptive mother, godmother, grandmother, wherever you fall on the spectrum of motherhood, I salute you today. My own mother is long gone, but I still wish she were here so I could tell her how much she meant to me. If you are fortunate enough to still have your mother, take some time off today to tell her how special she is.

As I wrote in my book Women For All Seasons, God could have chosen a different way for His Son to come to this earth, but He chose that He should enter the womb of a woman and be born as a little baby. What an honor! What a privilege! So mothers, take some time to celebrate yourselves for the great distinction God has bestowed on you - the means to bring another human being into this world. I'm not writing a lot today, but I'm posting two videos by Shirley Cesar that I'm sure will bless your heart as they have blessed mine. The first one is I Love You Mama and the other is the perennial favorite No Charge. Enjoy!