A Mother’s Comfort
Every mother’s day I get somewhat introspective and take inventory.
Am I a good mom? Do I merit those mother’s day greetings? Have I accomplished my goals? Is there discernable progress? Of course this line of questioning can lead to more than a modicum of depression and discouragement because the answer to those questions is less than what I expect of myself. When the children were very young, I loved to imagine what they would become. I remember studying one son’s tiny hands and wondering what those hands would accomplish in their lifetime. How would God use those hands to build His kingdom here on earth? Now that the children are older, I have to admit that things have not turned out exactly as I had imagined. There is more arguing and less peace than I had envisioned for one thing. I am far too critical and take every childish offense personally. I do not see in my children all those godly traits that I had expected would bloom by now. All of this results in some fairly dreary days. Again, not what I expected when my children were toddling about.
When I first read Nancy Wilson’s article “Rainy Day Blues,” I knew it was speaking to me. I have the drizzle creep. Too often I let a bad mood settle in and take over until it infests the whole household. It is not really the weather that sets me off, just a particular blend of circumstances, seemingly unpredictable, mostly unreasonable. I know that the mom is the heart of the household. She is the one who brings order, beauty, cheeriness and comfort. When you look up comfort in the thesaurus you find the following: condole, solace, commiserate, compassionate, share with, cheer gladden, uphold, succor hearten, sustain, support, help, aid, confirm, reassure, refresh, inspirit, sit by, alleviate, assuage, soothe, allay, mitigate, gladden, encourage, calm, revive, sustain, assist, nourish, compose, reanimate, delight, divert, bolster up, salve, enhearten, invigorate, refresh, lighten, soften, abate, remedy, restore, revitalize, revivify.
Wow, that is quite a job description — daunting to be sure. I like what Nancy says about utilizing all of God’s creation and not limiting our help to those well known and yet oh so necessary spiritual disciplines of prayer and scripture.
I know that when there is squabbling at the table and I am more than just a little testy, some Johann Strauss music will soothe everyone’s spirits. Today when David and I realized we forgot to buy milk for our usual breakfast cereal, I treated everyone to blueberry pancakes and scrambled eggs — it made for an unexpected little feast. Small things but still significant. Avail yourself of all forms of grace.
So this mother’s day, let the calling of motherhood encourage you and not indict you. It is a high calling and the provisions are within our reach! Happy Mother’s Day!
—JMT
