Mother's Day!

When we say the word, "Mother", it brings a flood of loving memories to our hearts.  I am very thankful and blessed to be able to say with the Psalmist -- "I have a goodly heritage".  I thank the Lord that I was privileged to have a mother who instilled in me a love for God, His people, and His Holy Day!
Mother taught me obedience -- respect for others -- to be truthful -- and the value of a loving family.  She showed me by her example the importance of God's Holy Word -- to read it faithfully, to love it,  and to obey it! 
Mother was a wonderful cook -- a friend to all -- a great encourager; in short, a wonderful mother and wife.
I thank the Lord that I had the privilege of being raised in a Christian home filled with love and peace and happiness!

I consider being a Mother (and now a grandmother and great grandmother) one of the greatest joys in life, but it is also one of the greatest responsibilities!  To realize that God has entrusted to our care a never-dying soul should cause us to daily seek His face for wisdom and guidance.  I love the sweet story in the second chapter of Exodus where Pharaoh's daughter came to bathe at the river and saw the little ark holding baby Moses.  My favorite part is in verse 9 where she said to Miriam --"Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages."  To me, this is such a lovely picture of Jesus asking each of us mothers to train our children for Him, and He will reward us with joy and multiple blessings as we endeavor to do our best!

I love this little poem entitled, Mother's Altar:  "Many years ago I knelt and bowed my head in prayer upon a checkered apron as my mother stroked my hair.  I have knelt at many altars of wood, of gold, of stone; but that gingham-covered altar is the sweetest I have known."  It is certainly true that the value of a loving mother cannot be overestimated.  "Who taught my infant lips to pray, to love God's Holy Word and Day, and walk in wisdom's pleasant way?  My Mother!"

The importance of prayer cannot be over-emphasized!  Hannah is a great example of a praying Mother.  In half of all the verses about her in I Samuel, she is praying and her prayers produced one of the great heroes of the Bible -- her son, Samuel.

I read the story of a merchant ship named the Star of India which survived collision, a mutiny and a
terrible cyclone on 21 trips around the world.  Her cargo included coal, timber, sugar and salmon, but more significant than these was the human cargo she bore carrying immigrants to New Zealand.  Over 400 people would pack the airless steerage compartments and tiny wooden berths for four months on the tossing sea.  Those brave souls that sailed on the Star of India risked everything to begin a new life.  They were committed to facing the dangers and enduring the hardships in hope of making a safe harbor.  

As mothers, God has placed in our care the precious cargo of our children, and we are on a journey also.  We, too, will face some storms -- some sacrifice -- some self-denial -- but there is never a place to give up -- and if we will pay all the price to make it in to the safe harbor of heaven with the family in our hand, it will be worth a thousand times more than all the hardships of the journey!  Amen!  God bless you!