Dear mama

This Sunday is Mother’s Day. And the unvarnished reality is that Sunday will be a joyful day for many AND it will be an extremely difficult day for many others.  

The same God who created stars, galaxies, each element on the periodic table, gravity, duck billed platypuses, anteaters, mountains, streams, fields of flowers and taste buds also created women who would house in their bellies each tiny human being ever created.

For months, mothers, single handedly, provide sustenance and life. The cord of life attached on either end to mother and child delivers nutrients and nourishment. It’s quite humbling to remember that every one of us was, at one time, completely and utterly dependent on our biological mothers for giving us life.

And while many will rightly celebrate the precious gift that their mom gave to them this weekend, -- we must also remember those who will have tears streaming down their faces this Sunday. We must remember those whose mother is now just a compilation of memories and photos because she is no longer living. We must remember those who have prayed and cried out to God to be able to conceive children but for whatever reason could not. And we must also remember those who are estranged from their mothers because of hurt, addiction, pain, unforgiveness, and/or brokenness.

The church can and must walk and chew gum at the same time. We have an opportunity to celebrate beauty and wonder of motherhood and also to grieve with those who grieve. May we remember to do both this weekend.