The Faithfulness of a Mother

As a child growing up in the southern part of the United States it was tradition on Mother's Day to go to church with a red rose pinned to my shirt. My dad would also often wear a white carnation on Mother's Day. I soon learned that if you wore a red carnation (or rose), it was to honor your mom but if you wore a white carnation it was to remember your mom that had passed away.

This tradition dates back to 1868 when Anna Jarvis attempted to reunite families that had been separated, due to the Civil War in the States. Mrs. Jarvis's favorite flower was said to be a carnation. May 10, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made a proclamation declaring the second Sunday of May the first National Mother's Day.

This weekend we honor all moms! We rise up and call them blessed!

"Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband shall also praise her" (Proverbs 31:28).

One of the stories in the Bible of a faithful mom is found in 2 Samuel 21. She became one of King Saul's concubines.

This is a mom that...

• lived in the king's palace
• was most likely very attractive
• and captured the heart of King Saul 

To find herself later. trying to protect the dead bodies of her sons that were hanging on a hill...

• sleeping not in a palace, but outside with sackcloth spread on a rock 
• no longer attractive but weather-beaten from the sun during the day and the coldness at night
• fighting away the vultures during the day and the animals at night from the dead bodies of her children 

Rizpah's heart must have been ripped apart as she laid day and night seeing the bodies of her sons deteriorating from the sun. When David sent for the bodies to be brought to him and were buried, this must have given Rizpah a sense of relief. But she was faithful to her children no matter the circumstances of life.

A mom will find herself with many different duties and difficult situations in life. To all of the moms, thank you for your faithfulness. Sometimes you are misunderstood but thank you for being the caring, compassionate, mom that you are.

Thank you for your faithfulness!

 This weekend I honor my mom! Thank you for being the godly mom you are and for loving us. Thank you for taking us to church and teaching us God's Word and also of the many sacrifices you made for us.

I also give thanks for my wife that is a great mom to our children. Thank you for being a "second mom" to many children both at church and at work (Pre-K).

A special thanks to the many "second moms" in my and Carissa's life as well. Thank you for being influential in our lives.

Happy Mother's Day!