Mother’s Day
It’s been nearly 3 years since my mother has passed away; this special day has since been marked with a sense of happiness, sadness and numbness. Thinking how, at the very least, a phone call always bridged the greatest distance; remembering all the silly, memorable and special gifts that was lavished on her; remembering the special meals prepared by us; and the flowers that would likely die the next day, brings back so many memories of joy and happiness. Mom cherished these times, soaked them up as if they didn’t last long enough or frequent enough; I’m not certain I understood this growing up.
Much of what I didn’t understand back then has changed lately as I now have a son. Even while it’s not Father’s day, the comparison can still be made because I’ve been contemplating (thanks to a pastor’s sermon last week) just how much our Father cherishes us. As a sinner, I am unable to give to my Father anything that would make Him love or cherish me more, even my efforts are seen as dirty rags. Yet, He sent His one and only Son, someone who He cherished, to die for the penalty of my sin and now He cherishes me as much as He cherishes His risen Son.
I think a mother’s love is remarkably similar to this. Mom cherished us, more than I could even have imagined, and while on this one day that we honor and remember our mothers with a phone call, flowers, and silly gifts she didn’t cherish these things nearly as much as she cherished her sons. The attention we lavished on her on this special day was only the icing on top of the cake. So, it seems to me that her children were the substance of what she cherished and she couldn’t ever get enough of that (and who could get enough?). The difference is that our silly gifts and preparations will always be precious memories to her and it does add to the sweetness of what is really important.
Moms are very special people! They endure so much, not just in pregnancy and labor, but throughout their children’s lives; they are shields over the harshness of this world, and often don’t get much in return except a few silly gifts, the occasional “I love you”, and 1 day (out of 365) to be honored and cherished.
Just as it is with our mothers, our Father cherishes us so much more than we can even imagine. He soaks up the time we return back our affections, but it doesn’t make up the substance of why He loves me, that comes from the atoning sacrifice his Son endured to pay the penalty for my sins. He sees that perfect effort when He looks at me.
So, this Mother’s day I am honored with the prospect of creating some new family traditions in how we will honor a new mom. It will likely include some silly gifts, flowers, and a meal. However, these things are less important to me now, what is important is showing my wife and son that they are cherished by me, teaching my son what it means to cherish his mother every day of the year, showing both of them just how much their eternal Father cherishes and loves them, and remembering that no matter what disappointment I feel regarding my regrets, my mom cherished and loved me despite my shortcomings more than I could ever had imagined (though perhaps that is becoming more clear). I believe my mom would have read this and agreed that this is what she would have loved to see her children to have learned (though she probably knew it was in us all along).
While my son won’t be able to meet his grandmother in this life, I truly hope he will experience just how much he is loved through his mother and I because of the way our mothers have been such wonderful examples of what it means to lavish love on their children.
I will always wish I could share a few more moments with my mom even if I know she is at home in a much better place (perfectly experiencing the love from our Father), just so I can show and tell her just how much she is cherished and loved by me, but the sting of death has been replaced by the joy of life and of hope for a new day where death will be conquered and we will be reunited with those who have gone before us.
It’s a hard world to live in without a mom.
