God in and around us

May 14, 2023 Mother’s Day Acts 17:22-31 God in an around Us 6th Sunday of Easter Year A Prelude Welcome Call to Worship One: Today we celebrate our mothers, grandmothers, aunties, and all the women who have loved us. Many: Thank you God for giving us mothers. One: We remember with deep gratitude all the ways they demonstrated their love for us. Many: Sometimes we did not understand them, but we know that God understood. One: We take time to remember our mothers because a mother's love is most like God's love. All: For their tears, for their hugs, for their wisdom, for their unfailing trust in our abilities, we give thanks today. (Board of Discipleship, Rev. LaGretta Bjorn) Opening Prayer Loving God, we know your love because we have mothers. We thank you for the mothers who carried us in their wombs, nourishing, protecting, and bringing us into the world. We thank you for the mothers who did not give birth to us, yet loved us just the same. With gratitude we remember their words of encouragement when we have felt unsure or afraid; we thank you for their kindness when the world has treated us unkindly; we thank you for their soft, comforting arms and the gentle way they kissed away our tears; we thank you that they protected us with the fierceness of a lioness protecting her cubs; we thank you for the times when they corrected us rather than letting us continue down wrong paths. Help us to live so that their investment in us might not be in vain. We honor our mothers with lives of service to you in the name of the Risen Christ, for it is in his Name we pray. Amen. (Board of Dicipleship, Rev. LaGretta Bjorn) Song The Gift of Love UMH 408 Children’s Sermon Mother’s Day Object Lesson Lesson Capsule One way kids can know how much God loves them is by comparing it to the love of a parent – in this case, Mom! This lesson using a flashlight will show how God’s love “shines through” a parent and reveals an even bigger love in the background. Household Object: Flashlight Other Materials: – 4 sheets of red construction paper – Stick glue Preparation Glue the 4 sheets together, 2 on top, 2 underneath, so that the edges overlap only about an inch. This will give you a giant sheet of red paper. Draw a heart on it and cut it out. Lesson Do you guys remember being younger and saying to your mom, “I love you THIS BIG!”? Spread your arms out as wide as you can. Many will remember doing this. And did your mom ever say back, “Well, I love you THIS big?” Spread your arms out even wider if possible or the widest you can. Whose arms could spread out wider? Your arms or your mom’s arms? Mom’s arms could spread out wider. And why is that? Because her arms are longer. Pick up your giant red heart and show it to students. Because it’s Mother’s Day, we’ve made this big giant heart to show how big Mother Love is. Think of the size of your heart in your chest. Then look at this heart. That’s how big a mom’s love can be. Moms are not perfect. Yet some people say that nobody can love more than a mother can. What are some ways we know our moms love us? Get from kids the variety of things that moms do to show love. What do you think? Does anyone, generally speaking, love more than a mom? They will probably say no. Think about it. There is one person who loves more than a mom. If someone implies a dad, say dads love as much as moms but not more. GOD loves us more! Can you even believe that? How can we know how much God loves us, when we can’t even see him? One way is that God loves us through moms. When your mom does something loving and kind for you, that’s God doing it too! God is especially glad to have made moms because, while we’re here on earth, it has given Him a way to show His love for you. But I just said God’s love is bigger. Let me show you one way of looking at this. Turn out the lights. Turn on the flashlight. Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world.” Often in the Bible, God and Jesus are referred to as “the light.” They “shed light” on subjects with their divine wisdom. They “light up our hearts” when we accept Jesus as our Savior. They “light the way” when we need to know how to get through a scary situation. They also shine on moms, so they feel their love for us. Have your assistant hold up the heart maybe 6 feet from a blank wall or door. You stand at least 6 feet away from her, so that she is between the wall and you. Shine the light on the heart. Stand back far enough so that the flashlight beam goes around all four sides. See how this heart lights up when we shine a light on it? That’s like the light of God that makes a mom’s heart love. Now”¦Look at the wall behind the heart. What do you see? Students should see the shadow of a heart. Is the shadow of the heart the same size as the heart, or is it bigger than the heart? It is a lot bigger. If your mom’s love for you is the size of that heart, God’s love is the size of the heart on the wall! By shining his love through your mom, you get to see not only how bright and loving she is”¦.but you get some idea of how God’s love is all that much bigger. God’s love may seem like a shadow here on earth. But it is very real in heaven. Someday we’ll get to see more than a shadow and we won’t have to experience it through another loving person. Someday we’ll get to see the hugeness of God’s love face to face! In the meantime, thank your moms today for loving you enough to bring you to church. She knows you need God, and bringing you to learn more about him is one of the most loving things a mom can do! Do you have other favorite Mother’s Day lessons you like to use with your children? Feel free to share them below! And don’t forget to Become a Fan on Facebook, where I will share more great Mother’s Day activities and ideas! (from Christianity Cove) Tell kids: Many explorers have traveled the world looking for the “fountain of youth,” a place where they can live forever. As Christians, we don’t need a magic formula for a long life – we have the promises of God! Did you know that God promises you long life when you honor your mother? That’s right! How do you do it? Speak to your mother with a kind voice and respect. Don’t disobey her or lie to her. Be a person who brings her honor. (from Ministry to Children) Affirmation of Faith UMH 887 Anthem - Bells Scripture Acts 17:22-31 Sermon God in us and Around Us It is important for us to celebrate Mother’s Day – the ten commandments tells us to honor our mother and father. Even though days when we honor our parents can get compilicated and brings up so many different emotions for people. I think that it is important to remember that our primary cargivers are a source of love. Sometimes that love comes from our parents, but it always comes from God. God always sends someone into our lives to teach us love – sometimes those people are our parents and relatives, but that person is always Jesus Christ. Our scripture today addresses the condition of our world today. In a world of uncertainty and pain, everyone is searching for that primary source of love. The book of Acts is the story of how the Holy Spirit spread the good news of the gospel. It follows all of the disciples as they go out into the world. At the beginning of the story we hear of the travels of Peter. But later in the book, Paul becomes the main character. In chapter 17 – Paul is at the capital of Greece, Athens. The Greek people value knowledge, but Paul also notices that they seem to break of the image of God – they have a God for everything. On Mars Hill, the main building of the government, Paul notices a monument dedicated to an unknown God. When Paul sees it, he addresses the court and takes the opportunity to tell them about the one true God – the God who brings us all together through love. Paul shares his Christian faith and convinces them that the search for the holy and eternal is over. Some are even converted. Paul’s point to us today is that the presence of God is everywhere, in everything and is available to all people. When we look for God we can find the presence of God – in scripture and even in our mothers. In his book with the catchy title, It Was on Fire when I Laid Down on It, author and ordained minister Robert Fulghum relates a story from his early years in ministry. Fulghum writes that on the Sunday prior to Mother’s Day one year, a member of his congregation approached him and said, "Now preacher, far be it from me (those words almost always spell trouble!) far be it from me to tell you what to preach about. But next Sunday is Mother’s Day, and my MOTHER will be here next Sunday, since it is MOTHER’S DAY. It sure would be nice if you were to say something about MOTHERS, since it will, after all, be MOTHER’S DAY, and my MOTHER will be here with me." Fulghum says, "I got the point." t would be awfully tough, for example to preach a Mother’s Day sermon if the assigned text for the day were from the 14th chapter of Matthew. If you’re not familiar with that passage, it is the story of how the daughter of Herodias, wife of King Herod, asked that the head of John the Baptist be brought to her on a platter, as her mother had instructed her! Not exactly a favorable image of dear old Mom, is it? But today is different. Today all the lectionary texts address the issue of the need to share our faith. Now, I don’t know about YOUR mother, but my mother gave frequent lectures about sharing. Maybe if my siblings and I had been better about DOING it, Mom wouldn’t have had to talk it about so much. But Mom often tutored us about sharing. As the oldest of five children, Mom repeatedly reminded me that I had to set an example for my younger siblings to follow (and how I hated that! Every single time I stepped out of line and got caught at it, "What kind of example are you setting for your brothers and sisters?") . And one of the best ways I could provide a good example, according to Mom, was by sharing. At first, it was by sharing my toys with my sisters, who much to my dismay, liked playing with MY stuff better than they liked playing with their dolls. Then later, after my brothers came along, I had to share my room with them. When you live in a three-bedroom house, Mom and Dad share one bedroom, the girls share another, and the boys share the third. And that was okay for a while. After spending the first six years of my life with only sisters to play with, I was glad to have brothers to share a room with. Until I became a teenager, of course. Then I needed my space, needed room to assert myself, my individuality. Did you ever notice that the way we do that is by trying to be like every other teenager we know? "I want to bleach my hair to express my uniqueness. What do you mean, I can’t do that? Jimmy’s mom let him do it! All the guys at school are bleaching their hair! Why can’t I?" But I do have a lot of happy memories of those sharing times with my brothers and sisters. What I remember most is that the sharing was best, the example I set, if I set one, was best when I played with my brothers as if they were my age, and not the other way around. When my actions and words were the same as theirs, the sharing still happened, but something seemed to be missing. I shared, just like Mom taught me. But nothing worthwhile came from the sharing. Something seemed to be missing. Sometimes that’s what happens when we try to share our faith, isn’t it? We muster up the courage for the attempt but then for some reason nothing seems to come of it. Nothing we can see right away, anyhow. Let’s be honest – it’s tough to talk about faith issues outside the setting of the church. We don’t want to come on too strong to other people. We don’t want to overwhelm them. We don’t want to be regarded as some kind of religious fanatic, the office Jesus Freak. Years ago, William F. Buckley noted that you may be able to mention religion at a fancy dinner party once, but if you bring up the subject twice in one evening, your name won’t be on the guest list for the next big shindig! Sharing our faith is difficult sometimes. Besides, as we sometimes say, "I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day." "Actions speak louder than words." The best way to share our faith, to tell others about Jesus, may be the lives we live, rather than the words we speak. But don’t you have to be able to talk the talk, as well as walk the walk? Communications is a complicated process. This faith of ours is a faith that has been articulated through words. Long before the Bible existed in written form, it was passed on through oral tradition, the telling of the stories of faith from generation to generation. And even after the Bible came to exist in written form, Christians had to encourage one another to study God’s Word in order to be able to address issues from a Christian point of view. Thanks, Mom, for teaching me to share, for giving me that foundation upon which to build my witness. And thanks also for teaching me that HOW you share is equally as important as WHAT you share. Staff, , by Johnny Dean Today is a day for us to think about Mothers, God and the Spirit of love that connects us all. Rev. Fulgum remembered the lesson of sharing that his mother taught him. What lessons in life did your mother teach you about love, about sharing, about life in general. My Mother Taught Me… 1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE. "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning." 2. My mother taught me RELIGION. "You better pray that will come out of the carpet." 3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL. "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!" 4. My mother taught me LOGIC. "Because I said so, that's why." 5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC. "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me." 6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT. "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident." 7. My mother taught me IRONY. "Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about." 8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS. "Shut your mouth and eat your supper." 9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM. "Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!" 10. My mother taught me about STAMINA. "You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone." 11. My mother taught me about WEATHER. "This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it." 12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY. "If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!" 13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE. "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out." 14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION. "Stop acting like your father!" 15. My mother taught me about ENVY. "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do." 16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION. "Just wait until we get home." 17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING. "You are going to get it when you get home!" 18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE. "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way." 19. My mother taught me ESP. "Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?" 20. My mother taught me HUMOR. "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me." 21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT. "If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up." 22. My mother taught me GENETICS. "You're just like your father." 23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS. "Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?" 24. My mother taught me WISDOM. "When you get to be my age, you'll understand." 25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE. "One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!" Source Unknown. The greatest gift that we can give you our moms today is to live out those lessons and to pass them on to others. Honor through Your Life You must also give your mother honor in the way you live. Whether we want it to be this way or not, the way we live is a reflection upon our parents. So, if you really want to honor your mother, you should live in a way that she will be proud of. You must live an honorable life. One day, several convicts were in a prison library flipping through a merchandise catalog. On one of the pages there was the picture of a lovely home. One of the prisoners said, "Man, I sure wish I could give my mother a house like that to live in." Another prisoner pointed to the nice car that was pictured in front of the house and said, "No, I'd rather give my ma a car like that, so she could come to see me once in a while." Then the two men noticed their friend, Bill, just staring blankly at the magazine, so they asked him to say what he would like to give his mother. After thinking for a few minutes, he looked at them with tears in his eyes and said, in a sorrowful tone, "I wish I could give my mother a more honorable son." That young man was grieving about the fact that his dishonorable life and actions had dishonored his mother. R.E. Lybrand, Home Is a Four-letter Word, CSS Publishing Most of us try to honor our parents by who we are and by what we do. We honor our parents by making connections to them. But we should also honor them by honoring the lessons of God that we have learned through Jesus Christ. Some people search for an unknown God – but we have been blessed with so many people who have come to show us the story of love. Perhaps today we can also brighten the day of someone who may be alone today. Or give a donation to and organization who helps mothers in need. Or remember our mother and others who have shown us love. Gratitude Make a list of 31 things your wife does for you and the family which you seldom thank her for. Make a point of thanking her specifically for one on each day of the coming month. On each day of the following month pay her a new compliment on one of her good attitudes, character qualities, habits or talents. And be prepared for a better relationship than you've enjoyed in quite a while. Unknown Mothers and Father’s Get Short Changed Mothers and Fathers -- you think you're special? You think you're being honored, having one day out of the year dedicated to you? Consider this: Egg salad gets a whole week. As do pickles, pancakes, pickled peppers, split pea soup, clowns, carpenter ants and aardvarks. Peanut butter (March), chickens (September) and oatmeal (January) each rate an entire month. Mothers and fathers can draw solace from the fact that along with themselves, such national treasures as the rubber eraser and moles also merit only a single day of recognition. Afterall, mothers day comes one day a year – ice cream, drinking , pets and even pizza get a whole month to celebrate. We still live in a world searching for true love in an unknown God. Today is about God, mothers, and the presence of love that connects us all. Even with all of its complications, and the list grows every year – Mother’s Day is an important day in the life of the church. Birthday parties are special because a group of friends come to rejoice at the blessings of someone else. Much is the same in our celebrations of complicated joy at church. We will never assemble with unfettered joy on this side of heaven. But, if we will allow ourselves, we can anticipate that unfettered joy in moments of celebration where the broken, injured, and wounded share in the joy of the moment with those who are not. While it may be a bit complicated by our fallen and broken world, our time together as God's family must be a time to anticipate the joy that awaits us when our Father brings us home! Even though it may be complicated, rejoice! In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:6-9) Phil Ware, A Complicated Joy, originally published in Heartlight Magazine So, with all those qualifications, why bother with Mothers’ Day at all? I’ll tell you why —— because for all its stumbling blocks, pitfalls and broken dreams, for all the soiled diapers, soiled wallpaper and spoiled plans, we’re talking about a beautiful ideal, a natural part of God’s creative plan to bring love and caring to light. Motherhood is a constant demand for the gift of love and caring. Proclaim, “A Mother’s Day Sermon,” May 14, 1989. Mother’s Day is our way of celebrating the love of God that came down to earth to teach us the way. Amen. Song Abide with Me UMH 700 Mother’s Day Prayer Mothers’ Day Liturgy Lord, on this day set aside to honor and remember mothers, we give you thanks for our mothers. We are grateful that you chose to give us life through them, and that they received the gift of life from your hands, and gave it to us. Thank you for the sacrifices they made in carrying us and giving us birth. We thank you for the women who raised us, who were our mothers in childhood. Whether birth mom, adopted mom, older sister, aunt, grandmother, stepmother or someone else, we thank you for those women who held us and fed us, who cared for us and kissed away our pain. We pray that our lives may reflect the love they showed us, and that they would be pleased to be called our moms. Jaymie- can you print this prayer as an insert, starting here We pray for older moms whose children are grown. Grant them joy and satisfaction for a job well done. We pray for new moms experiencing changes they could not predict. Grant them rest and peace as they trust you for the future. We pray for pregnant women who will soon be moms. Grant them patience and good counsel in the coming months. We pray for moms who face the demands of single parenthood. Grant them strength and wisdom. We pray for moms who enjoy financial abundance. Grant them time to share with their families. We pray for moms who are raising their children in poverty. Grant them relief and justice. We pray for step-moms. Grant them patience and understanding and love. We pray for moms who are separated from their children. Grant them faith and hope. We pray for moms in marriages that are in crisis. Grant them support and insight. We pray for moms who have lost children. Grant them comfort in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We pray for mothers who aborted their children. Grant them healing and peace. We pray for moms who gave up their children for adoption. Grant them peace and confidence as they trust in your providence. We pray for adoptive mothers. Grant them joy and gratitude for the gift you have provided. We pray for girls and women who think about being moms. Grant them wisdom and discernment. We pray for all women who have assumed the mother’s role in a child’s life. Grant them joy and the appreciation of others. We pray for those people present who are grieving the loss of their mother in the past year. Grant them comfort and hope in Christ’s resurrection. Prayer of blessing: Lord, we thank you for the gift of motherhood. We thank you for the many examples of faithful mothers in scripture, like Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Lois. Hear now the first names of other women who have inspired us by their motherly examples . . . We are mindful this day of all these women, and especially Mary the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, who had the courage in faith to say “yes” to your calling. May these women gathered here today emulate these examples of faith. And may they model for all the rest of us what it means to be your disciple. Bless them on this special day; in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. —posted on the WorshipHelps blog. Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Offering Prayer Dear Lord, out of your great love for us you have provided for our needs. There is food for our tables, clothes to cover us, a roof over our heads and someone to love us. For these gifts we are grateful. Bless now, our tithes and offerings, we ask, so that they may be used to make disciples for Jesus Christ. Amen. (Board of Discipleship, Rev. LaGretta Bjorn) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook May we leave this house of worship strengthened by the Spirit renewed by God’s Grace and reminded that the Body of Christ surrounds us for help, comfort, and support. May the grace, hope, peace and love of the God the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer be with us now and always. Amen Joys and Concerns Mother’s Day Benediction Go into your week, knowing that you are embraced by the love of God; a love that is sweeter and more tender than any you have ever known. Additional Illustrations A Complicated Joy Have you noticed how hard it is to have a simple joyful event anymore? Something inside wants me to blame it on some external factor like political correctness run amuck. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. We live in a fallen world of complicated joy. Special times like Mother's Day or Father's Day remind me of this sad reality. While I enjoy preaching a "happy little sermon" about moms or dads, the complicated reality of our broken world jumps up and trips me. There are those moms or dads who have been abandoned or abused by their spouses and the last thing they want to do is give thanks or hear nice things about something and someone they don't have. Ditto for those who have had horrible experiences with their own moms or dads. In addition, there are those who have wanted and prayed and waited to be moms and dads without success and with deep wounds. Suddenly, what seems so simple and profoundly important jumps up has the joy stolen from its moment. Our concern for the wounded often leads us to forego the rejoicing, tone done the celebration, or issue all sorts of exception statements so the wounded don't get further injured. Meanwhile, those who have reason for joy have a lot of it siphoned out of the moment. As Christian communities, however, I believe our churches need times of unabashed joy. Yes, there are those in pain who have been victimized by bad marriages or bad parents. Yes, there are those who ache to have children of their own and who find what is missing hurtful on these kinds of days. But, I believe we truly NEED to celebrate these kinds of moments without apology. Let me share a few reasons why. First, we need to honor those to whom honor is due. In our petty and nit-picky world, people seldom get the affirmation and praise they deserve. Standing up and honoring those who deserve must be done -- it is not an option for godly people. God wants us to honor those to whom honor is due. (Romans 13:7) Second, our children need to know that in the troubled world in which they often find themselves, there are moments of joy to cherish and to anticipate. How do they know what "normal" should be, or what goal to set for their own lives if all they hear about are the exceptions and the injuries? Let's teach them to be kind and compassion as well as to think on lovely things and to reach for them in their own lives. (Philippians 4:4-9) Third, so often in caring Christian communities, our focus is on the broken, the wounded, the left out, and the injured. This is not only appropriate; it is righteous in the truest definition of that biblically rich term. We must be communities of care and compassion. We also must maintain a healthy and holy balance. Thanks for our blessings, praise for the greatness and graciousness of our loving God, and appreciation for his response to our pleas for help and healing should also be a part of our worship. A compassionate community will lose its compassion if it forgets the joy that inspired it. We must rejoice with those who rejoice in addition to weeping with those who weep. (Romans 12:15) The broken need to share the blessing of gratitude with those who rejoice. This is not just encouragement for those rejoicing, but it also helps the broken refocus on other things than their own brokenness and offers the promise of their own brighter tomorrow. Birthday parties are special because a group of friends come to rejoice at the blessings of someone else. Much is the same in our celebrations of complicated joy at church. We will never assemble with unfettered joy on this side of heaven. But, if we will allow ourselves, we can anticipate that unfettered joy in moments of celebration where the broken, injured, and wounded share in the joy of the moment with those who are not. While it may be a bit complicated by our fallen and broken world, our time together as God's family must be a time to anticipate the joy that awaits us when our Father brings us home! Even though it may be complicated, rejoice! In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:6-9) Phil Ware, A Complicated Joy, originally published in Heartlight Magazine Humor: Mother’s Maintenance Manual Many of us take better care of our cars then we do our mothers and yet we only expect our cars to last 5 or 6 years but we expect our mothers to last for a lifetime. Maybe we need a maintenance manual for mothers so we would know how to take care of them at least as well as we do our automobiles. Here are some items that might be included in such a manual. Engine: A mother's engine is one of the most dependable kinds you can find. She can reach top speed from a prone position at a single cry from a sleeping child. But regular breaks are needed to keep up that peak performance. Mothers need a hot bath and a nap every 100 miles, a baby-sitter and a night out every 1,000 miles, and a live in baby-sitter with a one week vacation every 10,000 miles. Battery: Mother's batteries should be recharged regularly. Handmade items, notes, unexpected hugs and kisses, and frequent "I love you's" will do very well for a recharge. Carburetor: When a mother's carburetor floods it should be treated immediately with Kleenex and a soft shoulder. Brakes: See that she uses her brakes to slow down often and come to a full stop occasionally. (A squeaking sound indicates a need for a rest) Fuel: Most mothers can run indefinitely on coffee, leftovers and salads, But an occasional dinner for two at a nice restaurant will really add to her efficiency. Chassis: Mother when their bodies are properly maintained. Regular exercise should be encouraged and provided for as necessary. A change in hairdo or makeup in spring and fall are also helpful. If you notice the chassis begins to sag, immediately start a program of walking, jogging, swimming, or bike riding. These are most effective when done with fathers. Tune-ups: Mother need regular tune-ups. Compliments are both the cheapest and most effective way to keep a mother purring contentedly. If these instructions are followed consistently, this fantastic creation and gift from God, that we call MOTHER should last a lifetime and give good service and constant love to those who need her most. If They Are Going to Get You… Author, speaker and sports enthusiast Pat Williams, in his book A Lifetime of Success, give one of the best examples I know of a mother’s love. He tells of attending a very special Atlanta Braves’ baseball home opener on April 8, 1974. It was a night game against the Dodgers and it was a complete sellout. Williams looked around to see that, seated immediately behind him was singer Pearl Bailey. Up at the plate: the immortal Henry Aaron. On the line: Babe Ruth’s record of 714 career home runs. Aaron had tied the record and tonight he was aiming to break it. Understand that this was nearly 40 years ago. An African?American player was about to topple the great Babe Ruth--and a lot of people in the country didn’t like it. Aaron got a lot of mail that year--more than 930,000 letters in all, far more than any other person in the country. Most were fan letters--but about 100,000 of them were hate letters, some containing death threats. Williams says he was on the edge of his seat when Dodgers pitcher Al Downing hurled the ball toward the plate. Aaron swung and connected. The crack of his bat echoed through the stands. The ball was gone. Home run. Babe Ruth’s record was shattered. The ballpark went nuts. “As Aaron rounded second base,” says Williams, “a couple of teenagers--both white--jumped over the retaining wall and ran onto the field, chasing Aaron. For a moment, no one knew what they had in mind, but then it became clear: they were celebrating and cheering Aaron on. As Aaron crossed the plate, the dugout emptied as the Braves streamed onto the field to surround him, cheering and whooping it up. But amid all those ballplayers around Aaron was a short, sixty-eight?year?old black woman. She latched onto Aaron and wouldn’t let go of him. “Henry Aaron turned and said to her, ‘Mom! What are you doing here?’ “‘Baby,’ said the mother of the new home?run king, ‘if they’re gonna get you,’ (thinking of the death threats Aaron had received) ‘they’ve gotta get me first!’” That is love only a mother could have for her child. “If they’re gonna get you, they’ve gotta get me first!” Pat Williams, A Lifetime of Success, (Grand Rapids. MI: Fleming H. Revell, 2000), pp. 109-110, adapted by King Duncan What Goes Into A Home? The Bible does not say very much about homes; it says a great deal about the things that make them. It speaks about life and love and joy and peace and rest. If we get a house and put these into it, we shall have secured a home. John Henry Jowett, What Is a Mother? (Norwalk, Conn.: C.R. Gibson, 1977). _______________ Why Bother with Mother’s Day? This is a Mother's Day sermon. I’m preaching without apology and with appreciation for that time—honored institution without the benefit of which we wouldn’t be here! As ministers, we’re reminded not to get too sentimental about motherhood because: (a) for some, motherhood is an accident, and not always a welcome one; (b) for some, biological motherhood isn’t possible; (c) for some, mothers weren’t all that nice; (d) for some, motherhood under the very best of circumstances is still less than abed of roses and a primrose path. So, with all those qualifications, why bother with Mothers’ Day at all? I’ll tell you why —— because for all its stumbling blocks, pitfalls and broken dreams, for all the soiled diapers, soiled wallpaper and spoiled plans, we’re talking about a beautiful ideal, a natural part of God’s creative plan to bring love and caring to light. Motherhood is a constant demand for the gift of love and caring. Proclaim, “A Mother’s Day Sermon,” May 14, 1989. Am I Loved? I had a professor in Childhood Development who said, "All it would take to have a perfect world is just one generation of perfect parents." I believed that until mid-life, when I saw several nearly perfect parents who had terrible children. But the concept is generally true--we learn to love because we were loved first. We love, according to the Bible, because God loved us first. We all need to be loved. And we grow up testing whether we are indeed loved. One of the basic questions of our youth is, "Am I loved?" It is asked in the back seat of a car. It is asked at a party. It is asked with defiance at home. It is asked with incomplete homework at school. It is asked when drugs are offered around in friendship groups. It is asked when a gang leader suggests an initiation rite. "By this you know you are loved…." Everyone here today, mothers or not, needs to ask, "How am I demonstrating love?" Is it in a way that others can experience? Paul Sweet, This I Know outh fades; love droops, the leaves of friendship fall; A mother's secret hope outlives them all. Oliver Wendell Holmes, physician and poet A Call for Help A woman telephoned a friend and asked how she was feeling, "Terrible," came the reply over the wire, "my head's splitting and my back and legs are killing me. The house is a mess, and the kids are simply driving me crazy." Very sympathetically the caller said, "Listen, go and lie down, I'll come over right away and cook lunch for you, clean up the house, and take care of the children while you get some rest. By the way, how is Sam?" "Sam?" the complaining housewife gasped. "Who is Sam?" "My heavens," exclaimed the first woman, "I must have dialed the wrong number." There was a long pause. "Are you still coming over?" the harried mother asked hopefully. Dennis Marquardt adapted from Bobby Moore, Any Old Port in a Storm.