What You Really Need to Know on Mother’s Day
This one is not just for moms.
The air was buzzing with Mother's Day excitement in church this morning. Flowers brightened every nook and cranny, baskets of heart-shaped cookies were passed around, and families in their Sunday-best were taking advantage of free, professional family portraits.
Chris and I stood on stage at the beginning of both servcies to welcome everyone. I had been awake since 3am with a rotation of small child issues, and Benjamin was having a harder than normal day. If I didn't need to be on stage that morning, I would kept the little guys home with me. Things were heading south quickly. Instead, I wiped 5-year old tears, helped him take deep breaths, and, in the way mother's do, told him his dad would deal with him at church if he chose to continue his day like this. We slid in the doors of church that morning just in time to say, "CHEEEESE" for the photo booth and for me to hop on stage with a fresh coat of lip gloss and my Mother's Day smile. I only realized halfway through the service that the bottom of my left boot was completely unattached from the rest of the shoe.
My tired eyes, broken boot and thinly spread heart stood on stage in front of a group of people that Chris and I love deeply. All at once, my heart filled for the people God entrusted to us here, for our own moms on the other side of the world, for our kids and the things they are walking through, for the friend grieving the loss of his mother one week ago, for the single moms who are always on, for the ones who flinch at the mention of their mothers, and the ones who wished they'd had more time with them. My heart was bursting for the moms yet to meet their babies and the ones who won't get to meet them until heaven. All I could do is stand before our church and ackowledge that the mere mention of Mother's Day brings up a huge spectrum of feelings for every one in the room. I couldn't see because of stage lighting, but I felt the collective nod and heard a few brave verbal agreements.
Women and mothers were formed by holy hands with a unique portion of God's love, a special and specific sliver of His very image. The brokenness of the world impacted our mothers, our relationships with them, and the way we mother. That's part of being human.
But there's something about moms - being one, having one, missing one, wishing to be one, whatever it is - that brings stuff up.
We had an unMother's Day at our house. Benjamin wasn't coping with the excitement. We might try for a Mother's Day Monday. And we might not. The boys and I took long, hard naps while Chris stayed late at church to work. Still stumbling with weariness, I took the pressure off of struggling Benjamin. I said, "It's not Mother's Day anymore. We get to have a normal play day. Let's go to the aquarium." We wandered through clown fish, eels, jellyfish and sharks. Benajmin sang his own worship songs, and they looked for fossils in the sand.
While I looked for music to play for our drive to the aquarium, I found that one of our favorite artists, Blessing Offor, made a song with the one and only DOLLY PARTON. Speaking of mothers, that woman half-raised me. I was thrilled! The words of the song hit me with the same resounding heart-thunk I felt on stage this morning. It's called "Somebody's Child" (I'll post it below with the lyrics.) The song Blessing and Dolly sang to me this afternoon was the message I wanted to share with you at the end of this very long Mothers/unMother's Day.. It's one for everybody, not just moms.
You came from somewhere, from somebody. And that matters.
The people and the stories shaped you in many ways.
Much more importantly, no matter what your story is or where you came from...
YOU MATTER.
I think Mother's Day hits so hard is because moms are known for loving with a fierce, relentless, unconditional love. A mom's love can pick up cars, fly faster than a speeding bullet and jump over tall buildings if that's what it takes to protect their child.
You were made to be loved like that - but better.
You aren't just a mother's child.
You, child of God, were dreamt with technicolor dreams, prepared for before the oceans were formed, and were designed to be loved with everlasting, unblemished, eternal love.
I'm so, truly sorry for the bumps, breaks, bruises and more that life has marked you with. But you, Somebody's dearly loved child were worth sending heaven's best to make sure you had access to an eternity with no tears and perfect love.
If you're not sure of your eternity, or not sure if you really are a child of God... send me a private message. Let's talk about it.
I hope you enjoy this song as much as I did!
Somebody's Child
Written by Blessing Offor, Joy Williams, Ronen
Performed by Blessing Offor, Dolly Parton
Do you remember dreaming?
Do you remember home?
Do you remember feeling like you were not alone?
When a minute was forever,
And you had a hand to hold.
Tell me you remember and you'll never let go.
We're all somebody's baby.
We're all somebody's child.
We're all some kinda crazy.
We're all some kinda wise.
We are full of amazing.
We're all flirting with lies.
We're al somebody's heartache,
Somebody's can't wait, somebody's why.
We're all somebody's baby,
We're all somebody's child.
Do you remember running?
Do you remember wild?
Do you remember wanting just a little more light?
And what about that falling for the very first time?
Do you remember second chances after crossing that line?
We're all somebody's baby.
We're all somebody's child.
We're all some kinda crazy.
We're all some kinda wise.
We are full of amazing.
We're all flirting with lies.
We're al somebody's heartache,
Somebody's can't wait, somebody's why.