Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers reading this.
This "holiday" begs the question: What makes a mother?
As the mother of three, I know how blessed I am to be a mother. I carried and birthed two boys and a girl and with each birth, I realized how much love a heart can carry.
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But giving birth doesn't necessarily make you a mother.
In fact, I know many women who are mothers through the gift of adoption, surrogacy, marriage, partners, etc.
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In my own faith journey, I know that God has blessed me with many "mothers" along the way — women who have supported me and loved me, just as a mother would. These women have been such a blessing in my life, teaching me how to be a better mother for my children and for the children of the world.
An interesting thing happens when you do become a mother, from my perspective. Once you become a mother, you realize that every child of the earth matters — from the ones in your home to the littlest child half a world away. You cry when you see images of children starving in India, carrying guns in the Middle East, dealing with illness in Africa or standing in food pantry lines in your own town.
Your heart longs to help the mothers of these children to make their life a little easier and to help them be as blessed as you are.
Sometimes being a mother isn't easy. I hate to see my kids in pain — emotionally, physically, or spiritually. I hate to see them disappointed — in themselves or others.
Being a mother is one of the greatest gifts God has given to me. The highs far outweigh the lows; the moments of beauty come along much more often than the moments of despair.
What makes a mother? Perhaps only you can answer this question for yourself ... or ask your own mother if she's still around.
For tonight, this night of Mother's Day, let us all give thanks to ALL the women in our lives who have been like mothers to us — by birth or in other ways. Let us remember the lessons they taught us and carry these lessons on in our own lives and share them with others who need to hear them.
Happy Mother's Day, Marianne and Pat!
