Not Just Another Mother's Day....

Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's, mama's, mommy's, step-mom's, granny's, granna's, aunt's, friends, soon-to-be moms, want-to-be moms, birth moms, adoptive moms, ladies who mothered you without being given the title of mother, mom's who have carried a child in the womb without the child ever having a face to see, to the mom's who sit empty-armed in a hut half a world away, mom's who drive mini vans and home school and mom's who work 16 hours a day and are thankful for daycare, mom's who can cook and mom's who order out, mom's who have no children but love many children as their own and mom's who have 1, 3, 7, 15 children....    For the definition of mother I found says "female that creates, nurtures, protects something..."  Some definitions include producing off spring...yet I find this one more true.... more reflective of the mother figures in my life, the mother I want to be.   For all the women than can produce offspring do not necessarily nurture, create, or protect... (trust me, this I know for sure in my job)....

I spend today reflecting on last Sunday, the day I met Tedi's birth mother, Worknesh.  Our bodies, hers who gave him life, and mine, the one that sustains his life now, met in multiple hugs.  Words were not understood but between mothers, so much can be understood in a look, a touch.  I watched her kiss Tedi's picture.  I watched the looks of longing in her eyes....I could see the love for him radiate from within her soul.   My mother's day blessing is born from her loss of her youngest son.  Yet her strength, her resolute and faithful demeanor are traits I want to emulate.  The villagers described her as a hard-worker, protecting, strong, respected.... much like the traits described in Proverbs 31, though she is not clothed in scarlet or fine linens...she does not have servant girls and her husband is deceased.  Yet, she steadfastly pursues the life she was given, despite the confines of poverty in which she lives.  Having met this woman makes me want to be a better mom to her son, a better steward of her gift and the many blessings God has bestowed upon me (namely her son).  In her loss, I have gained and yet she continuously said to me, "God Bless You... I have no words to thank you..." In truth, I have no words for her...

So while you go about your week worrying about which is better, public school private school or home school or you begin judging the mom who may not be keeping up with her kids or you worry about the hairdryer that just broke and what your hair will look at church (me)....think about the true responsibility of mothering...the blessing God gave to you...whether in your womb or in the womb of another woman...God blessed you with each moment you have with your children. 

While I am soul searching on motherhood....scary when I have been up since 3am due to jet lag......  I feel so inadequate... I mean, I am a self conscious (short, overweight, not smart enough), I am busy (I work ridiculous hours...how could I even think I could continue to add to my family...and I want more than just two right now)..... I am selfish (I want nap rather than do laundry, I want to buy a coffee rather than make it).... Who am I to parent one child, two children, or more????  Yet who aren't I?  God has infinitely blessed me.  He loves me at size 8 or 18, when I am serving and saving other people's children and nurturing my own children.  He loves me even when the laundry is piled up and I am selfish.... 

So if He loves me as His child, how can I/we not love more of His children?  It is mother's day.... and think of all the children sitting in orphanages around the world and here without mommy's to make cards for....but oh how they would love it... If I could post pictures of the children in the orphanages, I would.... I looked into so many sad eyes...they would smile and play and laugh, but they want someone to take them home... You don't have to super woman or special or rich or whatever you think you have to be to adopt...to love another child, to mother another child.  You may be the only chance they have at a mother...  Today is these children's "motherless day."  Maybe next year you can be his or her mom...you can share a life with another woman who provided it....  Just because they don't look like you does not make you any less capable of loving them, parenting them....Trust me, it is in you....there is enough love.  When you make the effort to step out, He will give you the ability to mother more, to love more, to give more....

Again, Happy Mother's Day!  I am truly blessed....off to that laundry from our trip!