Mothers Like These

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       Motherhood is one of the greatest privileges God bestows upon us. I am thankful to live in a country that sets aside a special day to honor mothers, but I am more thankful to have the examples of godly mothers to follow. I am so blessed to have a mother who has always done her best to walk in the Lord’s footsteps, as she leads me. She is a woman who has encouraged and guided me in all the right ways. The importance of the role of women in God’s word cannot be overestimated. The influence of women today is felt in the pulse of nations, as she, through home and the children she nurtures, weaves the moral fiber of generations to come. I saw it said simply on a social media site this morning, “Today we honor those who raise the future.” In the Old Testament, the character of a king is revealed just before or after stating the identity of his mother (2 Chron. 24:1-2; 2 Kings 22:1-2; 2 Chron. 29:1-2). In the New Testament, the apostle Paul writing to Timothy, commends his faith, which he learned from his mother and grandmother. Women hold the keys to the home and they strengthen the church because of their God-given role to nurture and teach children.

            I am thankful to be able to learn from the example set by Sarah, who had such faith, she “was delivered of a child when she was past age” (Heb. 11:11). How many truly amazing feats could we do today in God’s service if we only “judged Him faithful who has promised”! I am thankful for Jochebed, who is only mentioned by name in two passages, yet owns a place of honor in Israel’s history because she mothered three great leaders in early Hebrew history. May we take the time to teach our children about our Lord, as she did hers. Children are gifts from God, yet to many people, children are a bother; some women want children, but do not want to be a mother to those children. May we see motherhood for what it is, a privilege, as Hannah saw. May we also pray for the welfare of our children, as Hannah did (1 Sam. 1:27). When there are things we do not understand, may we keep them to ourselves and ponder them in our heart, as the mother of Jesus did (Luke 2:19 & 51). May we be mothers like Mary, who possess a meek and gentle spirit and may be ever present in the background of our children’s lives (John 19:25). May we pattern our lives after the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31. And most importantly, may we be the mothers God expects us to be.

A father occupies a special place in the life of children, but a father will never have the influence that a mother does in the life of that child.

1.       Colley, Cindy. Women of Deliverance. Publishing Designs, Inc. Huntsville, Alabama. 2004.

2.     Colley, Cindy. Women of the Genesis. Publishing Designs, Inc. Huntsville, Alabama. 2005.

3.      Colley, Cindy. Women of Troubled Times. Publishing Designs, Inc. Huntsville, Alabama, 2008.

4.      Duncan, Bobby. Inspiring Profiles: Fair To Look On. 2001 Publishing Designs, Inc. Huntsville, Alabama. Second Printing 2004.

Where Have the Grandmothers Gone?

by Traci Paseur

    The year 2000 is now twenty-four days old. What modern times we live in . . . And, my, how these times have changed. I have a birthday approaching and my age is so very insignificant. It doesn’t matter because times have changed and I find it discouraging.

    I was raised in the church and am so very grateful that my grandmother made a way of life for me. Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, and Wednesday nights were for worship. No questions asked. As a child, I willingly admit to that burst of excitement if for one reason or another we didn’t go to church. But, for the most part, my childhood days of worship were happy times and I felt the comfort of God’s word even then. Sunday afternoons were spent around the dinner table enjoying a wonderful meal that my grandmother had prepared.  During those days, you didn’t dare take a bite until the blessing was said. I’ve seen my grandmother give thanks over a bowl of beans and a piece of cornbread. Where have the blessings gone? I ask because I don’t know. Maybe we don’t want to offend anyone by offering a blessing and we don’t want to embarrass ourselves shamefully by doing the honor of giving thanks. We should give thanks that we even have the opportunity to give thanks.

     I just can’t remember a day that I spent with my grandmother when she didn’t refer to God and His glory. I remember, not so long ago, driving with my grandmother on a beautiful fall afternoon. The leaves were turning their beautiful shades of orange and red, and my grand-mother said, “Only God can make a tree.” Of course, I had noticed the fall colors, but paid attention instead to my needs, my schedule, and basically, my life. My life at that time had absolutely no room for, or any need to be mindful of “God’s trees.”

     On a similar outing on a spring day she began to admire the big white fluffy clouds in the sky. She commented on how beautiful they were and that hey looked like “you could sit on top of them and let your feet hang off.” I can still hear those words, but the daily commute to punch the time clock has created tunnel vision that blocks out God’s wonders. Where has the appreciation of God’s beauty gone? Again, I ask because I don’t know. Perhaps the drive to be there and get it done has blinded us so much that we don’t allow ourselves the moments to remember just how small we are in God’s beautiful universe.

     My yesterdays are filled with God, His blessings, and a good map with clear directions to His door. My today is filled with anguish over the fact that I didn’t lose the map, but intentionally put it away in favor of going my own way—My own way, which has left me lost and without purpose. My tomorrow, I pray, will be filled with hope and reassurance from God that I may take up His map and make my journey through life on the right path. Thanks to my grandmother, I know how to read a map.

     Growing up, I can remember my grandmother making us turn away from the television when a beer commercial came on. In recent days, watching anything on television with my grandmother has just gotten to the point that I become embarrassed. And fearful of what she might see simply because you just never know what’s coming. Today’s world needs grandmothers. Someone to speak openly about God and someone to remind us continually of His plan for us and to remind us of His blessings.

     So now I ask, “Where have all the grandmothers gone?” I’m just not sure. I do know that my grandmother has started her journey home. Just a few more hours and her work here will be done. Soon, there will be one less grandmother and one less teacher. Thank God for grandmothers who are sent from above. I hope God has a beautiful cloud awaiting my grandmother’s arrival. One that she can sit on and let her feet hang off. While she’s there I hope she will look down at me, through God’s trees, and see me reading my map, the map that will lead me to God’s door, and hopefully, to a place on a the cloud beside her, forever.

-Airport church of Christ bulletin

Valdosta, Georgia