MOTHER'S Day Revisited

Every year on that day of celebration, I go church to honor my own mother who so faithfully attends.  Inevitably, there is that awkward moment during the greeting and announcements when the pastor asks all Mom's to stand to accept their praise and applause from the crowd and heavens alike.  They are typically offered a flower to plant in their gardens or some other token in wishing of a well deserved Happy Mother's Day.  Then what usually happens is that one of the door greeters starts passing out all the gifting overages at the end of the service to 'all others'.  

I cringe.

The sermon this year was refreshingly different.  While not detracting from the glory of mothers, it did include a focus in the "Value of a Woman" to which it was also appropriately titled and based upon the poetic verses in Proverbs chapter 31.  

Even when young and growing up a hodgepodge of  Methodist, Southern Baptist, Union and Lutheran theologies through several broken homes; I have always been keenly aware of the importance of a woman in her own right.  Their names and positions and lessons in the Bible and as role models are some of the most poignant in life.  These were not just characters on a Sunday school felt board to me; they were THE heroes of the big book even though you sometimes have to dig between the lines to find them.

The thing that struck me in this most recent lecture was how little things have changed in the day of being woman.  Though iPhones have replaced a donkey messenger, a woman in charge is still the theme.  These Proverbs describe a business owner, industrious and creative; homeowner extraordinaire, loved and respected for her gentle and nurturing nature and her sound judgment; a charitable giver full of incredible compassion; she is prepared - she is as logical as open is her heart - she strives for excellence - she is healthy and physically strong.  All of this and she is not burdened or worried from the load of responsibility because she has her eye on God as her first priority. 

SHE IS REMARKABLE.

So as barren as my own womb (didn't THAT sound biblical) and although I may not completely understand the logistics of my currently unanswered prayers, I am confident that I HAVE VALUE in MY own right.  My own life was created for a purpose BEYOND my understanding....for now.   

Happy belated "Mother's" Day!

B is for: BABIES!

While the movie progressed a bit too slowly in some places to completely hold my attention for 80 minutes, anybody who has ever had one or loves the sound of their coos and even cries can't help but be enamored by "Babies". The cute factor alone had me at Goo Goo Ga Ga.

There is no commentary, no narration, no interruption, no real sense of time; just the day in and day out of the life as a baby from the mundane to the little victories and milestones. I almost stood in the theater and cheered when one of the little boys FINALLY stood by himself (behind all of the others) with the wind in his fuzzy (and big!) hair like the ruler of his own little grass hut kingdom. I wanted to yell out, "NAAACHOOOOOOO!!!!"









Some are surprised by the intimacy of the scenes and approximation of the cameras as they captured the very essence of familial life by following four babies from different parts of the world through their first 18 months. Some are shocked and feel the documentary exploits a global economic imbalance. Others comment on the lack of obvious similarities that all cultures and all mothers and all babies share; and the natural development and evolution thereof.

I, personally, did not need an outlined cheat sheet to connect-the-dots nor a talking GPS roadmap to fully enjoy the journey. I think the beauty was in the inference and the simplicity of it all and I remain comforted in the confirmation that all any of us ever need - from birth through adulthood really - to grow and reach within our own innate will to be happy and to survive; to find the BIG personalities in all of our LITTLE persons...is love.

Besides - baby cheeks just make me want to smile. How about you?