| Mother’s Day isn’t getting the usual “hype” this year. There are very few Mother’s Day advertisements on television. I don’t even know if grocery stores are full of Mother’s Day gifts, flowers, and promotions because I’ve primarily had our groceries delivered to our front porch. Many churches won’t be meeting in person (and those that will probably won’t have Mother’s Day front of mind), so there likely won’t be the typical honoring of mothers with carnations or a kind word from the pulpit. For some, the break from Mother’s Day hype is a welcome change. Women who are dealing with infertility, who are grieving miscarriage or stillbirth, who regret a past abortion, or who are unmarried but desire children won’t have to sit through a church service feeling like salt is being rubbed into an open wound. If you carry a grief like this, may you find comfort with our Savior who is with us even as we walk through the darkest valley (Ps. 23). For others, the lack of attention to Mother’s Day may feel like a loss. For women who feel like they work and serve endlessly with very little gratitude expressed, Mother’s Day can serve as an emotional “boost” to energize their service to their family. Attending church on Mother’s Day can also be an experience of camaraderie, as younger women find inspiration from the life experiences of other mothers and grandmothers in their congregation. If you will be missing the usual Mother’s Day Sunday celebration this week, may you seek and find the emotional support you need through communion with the Lord. This week, I’ve featured articles that touch on several issues, including parenting a child with special needs, societal support of mothers, caring for a child with mental illness, and grappling with the grief of stillbirth. This Sunday—this unusual Mother’s Day—perhaps we can each think of out-of-the-box ways to bless and encourage mothers and friends. Who needs support? Who longs for a word of hope or comfort? Who would be blessed by a message of appreciation? We cannot meet in person, but we can bless the friends, sisters, daughters, mentors, and mothers in our lives. |
