United Church of Pittsford

Ephesians 6:1-4

“Dear mom,” writes an 18 yr old college freshman,
“I’m sorry it’s been so long since I last wrote . . .
but I was in a car accident and broke my wrist.

“I didn’t tell you sooner because I didn’t want to worry you.

“I’ve had some problems with my eyes too, since the accident . . .
but the doctor says I should be fine.

“The boy who ran into us with his car was really very nice.

“He wasn’t hurt at all . . . and did all kinds of stuff to help us out . . .
he even visited us after the accident.

“Because I wasn’t able to take care of myself real well at first . . .
he allowed me to stay with him in his apartment.

“He’s been wonderful . . . in fact, we have decided to get married!

“You’ve always said you couldn’t wait to be a grandmother,
well, it won’t be long now . . . I’m expecting!

“Actually, there was no accident, no injuries, no boy friend,
no marriage plans . . . and I am not pregnant!

“However, I do have to tell you that I am struggling with French,
and have failed
the first quarter in chemistry.

But, I wanted to be sure you received this news in proper
perspective . . . which explains the first part of my letter.

“Your loving daughter, Mary.

“PS, I promise to do better!”

Whew!!!!

The trials and tribulations of parenthood!

You moms understand,especially you older moms who have been
through the wars, so to speak! I’m sure you dads understand too!

Of course, the truth is, all of us understand . . . because we have been
the cause of those trials and tribulations for our own parents. We have all let them down on more than one occasion; we have all
ignored their advice, hurt their feelings, embarrassed them, and worried them terribly!

Likewise, all of us have brought them a great deal of joy, pride, fulfillment, and satisfaction . . . in spite of ourselves.

Now, I do not have any great biblical insights to share with you this morning about parenting . . . but I do have many fond memories
of my mom . . . a wonderful mom, who I loved very much, and will always miss until the day I am gone.

Many of you have heard me speak of her in the past . . .
and I would like to do that once again this morning as a way to honor her on this Mother’s Day . . . and in the honoring, remember some of the best characteristics of motherhood!

To honor people is to admire them, to respect them . . .
to exalt, value, appreciate, cherish, adore them.

It is how our tradition calls us to feel about our Lord and Savior!

Hopefully, it is how most of us feel about our parents . . .
and especially on this day, about our mothers.

I can confess, to my very good fortune, that I have no trouble whatsoever in honoring my mother.

She was not perfect, none of us are . . .
and all three of her children let her know that
on more than one occasion . . but she was a woman who considered
being a wife and a mother as the most important vocation in the world.

I think she understood that who she was as a person was terribly important for who her children would become.

I know that I possess many faults, and continue to occasionally disappoint others by my many failures . . . but I also know
that the best of who I am come from my mom.

She did not spend a lot of time telling me how to live, she showed me!

Noted child psychologist, Dr. Wm. Farson, has said, “I suspect
that kindness and decency are learned by being around mothers and fathers who are kind and decent, and the same is true of so many others qualities.”

My mother tried her best to live an honorable and virtuous life . . .
because she thought it was the right way to live . . . the way God wanted her, as a wife and mother, to live.

My mom was honest and fair; she was generous and self-giving,
she was open-minded, and always anxious to learn something new.

My mom had a deep and abiding faith in God . . . but never felt compelled to force that faith on others.

She bore testimony to her faith by being thoughtful, kind, polite, respectful, dignified, gracious, non-judgmental, and forgiving.

My mom believed in me, expected the best from me, yet, was always there for me, even when I proved to be less than my best.

Her love for me was warm and affectionate . . full of hugs and kisses, compliments, and expressions of support and affirmation.

A youth worker was addressing a group of struggling mothers in one of the more troubled neighborhoods in south Chicago.

She told them that when their children come home from school
and want to talk . . . they had better stop whatever it is they are doing and listen!

“Because,” she said, “if you don’t listen to the little things first . . .
the big things will never come out!”

My mom always made a point of listening to me.

She always listened to all the little things . . . my silly ideas,
my immature opinions, my idealistic fantasies, my insignificant victories, my daily disappointments and painful defeats.

And when the big things did happen in my life . . .
I knew she would listen, and that it was safe to share.

My mom really loved my dad, and I’m sure that required a great deal of patience and determination . . . and her children knew that . . .
not by what she said, but by how she treated him.

Among other things, she never criticized him, never put him down,
never embarrassed him in front of us children . . . never!

They seldom had a disagreement in front of us,
and never raised their voices, or “God forbid,” swore at one another
in our presence . . . never!

My mom always spoke her mind, and was her own person with my father . . . but she was never disrespectful or intentionally hurtful
of him . . . or anyone else, for that matter.

My mother was always well spoken of by others, especially by my friends . . . and she always assumed that her children
were well spoken of by others, as well.

She expected that of us, and trusted that it was true.

I know that everyone’s mom was or is different . . . and I am not trying to imply for one moment that my mom set the pattern for proper parenting . . . but it was of prime importance for her, she saw it
as her calling from God, her holy vocation . . and she gave it her best.

I know she made many personal sacrifices for me over the years.

I didn’t appreciate it at the time . . . but the longer I live,
the more I am aware of the unconditional love
that she embraced me with.

I hope my ramblings about my mother may help us consider again what a wonderful, important, holy, and fulfilling privilege and responsibility parenting is.

It was Jesus who taught us that we would discover our true selves,
our authentic selves, the people God created us to be, by losing our selves in love.

In many ways, my mom modeled that for me . . .
and I am thankful.

Amen.