Cleaning the Refrigerator
Easter Greetings:
Mother’s Day is here again on Sunday. From what I’ve heard and witnessed, the “church” struggles with this day of remembrance along with Father’s Day. As I turn it over and over again in my mind each year, I wonder why there is this struggle as to whether we celebrate it or not.
Some say it is a Hallmark holiday. Some say it is not a Christian holiday. Some say we shouldn’t raise up some people over others. Some say we need to just plain any mention of it in worship on Sunday. I’m not understanding why.
To do that just doesn’t sit well with me. Look how Jesus loved his mom. He follows her directions at the wedding of Cana. From the cross he is concerned about her. Jesus raised up the status of women throughout all of his ministry. How often do we stop and recognize mothers, and even on a broader basis, women of the faith who have played an important role in our lives. (Same for men on Father’s Day.)
As I’ve been cleaning this morning, I’ve thought of all the women who have touched my life. My own mom died too young, but I remember scrounging up all my money to walk to True Value Hardware to buy her the Nativity set she wanted to recognize her and show her my love. I remember my siblings going in together to get her the porch swing she dreamed of. I remember cooking together and talking late into the night and how she helped me when my first two children were born. It’s sad she wasn’t here for all of them or to see her great grandchildren. It is so wonderful that she was in my life as long as she was. Who else could have converted Little Grandma’s pierogi recipe from egg shells of water to a measuring cup of water and teach me how to make all those Christmas cookies.
I remember the other women in my life. My sister who often had/has to play the “mom” role after our mom died. Women who mothered me when I moved to Indiana away from all my family. Women who have laughed and cried with me, encouraged me, sat next to me, loved me when I was in one of my most unlovable stages. Even my daughters, daughters-in-law and granddaughters who touch my life deeply.
Why not honor the women in our lives on Sunday? Why not send a card or letter to a woman who has impacted your life? Why not call her and wish her a happy Mother’s Day? Why not recognize them in worship and lift them up to God in praise and thanks. God is the one who put them there. We often recognize youth and children and families in worship. Why not men and women? Why not take advantage of a day set aside for them already instead of re-inventing the wheel? Of course we should do this every day, but often it is important to be reminded of this by having a day set aside like this.
It seems to me that Christmas transformed a non-Christian holiday, as well as Easter. Why can’t we be transforming in how we honor women on Sunday and men in June? It’s part of our society, and I have trouble ignoring the world we live in although we are not “of” it.
God is with us even as we clean the refrigerator (finally)!
Hope
