Remembering Mom: Monday Devotions with Pastor Laurie

This Sunday is Mother's Day, and I can't help but think back on my mom and all the "mom sayings" that still pop into my head regularly. My mom passed away in 2003, and we had a close bond. I always felt like I could talk to her about anything—sometimes a little too much! And now, I often find myself saying things she used to say, like: "Oh for heaven’s sake!" That one was totally her. I saw a sign in a nursing home once that said, "Mirror, mirror on the wall; I am my mother after all." It made me laugh because it felt so true!

One saying from my mom still echoes in my mind, especially when I’m worried about how I look. Whenever I’d fuss about something, I could hear her voice: "No one's looking at you anyway." At first, it might sound like she was putting me down, but that was never her intention. She’d explain that everyone was just as concerned with how they looked as I was, which helped me put things in perspective. It wasn’t all about me. She understood how self-conscious a teenage girl could be, and her words were always meant to ease my mind.

I remember one time after a track meet when I had completely sunburned my nose (no matter how much sunscreen I applied, my nose always burned). That night was the school dance, and I was so embarrassed about my bright red nose. But my mom just said, "Don’t worry, have fun! And if anyone mentions it, just say you're Rudolph!" And, of course, she added, "No one's looking at you anyway." That was all I needed to hear—I stopped stressing, had fun at the dance, and completely forgot about the sunburn.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there! I know this day can bring up a lot of different feelings. Some of you have wonderful relationships with your moms, while others don’t. Some might not have their moms with them anymore, and some long to be moms themselves. Whether you’re filled with joy or exhaustion, just know that the work you’re doing is holy work. As Therese of Lisieux once said, “The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the heart of a mother.”

And in the words of Psalm 139:13-14, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

To see more of Pr. Laurie’s devotions, check out her blog at www.LaurieEtta.com.