It’s Mother’s Day and You’re Included!

I am so glad to come and sit at the table with you again. It’s almost Mother’s Day! What can I say about Mother’s Day? Well, mostly it has become a day where restaurants go into the black because everybody takes mom out so she doesn’t have to cook and the U.S. Postal Service has its busiest week of the year. I began to think about all the hand drawn cards that are being made for mothers in grade school classroom. I considered the flowery words skillfully crafted and written in the Hallmark cards that children of all ages will be putting in mailboxes all over the world. In all those words, pictures and sentiments, the questions in my mind was, “what should it be about and what really makes a woman a mother?” It should be about celebrating motherhood. It should be about celebrating the heart of a mother. Clearly, from some of the horrendous stories we hear of abuse and neglect perpetrated by natural mothers against their children, biology does not define a mother’s heart. So to answer the question, I thought about the admirable women I know, personally or by reputation, and looked for a common thread. It became very clear in my mind. While there are many characteristics that define a mother’s love, one stood out above the rest. A mother’s love is a self-sacrificing love.

Let me tell you about the women who came to my mind. First, I have neighbor who I have known for more than twelve years. She and her husband are very sweet, kind and loving Christian people. Since I’ve known her she has been a foster mom. She has never given birth to any of her own children but I have never met a more wonderful mother. Being a foster mother or a good one anyway, means that you give your home, your time and your heart to people who you don’t have any obligation or responsibility toward. You also do so knowing that at any moment, they may be taken from you to their natural parents or another home. The investment of time and love I have seen her make astounds me. Her priority has been to see that these children get what they deserve just by virtue of being, a loving home. She has raised girls from childhood up through teenage years and into adulthood, which as a parent of teens, I know is no easy job. She has taken calls in the middle of the night to come to the rescue of an infant abandoned at the hospital by a mother on crack. I have never known her house to be without at least one foster child. I know that the state provides financial support for foster families but there is no amount of money that can compensate for the sacrifices that a family has to make to lovingly care for the needs of a child. Even as she has had times of failing health, she has given of herself to build into the lives of these kids.

Next, there is a woman who is familiar to many of us. Cheryl Mackey is one of our resident home school moms and happens to be one of my favorite people. Irrelevant to the point, but true nonetheless. She began her journey of homeschooling last year after some struggle and soul searching, which she has so transparently shared with us. She knew that her decision would be difficult and at times be uncomfortable and a major inconvenience. Some of the things she was previously able to do would have to be delayed, postponed and maybe even abandoned. But those considerations became secondary to what she and her husband believed was the only decision for the well-being and successful future of their children. When placed on the priority list, some of her needs took the backseat to those of her children. Everyday her focus is on teaching and raising her children in a godly and safe environment and not on herself.

While I don’t want to toot my own horn, I have recognized some of these same qualities in the “mommy” side of my all too multifaceted life. My time, abilities and resources are regularly channeled into making sure my 3 boys have all that they need. There are times when resources will be redirected to buy a new pair of boys’ sneakers even when mine were beat up and worn. I will have time out planned to take care of something important only to have someone wake up with the flu and then the week is spent nursing them back to health. It even shows up in something as small as putting the larger portion of meat on their plate instead of mine. While these are only a few examples they point to a pattern in my life. Sometimes, seemingly against my own will and sense of self-preservation, I am driven to put their needs above my own, even when it hurts.

Finally, while we may have never met Mother Teresa, we feel close to her life due to the enormous attention and press given to her life. In 1948 in Calcutta, India she began an organization, Missionaries of Charity, and a lifelong journey to bring the love of God to “the unwanted, the unloved and the uncared for”. Being a Catholic nun, she never had children of her own but the title of “Mother” has never been more aptly given. She spent her life living in arguably the poorest nation in the world caring for the sick, hungry, and destitute, especially children. Even in the latter years of her life as her health suffered, she continued to run the organization and personally touch the people of India and the hearts of those around the world until her death in 1997. What an outstanding example of self-sacrifice.

Sacrifice is defined as the giving up or loss of something that is valuable. Self-sacrifice means that you forfeit something personally valuable for the sake of creating advantage for someone else. With that in mind ladies, whether you have natural, adopted or foster children or you have lost or have never had a child, the heart of a mother is something that can be in us all. I believe it is given and developed by the author of self-sacrifice Himself, God, and is to be directed toward everyone in our sphere of influence. Forgive me for using the most quoted scripture in the world but it is the ultimate illustration. “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (St. John 3:16, NLT). God loved us so much that the sacrifice of what was most valuable to Him paled in comparison the value it brought to our lives. A mother’s heart is a heart of love. A mother’s heart is the heart of self-sacrifice. A mother’s heart is the heart of God. I pray that you no longer view Mother’s Day as a day for dinners out, flowers and mushy greeting cards but as a celebration of the heart of a mother. If no one ever tells you, wish yourself a Happy Mother’s Day and give yourself for someone else.

Pam Davis is Associate Pastor (along with her husband Terry M. Davis, Senior Pastor) of Christ Community Church of Philadelphia.( 4017 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, http://cccphila.org/) She has been married for over 20 years and is the mother of 3 beautiful sons. Pam, what a wonderful dish you brought to the table and we have had such a good time sharing it with you. I know I speak for everyone when I say, “We are excited about your next visit!” Ponnie


Richest Blessings,
Pam Davis

Pam will be back this summer..... and we know you won't want to miss her! We promise to give you plenty of notice.


Saturday's Blog: Tovah our "Life of a High School Junior" wants to share what Mother's Day is like at her house.