“When God Created Mothers!”

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Proverbs 31:28

It is that time of year where we offer our love, thanks, and appreciation to the Mothers in our lives. We all have a mother whether she be biological, adoptive, foster, or just a person who exhibits the qualities of a Mom to us. This year, our extended family is fortunate to be able to welcome a brand new Mom as we celebrate the birth of our niece and nephew’s first baby. Litte Daphne has made her entrance, and she has caused us all to celebrate the joy of new life and motherhood.

When God created male and female in His own image, He made them different and unique. That uniqueness doesn’t make one more important than the other, but it simply helps them to complement each other. And so, within the woman God created the ability to create children, and the deep desire to nurture. When a woman doesn’t have a family to nurture, she often uses that gift to nurture others.

This nurturing instinct explains why long before women were accepted as doctors, they were nurses. Before they were accepted as professors, they were teachers in school classrooms. When someone was needed to hold an office together, women were employed as secretaries. Only later when their full talents were recognized and honored did the world realize that women are both nurturers and intelligent business people.

Erma Bombeck is famous for many things, but she was very sensitive to Mothers. She wrote of mothers who for one reason or another don’t get to fulfill the traditional role, and she wrote of Mothers who have lost a child and the loneliness they feel on this day. She also wrote of the attributes of Mothers. One of the best tributes she wrote is entited When God Created Mothers, and I’d like to share it today.

When God created Mothers, He was in his sixth day of “overtime” when the angel appeared and said, “You are doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.”

And God said, “Have you read the specs on this order? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic. Have 180 moveable parts… all replaceable. Run on black coffee and leftovers. Have a lap that disappears when she stands up. A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointing love affair. And six pairs of hands. “

The angel shook her head slowly and said, “Six pairs of hands – no way.” “It’s not the hands that are giving me problems,” remarked God, “It’s the three pair of eyes that Mother’s need to have.” “That’s on the standard model?” asked the angel. God nodded.

One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, “What are you kids doing in there?” when she already knows. Another in the back of her head so that she sees what she shouldn’t, but what she has to know, and of course the ones here in front so she can look at a child when he or she goofs up and say, ‘I understand and I love you’ without so much as uttering a word.

“God,” the angel said, “get some rest, tomorrow…” “I can’t,” said God, “I’m so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she’s sick…can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger…and can get a nine year old to stand under a shower.”

The angel circled the model of the mother very slowly and sighed, “She’s too soft.” “But tough,” said God excitedly. “You can’t imagine what this Mother can do or endure.”

“Can it think?” asked the angel. “Not only can it think, but also reason and compromise,” said the Creator.

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger over the cheek. “There’s a leak,” she pronounced. I told You that You were trying to put too much into this model.”

“It’s not a leak,” said the Lord. “It’s a tear.” The angel asked, “What’s it for?” “It’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, loneliness, and pride,” said the Lord. “You are a genius,” exclaimed the angel.

Somberly, the Lord said, “I didn’t put it there.”

Happy Mother’s Day to each and every Mother! It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it!! God has equipped us, and what a rewarding job we have been given!