Yesterday was Mother's Day and, at our church, Baby Dedication Day as well. Since we have a newborn, we participated in the dedication ceremony, which was fun and meaningful to us and, I presume, to the other 15 families involved. (Yes, it was somewhat of a cattle call.)
Mother's Day evokes such a wide range of emotions, depending on your circumstances:
Lost a mother? It hurts, perhaps with fond memories.
Love your mom/being a mom? It's fun!
Have young children? Smile and laugh (and belly laugh) at their handmade, creative gifts. Cry when they hug you and declare you are the best mommy in the world (you understand that's temporary, revocable when you deny them candy tomorrow).
Miss a prodigal child? Not such a fun "celebration."
Endured a difficult mother? It's a struggle to find the joy in the day.
Can't have children but want to? It's excruciating. You may be unmarried, you may struggle with infertility, or you may have lost a child through miscarriage or still birth. Infertility in particular seems more common than ever: 1 in 6 couples of childbearing age experience fertility problems, and 600,000 miscarriages occur in the US each year.
And though God has blessed me with four healthy, wonderful children, I've been part of those statistics in the past. Those experiences left me more grateful to God for the kids he did give me, more appreciative each time I met one for the very first time.
My friends have been posting some interesting blogs and articles about Mother's Day. Each of these is worth a read, and I encourage you to click on them for further reflection. You'll be the richer for it.
It's Mother's Day, Not Motherhood Day (moms often lose their identities)
Mother's Day Musings (by a mom who recently lost her 4-day old daughter)
Infertility and Mother's Day: Where Are the Mourners?
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