Mothers

I know this is past the official celebration of "Mother's Day," but it is always timely to give honor and thanks to our mothers. I know that growing up far too often I took for granted my mom's endless acts of service, and enduring source of love and encouragement. She was the glue of the family keeping us all in order and making our home a place of refuge, joy, security and love. I loved being home as a kid and hanging out with mom was always a delight, even to this day. I have learned so much from my mom and continue to do so on a regular basis. I am so very blessed to have a godly mom who has so deeply impacted my life!

I am also so thankful for my mother-in-law. It is a joy and honor to be welcomed in to another's family and to truly be considered and treated like a daughter. Although the relationship has been for a briefer period of time her love, service and godly insights have also shaped and impacted my life. Not to mention I benefit from her influences on a daily basis in the husband that I am so blessed with. The examples of godly mothers in my life are a gift from God of which I am truly grateful! By the grace of God their influence continues to impact future generations.

As a mother of three, I can only appreciate the sacrifices made by my mom all the more. There has never been a job more rewarding, more thankless, more exhausting, more challenging, more stretching than the role of a mother. There are days in which I feel like a complete failure as a mom. But I am so thankful that God works even on our worst of days and that his grace abounds in the lives of His children. I am thankful that His mercies are new each morning. And I am astounded of His great love for me even while I was yet a sinner!

I find it interesting how "Mother's Day" is celebrated so diversely here in Italy. The kids made special gifts for me at school and the abundance of flowers for the special day were seen throughout the city. However, after wishing a few mothers a happy mother's day at church I began to realize by their perplexed looks that something was not jiving. I received more well wishes from our neighbors than I did at church. No one even gave acknowledgment to the mothers during the service. How diverse from how this day is celebrated in the States with the whole sermon being devoted to mothers, flowers passed out etc.

One kind woman was gracious enough to share a cultural insight with me. She said that in Italy "Mother's Day" is traditionally a day in which Mary is celebrated and honored. So for the evangelicals they now swing to the opposite spectrum and do not celebrate the day. I know for a fact this is not always the case as the church where we attended in Perugia did honor the mothers (however, that was a church started by American missionaries). Believers here try to separate themselves as far away from Catholicism as they can. This is seen even in the way they decorate their churches. In the states you would be hard pressed to find a church without a cross somewhere on it's premises. However, in Italy it is just the opposite as the evangelical churches are very plain in decoration and crosses are rarely found.

That was my cultural lesson for the week and just thought I would share it with you.