a mother's day at home

First of all, let me be clear: I appreciate the sentiment behind Mother's Day, just as I appreciate the sentiment behind Father's Day. I think it's important to honor those who raised us, who prayed and cried over us, who sacrificed for us in ways we'll never fully understand.

I just don't like that Mother's Day is on a Sunday. If I wasn't a churchgoing Christian, the day that Mother's Day falls on probably wouldn't matter. But going to church on Mother's Day when you yourself don't have children can be hard.

I didn't really comprehend this until four years ago. That day, I walked into church, not even realizing that it was Mother's Day ... until two well-meaning greeters wished me "Happy Mother's Day" on my way into the sanctuary. I blogged about it then, so I don't need to rehash it all here. Let's just say that I realized then how difficult Mother's Day can be for the single woman, the woman struggling with infertility, the woman who no longer has custody of her children, and on and on and on.

My Mother's Day church attendance has been hit or miss since that day. Even though I normally am fine with not being a mother, and I actually enjoy my single, childless existence, something about being wished a Happy Mother's Day has a tendency to make me feel less than ... less than normal, less than chosen, less than loved. I know those are all lies that Satan wants me to believe about myself. I know that I am special, I am chosen, and I am loved by the King of Kings, and today of all days, I need to cling to that truth!

So I decided to suck it up, be a big girl, and go to church today. To smile at anyone who happened to wish me a Happy Mother's Day. To worship God with my chosen body of believers.

And then my car wouldn't start.

I had to laugh. It's almost as if God was telling me not to worry about today, to enjoy my morning and then celebrate my own mother.

So that's exactly what I intend to do!

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! (photo by Dad)