In honor of our national celebration of mothers this Sunday, I
want to share a story that reflects so many mothers I’ve known: Mom
and Dad were watching television when Mom said,
”
I’m tired, and it’s getting late. I think I’ll go to bed.
”
In honor of our national celebration of mothers this Sunday, I want to share a story that reflects so many mothers I’ve known: Mom and Dad were watching television when Mom said, “I’m tired, and it’s getting late. I think I’ll go to bed.” She went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day’s lunches, rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for supper the following evening, checked the cereal box levels, filled the sugar container, put spoons and bowls on the table and prepared the coffee pot for brewing the next morning.
She then put some wet clothes into the dryer, put a load of clothes into the wash, ironed a shirt and secured a loose button. She picked up the newspapers strewn on the floor, picked up the game pieces left on the table and put the telephone book back into the drawer. She watered the plants, emptied a wastebasket and hung up a towel to dry.
She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom. She stopped by the desk and wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the field trip and pulled a textbook out from hiding under the chair. She signed a birthday card for a friend, addressed and stamped the envelope and wrote a quick note for the grocery store. She put both near her purse.
Mom then washed her face, put on moisturizer, brushed and flossed her teeth and trimmed her nails.
Hubby called, “I thought you were going to bed.”
“I’m on my way,” she said. She put some water into the dog’s dish and put the cat outside, then made sure the doors were locked. She looked in on each of the kids and turned out a bedside lamp, hung up a shirt, threw some dirty socks in the hamper and had a brief conversation with the one still up doing homework.
She finally made it to the bedroom, set the alarm, laid out clothing for the next day and straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her list of things to do for tomorrow.
About that time, hubby turned off the television and announced to no one in particular “I’m going to bed.” He walked to the bedroom, tossed his clothes in (well, near) the dirty clothes hamper, brushed his teeth and fell into bed.
That story probably sounds pretty familiar to most of us; it certainly describes the mother of my lovely daughter. Yet so often we take the love and sacrifice of our moms for granted. I once heard the story of a young boy who marched into the kitchen with a note for his mother which read: “For cutting the grass: $5. For cleaning up my room: $1. For going to the store for you: $1. Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping: $5. Taking out the garbage: $1. For getting a good report card: $5. For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2. Total owed: $20.”
Well, his mother looked at him standing there, and the boy could see the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen, turned over the paper he’d written on and wrote: For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me: no charge. For all the nights that I’ve sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you: no charge. For all the trying times, and all the tears that you’ve caused through the years: no charge. For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were ahead: no charge.
For the toys, food, clothes, and wiping your nose: no charge. When you add it up, the cost of my love is: no charge.
When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes and he looked up at her and said, “Mom, I sure do love you.”
And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: “paid in full!”
I agree … and then some! Being a mother has to be the most difficult job in the whole world. My admiration and appreciation of what you do is beyond what my words can express, so may I simply say thank you for being a living example of what sacrificial love is all about. May God’s richest blessings be yours on this and every other day.
Henry Harris is Senior Pastor of Rolling Hills Community Church, 330 Tres Pinos Road, Hollister. If you have questions or comments, please visit the church’s Web site at rollinghillsfamily.com, e-mail [email protected] or call 831-636-5353.
