Mother's Day

 by Macy Johnson

“May your father and mother be glad;

may she who gave you birth rejoice!”

(Proverbs 23:25 NIV)

 

My husband, Jeff, and I drove to South Carolina the day before Mother’s Day. His sister flew there from San Antonio to celebrate their Aunt’s ninety-first birthday and visit with cousins. Our daughter drove down from North Carolina with her children to join in the celebration. We laughed about times gone by as we enjoyed everyone’s favorite submarine sandwiches on the warm, sunny deck and mouth-watering cake in the air-conditioned home.

 

I recalled on the drive home that afternoon of all the mothers who had gathered to celebrate the life of my husband’s family’s matriarch. What a joy to have our daughter, now a mother herself, be there with us. Even though Jeff’s mother passed away before I met her, I felt her presence there in spirit, too.

 

After playing the piano for the Mother’s Day morning worship service, I sat on the dock and enjoyed a peaceful afternoon with Jeff and his sister. Left alone to monitor the fishing, I noticed a jerky yank at the end of one of the poles. I first dismissed it as a pesky turtle, but then resolved to play with it for a while. After a game of tug-o-war for several minutes, a catfish splashed on the surface! I reeled it in and was thrilled! It had been a long time since I caught a fish. Jeff tossed my mother fish with a swollen belly full of fish eggs, providentially caught on Mother’s Day, back into the lake. She lived that day to birth many more fish for us to catch at a later date.

 

“Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

(1 Corinthians 13:7 NIV)

 

I will thank God for all the mothers in my life. I hope you will, too!