Sunday Words of Encouragement May 8, 2016 Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there. We were blessed to have our son come to visit for Mother’s Day.  We attended our ‘second’ church where we visit for the early service.

The Pastor did a nice sermon on parenting. He noted that in current society it is a time when families need to pull together as so many families have become disjointed families. Many people, children have opted for God’s permissive will instead of His perfect will. The pastor shared an ironic poem about mean mothers.

Jurassic Park would have been a great park until the safety features broke down. Parents today are in a similar fix, trying to survive the breakdown of safety boundaries (values) in our society. The guidebook for Christians is the Bible. Ephesians 6:4 tells parents (fathers but applies to mothers) 'do not exacerbate your children but train them in the instruction of the Lord'.

We live in a world much different from the 1950s. Parents are so busy trying to provide a comfortable living for their family but it cuts into quality time with the kids. If you are not there, someone else will help your children to establish values. TV is teaching the children. By age 65, studies show that a child of today will have spent 9 years watching TV compared to 4 months in church.

Parents need to provide loving encouragement to children. Parents also need to provide boundaries and loving discipline. Finally, parents need to provide standards and values that will allow children to self-discipline as they mature. We need to commit to these trainings to raise dedicated children.

This is a lovely song for Mother’s Day.

Verses for Today:
Proverbs 6:20-22 (NIV)
20 My son, keep your father’s command
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them always on your heart;
fasten them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.

I still miss you, Mom, but I thank you, and thank God, that you gave me foundations, values and boundaries. And when I was old enough, you encouraged me to fly.