Mothers at Work - Lambs, Skunks, Raccoons, Rats, Sheep, Dogs, Cats, And More

 

    My mother - Gladys Parker Jackson - taught animals at home and at Garfield School (later Coolidge Junior High, now defunct, like Garfield) - Moline, Illinois. 

    She was a superb teacher in many areas, so the students ran toward me to praise her abilities. She also rescued, troubled ones. More than one said later, "She rescued me!"

    In the meantime she raised us at school and at home, also participating with church and school. The four of us Jackson students earned master's degrees.

    Christina paralleled many efforts with my mother, but spent less energy on animals - much more on church work. The two model mothers helped many people in a wide variety of ways. That would be impossible to parallel today.

 

Roses And More Roses for Mother's Day

Knock Out roses are pink, red, and white.

On this Mother's Day Sunday, overdo your thanks to your mothers, grandmothers, and wives. 

 Ketchup and Mustard rose

+++

Last summer was so dry that I did not expect much this year. However, the lack of Creation boosters (rain, more bacteria, thriving earthworms) did not seem to predict 2025 results. We have plenty of rain now.

Four Knock Out bushes have a total of 120 blooms. Besides that, the David Austin roses, mostly new this season, are filled with large blooms and buds, fragrance, color, and strength. People gasp inhaling the wonderful new roses and seeing their size. A neighbor says, "They do not look real!"

One visitor, dropping off her dog at Doggy DayCare, said, "Look at those roses!"

 "Me? No, I could not have dug up a David Austin rose. Ask around."

Charlie Sue dug up a new potted David Austin Elizabeth rose, a day after it was planted. I scowled and pointed my finger at her vigorous digging results. I sat on the soil to adjust the damage and fill in the gaps. Some buds were withering but everything came back from buckets and buckets of rainwater. (I am kidded about rain-barrels until they are used with tremendous results.)

Sunday morning is when seven of the cul de sac families will get roses in party cups. I carried some already as a bonus. When Christina and I traveled to various doctors, we always brought along fresh-cut roses. In one case the patients wanted Creation Gardening and I had them in the car to give away.

People have stopped at our little cul de sac to ask about the roses taking over the front yard. That leads into Creation Gardening and Christina's order to remove the grass in the front and fill in with roses.

Here are some Creation Gardening guides for glorious flowers. (Read Sermon on the Mount):

1. Store rainwater (but not mosquitoes) and use it especially for stressed flowers but also for any sign wilting.
2. Use earthworm products to make the little critters spread the organic material bought or carried where needed. Most people will not buy earthworms for this, but I think it is worthwhile, beneficial, and fun.
3. Compost in place. I have spread an enormous amount of wood chips, cardboard, newspaper (now gone, sniff), and autumn leaves to improve the soil.
4. Prune the deadwood from the roses. John 15 is very clear about this, doubtless because Jesus is the Lord of Creation. I spent some time with a Mormon and gave him Creation Gardening. He wanted to read it.

Listen Up! Sons and Daughters, Grandsons and Granddaughters, Great-Grands Too!

 

I remember taking Christina to the Norman Rockwell Museum. Decades later we saw his best work brought to this area for a temporary exhibit. Over 100,000 visitors came to see the originals, which we once took for granted, often displayed on covers of the Saturday Evening Post, mailed to our home each week.

Mother's Day is so well promoted that no one can miss the upcoming event. I can also add a simple and undebatable fact - mothers, step-mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers enjoy the recognition, the expressions of thankfulness, and tokens of love.

Years ago, I started our rose garden with some hybrid teas and Knockouts, the later prolific in flower production. I stealthily plotted a way to unite the neighborhood with a rose on each doorstep, early Sunday morning. 

Ranger Bob said, "There was a rose on my door. Yours?" 

I responded, "How many roses are growing on this cul-de-sac? It was Mother's Day." 

He said, "I am not a mother." 

I said, "But you had a mother, and this is in recognition of her, in memory and honor of her, for putting up with you and your brother." He teared up a bit, because he adored his mother, and remembered how much she did for her children.

The mother of four daughters got a cup with four roses. Every house received one or more roses. 

Facebook friends reminded me of this simple truth - "I would give anything to have 10 minutes with my mother again." That is the great mystery, how we go from taking that time and that love for granted and suddenly realizing the opportunity has moved to another realm and time. 

I suspect that Heaven has many more faithful mothers than grateful children. But it is not too late to make this Sunday very special for mothers, step-mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers. Often the smallest token has the greatest value, and time together is the greatest gift of all.

There Are More Great-Grandmothers Now, So Many of Us Have Two Generations To Honor and Thank

This is my mother holding her great-granddaughter.

 Christina Jackson is holding Erin Joy. The nurses called her Joy for her happiness and laughter, only to find out that was her middle name, besides ours for her - Erin Where's the Party Jackson.

 Christina is holding the older sister, Bethany Joan Marie, whose smiles and natural curly blonde hair earned her the nickname Angel. She posed for the camera every time.

 Christina loved to visit people. This was at Larry Carlson's home; he suffered from ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease.

 Christina posed with LCA Presiding Bishop James Crumley. Years later we were at lunch with him, and he asked about my exit from the LCA.

 Christina's photo with Alice Walton led to the group picture of the Walton family at their art museum.

Christina got a hug from Alice Walton, which led to the Walton family photo above. I met both of the CEOs of Walmart at their meetings. I do that because there is often just one chance.

 Hang around too long, you get your portrait at a museum.

 Pastor Lawrence White, LCMS, spoke at a conference we attended. Christina enjoyed talking to him, and he was very gracious.

 We only have so long to be with our mothers, so we should let them enjoy our love for them, because the final years are too brief.

This is a short list of famous people I made an effort to meet - President Richard Nixon, President Ronald Reagan (I led us into the VIP section), Roland Bainton, Stan Hauerwas, several of the Waltons and two Walmart CEOs, actor Hugh Jackman, Jack and Robert Preus, Ralph Bohlmann (who left me frostbitten), David Preus, actress Julie Harris, and Graham associate Cliff Barrows, and clarinet artist Benny Goodman.

Every single mother is worth more than all the celebrities, stars, and famous people put together.

Almost all my Moline friends have seen their mothers pass away. So many say on Facebook, "I wish I could talk to my mother now for just 10 minutes." The younger ones can do that now. 

Gladys Parker, 18, was a co-ed in 1931, going to Normal College to be a teacher. Her students still talk about her being the best they ever had.

Exaudi, The Sunday after the Ascension, 2018.

 Graphic by Norma A. Boeckler

Exaudi, The Sunday after the Ascension, 2018

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Daylight Time

The melodies are linked in the hymn name. 

The lyrics are linked in the hymn number.

• The melody site is linked here.
• TLH Lyrics site is linked here unless copyrighted.

The Hymn # 9            O Day of Rest                       

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual       

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #629      Let Children Hear the Mighty Deeds

The Spoken Word to Children

            

The Communion Hymn #625          Oh, Blest the House

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #261                    Lord Keep Us Steadfast                   

 Graphic by Norma A. Boeckler

KJV 1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:  27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.  2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.  3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.  4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

Prayer

Lord God, heavenly Father, we give thanks unto Thee, that through Thy Holy Spirit Thou hast appointed us to bear witness of Thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: We beseech Thee, inasmuch as the world cannot endure such testimony, and persecutes us in every way, grant us courage and comfort, that we may not be offended because of the cross, but continue steadfastly in Thy testimony, and be found always among those who know Thee and Thy Son, until we obtain eternal salvation through the same, Thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Luther’s Two Sermons for Exaudi

The Spoken Word to Children

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 

Luther's emphasis was not upon dogmatics books, which is how he was trained to be a monk and priest. Instead, he always advocated teaching by word of mouth. So he called the Christian Church a "mouth church" and an "ear church."

After decades of emphasizing everything but this, and after avoiding any concept of the effectiveness of the Word in the Means of Grace, the apostate leaders are shocked to find their palaces crumbling and the weapons they trusted falling apart. Nothing is so shocking as to be a Midas where everything is gold and therefore useless. Imagine having a treasury with $60 million in it and begging students to attend your failing school. Oh, pick up and leave, join another failing school. That will fix things for a few years. Several mainline seminaries are doing that at once. The "conservative" Lutheran ones are now being visited by the same dread disease - Nowannagothere, Nowannadebt, Nowannaholloweducation.

God arranged for the strength of society to be the family - husband, wife, parents of children - no changing the recipe. Notice all the spiritual wisdom in this one verse, which is poetic in structure.

But when the Comforter is come, 
whom I will send unto you 
from the Father, 
even the Spirit of truth, 
which proceedeth from the Father, 
he shall testify of me:

The Holy Spirit would be sent from the Son and the Father and testify about the Son. 

How is this conveyed? Mothers are with the children most of all in the early years. They are the ones speaking to their offspring about Jesus and teaching them to pray.

Children are all ears in the early years. They want to know everything, and they have a great capacity for learning. Our grandson grilled me on ancient history and Norse mythology yesterday, and he is 12.

So people take this for granted, as if it is a small thing. When we shopped for a tool shed a few years ago, they gave us prices and added, "But you must have a foundation." That doubled the cost and we forgot about it.

Early training is just a foundation, but it is the foundation. That training is so important that the entire Gospel of John is phrased so any child can understand the words, and yet adults will use up 500 to 1000 pages ot explain it all...partially. No one can exhaust the content of the Gospels, let alone the entire Bible. 

I remember early Sunday just a bit. My hair had to be sprayed in place, so I enjoyed "breaking" it during Sunday School. My mother wondered why her spray-lacquer failed each Sunday, until I told her decades later. But I do remember another student in that class because he had flaming red hair. Years later he had children, then grandchildren, all with flaming red hair. We met again at the 50th reunion, and we would have shared a table but ours was full. We had the same values, as we discovered on Facebook. That must have come from the foundation being set up so early for us.

If we look at this verse, Jesus does not say, "I am going to teach the doctrine of the Trinity." He simply reveals the Trinity in the simplest possible words, so simple that many geniuses cannot find it at all! (UOJ alert - Knapp)

If someone only knows this verse, how can anyone convince him there is no Trinity? Impossible.

27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

The witness about Jesus comes from the disciples who spent three years with Him. This witness was not simply from them, but facilitated by the Holy Spirit. And so parents do the same, the Spirit dwelling in them serves to teach the children about the Gospel. 

16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

Offended is no longer the intended meaning in this age of everyone being offended or likely to be. It could be phrased - that you will not fall into the trap of unbelief.

Children learn early on about being hurt by circumstances, sometimes by their own actions. So mothers teach them a balance between accept responsibility and expecting injustice. The over-protected become overbearing or as fragile as tissue paper. 

2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 

This reality is being experienced all over the Third World. It has been true, but now we know and have the disturbing proof of how prevalent that is. The issue is whether parents teach children to value the Faith above all things. When that happens, it is often the mother who is the example cited.

The point of religious persecution is that those who practice it do so with the assurance they are engaged in wonderful, God-blessed service. That happens within abusive sects, when people are so full of their righteousness that anything done against the Ten Commandments is "justified" to use the term loosely.

There has been and will continue to be soft persecution where nothing is said or done, just a blacklisting of people who are faithful to the Word. If children are not prepared for those attitudes, they will be mystified or simply bend to the expectation they will conform.

When my mother was at the end of her life, she was in a nursing home. Everyone was singing. The song was "Don't Fence Me In." When they were done singing that song, she said, "That's me." Mothers often teach and lead by example.

3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

This is a frequent refrain of Jesus in the Fourth Gospel. Those without faith in Christ, no matter how much they pretend, exhibit the same tendencies. Faith is equated with knowledge, because those who trust in the revealed Word know God's will and His grace in the Savior. That affects what they do and say.

4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

This verse should echo with many mothers. One thing they can count on. Their reputation will grow by 10 times when they are gone and their children miss them. I hear it all the time, because the parents of my friends have passed away. I can think of one or two exceptions. The posts on Facebook are about how much they miss their mother's wisdom, example, faith, and example.

Teachers' Day - Part III - My Wife the Teacher. Mother's Day

Our son is in this photo with my father,
but he looks exactly like his son at that age.
See Batman below.

My wife Christina was trained to be a German teacher at Augustana College, and she lived in Germany to learn more and become especially fluent. Later she earned a master's degree in German literature at the University of Waterloo, a tough program where all the reading was in German - and  so were most of the lectures.

I was one of her first students. She thought I should learn German, and I took plenty of courses at Augustana in German, and she took Greek - based on my suggestion. I was not a natural in languages, but I thought they were important to learn, so I took Greek and more Latin.

Every mother is a teacher, and Chris devoted herself to teaching our children all the time. She gave her language abilities to our son, and gave our daughters a special love for conversation and laughter. Bethany and Erin Joy could not talk, but they spoke with their eyes, laughter, smiles, and tears. Story time was so important we even phoned up story time from a special number.

All three children heard stories, listened to books read, and enjoyed group lovey time. There are many ways to teach.

My wife Chris decided that learning itself was good, not something received at a school, even though she substitute taught at various schools. Learning happened all the time, which is how we talked her into an Atari game computer - for education. "They have all kinds of programs to teach math and everything else."

That little game computer turned into a career. Today, we had the best time talking about the latest advances.

I remember Chris driving Little Ichabod to the community college for classes, very early, as I mentioned before. We home-schooled, which was a great experience. I got to tutor him in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and he tutored his classmates in Latin and Greek.

My wife and I love literature, so we had a home full of literature, classical music, and hymns. When I read stories, I insisted on junior editions of literature or classic children's stories, like Wind in the Willows. We read Tolkien and Lewis too.

The wonderful thing about a wife and mother working at home is the astonishing amount of education that comes from that experience. During Fiddler on the Roof being played on the record player, the young groom sang "Miracle of miracles, God gave you to me." At that point our toddler ran over and kissed his mother. During the "Fifteen Birds in Five Fir Trees," song from The Hobbit record, he danced. I was in my office downstairs and heard the song and the feet thumping - so much fun.

Chris was always looking for ways to get the best education for LI. Various opportunities worked out, and we found ways to work around the drones and drudges in education.

I had to say at one school, "It is better to deserve honors than receive them." That was where the school secretary controlled the principal and decided on giving awards to the dumbest - truly a practical education in how the world works, even in putative Christian schools.

WELS had some excellent teachers in Shakespeare (Oxford), math, and science. Chris was 100% for that, since we thought an education was valuable in itself, not a way to earn a ton of money. A great liberal arts education is now The Thing in careers, because people with a broad education are better at thinking through problems and solving them. And they can articulate ideas in good English, a real bonus today.

Teaching mothers become teaching grandmothers, which means enrollment in a mutual admiration society.

Everyone on Our Street Gets a Rose Bouquet on Mother's Day

I watered the Jackson Rose Farm last week so most roses would be peaking on Mother's Day. I got up extra early today, took Sassy for her walk, and got out my equipment:

1. Nine vases and cups.
2. Rose shears.
3. A gallon of water.

I refreshed the altar flowers left from Ascension Day on Thursday, then began harvesting roses for the nine vases. We have nine homes on this cul-de-sac, besides ours, and each one has a mother or someone with a mother, so each one got a bouquet.

Several got premium bouquets -

• Mrs. Gardener next door adores roses but her husband does not have a knack to grow them.
• Our friend with daughters galore - the four S sisters - got a special bunch. Each daughter's name begins with S, so we just call them the four S's.
• Our landscaper Army Ranger vet lost his mother not long ago, so he and his brother living there and their step-father all mourn her.

One neighbor, who loves our roses and other flowers, caught me in the act. She and her daughter followed me back to the yard and thanked me over and over for the roses. She had a packed vase of pink KnockOuts with some other roses for contrast.

The Army Ranger's brother came during church to return their vase and thank my wife. She said, "He would come out but he is broadcasting a worship service right now." They were very happy to have roses to take to their mother's grave today.

Our Laotian neighbor across the street came over with a bag of cooked rice, to talk to Chris and get a tour of the rose garden. They talked about Janice, who used to sit on the patio to enjoy the roses. Our Laotian neighbor wants to do the same.

Later, our helper came by to help plant Elephant Ears, some mountain mint, and spirea. We finally have the putative tomato (sunny) garden covered with cardboard and some of the mulch. He took home a giant Pope John Paul II and a big red KnockOut for his wife.

One KnockOut Bush provided most of the red flowers, but a few lucky people got the fragrant Mr. Lincoln rose.

Most  of the White Roses Under Attack by Aphids

Our helper asked about Sevin (a pesticide) and tomatoes. I got a chance to describe what I do with aphids. My speech follows.

"Aphids are attacking the white Pope John Paul II roses. Look at how rotten they are. I do not consider aphids bad, because they are food for pest eaters. I am leaving the aphids alone so the beneficial bugs have food and settle in here. Then they will wipe out the second aphid invasion by eating them or letting their children eat them."

He said, "So using Sevin just keeps a cycle going?"

I said, "Yes. You kill the aphids or tomato worms or another pest. All the pest-eaters are without food and you kill the vast majority of beneficial bugs and spiders. I let God's creatures eat them for nothing instead of buying pesticide. Call me cheap, but it works."

I Always Wanted To Have Elephant Ears

Elephant Ears are a tropical bulb, and we still had one great place for them in the front yard, plenty of sun and run off from water. Precious little water runs down toward the sidewalk without being used by an ornamental plant.

I am looking forward to posing our grandson under or behind one of these leaves. I can tell if children will like a plant or flower. If I love it, so will they.

Grandson Alex pruned my roses the first year we had them. I taught him to flick the flower with his fingers to see if the petals were loose. Those were spent flowers to cut. In fact, any flower or bud cut will direct more energy to production in the plant. Exhibitioners will prune good buds and flowers to make the others even better. So he learned - prunes are good for bushes too.

Fever Few is tested as good for migraines,but also a great host for beneficial bugs.

Beneficial Bug Plants

I planted all our mountain mint plants, which are good for beneficial buds. One is in the front yard. Two are in the back yard.

The spirea bushes in the front and back yards will attract butterflies and pollinators. 

When the promised rain comes, I will sow Fever Few and Comfrey in the Wild garden

Comfrey is a bigger, uglier version of Borage.
Everything mentioned here today is an herb, including roses.

Mother's Day Sermon - 2015

Thomas Cole - The Good Shepherd

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10AM Central Time

The Hymn #628            Shepherd of Tender Youth                

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual       

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn # 426               The Lord My Shepherd Is  

           

 The Christian Home

The Communion Hymn # 307            Draw Nigh                 

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #50                 Lord Dismiss Us                 

Prayer

Lord God, heavenly Father, who of Thy fatherly goodness hast been mindful of us poor, miserable sinners, and hast given Thy beloved Son to be our shepherd, not only to nourish us by His word, but also to defend us from sin, death, and the devil: We beseech Thee, grant us Thy Holy Spirit, that, even as this Shepherd doth know us and succor us in every affliction, we also may know Him, and, trusting in Him, seek help and comfort in Him, from our hearts obey His voice, and obtain eternal salvation, through the same, Thy Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

KJV 1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

KJV John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

The Christian Home

KJV 1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 

The liturgical scholars, the same brave souls who caved into the Vatican to follow the three year cycle of readings, frown upon the recognition of Mother's Day. They also frown on the way I skipped over this set of readings this year, which made me wonder why Ascension Day was upon us a week early - when it was not.

But I take refuge in Luther's example of using theme sermons from time to time, when something needed to be emphasized.

This Mother's Day came about because mothers were not getting enough appreciation, and the custom grew. I can vouch for my high school class in saying that all my contacts miss their mothers very much and often talk about each other's, because we tended to live in the same homes from Kindergarten through high school graduation. There may be one or two mothers still alive among my class, but that is all.

Many say on Facebook, "I miss you every day, Mom."

We are the first generation to have so many mothers living to be 90 years old and beyond. Therefore, we take for granted what was so rare years ago. Social Security assumed that we would live a year or two beyond the 65 year old retirement age.

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps...

This is the text that led to the writing of one of the all time best-sellers in America, called In His Steps.

The text reminds us that Jesus is not only our Savior but also our Example. Luther used mothers as an symbolic of Christ's love. A mother's love moves downward and is self-sacrificing.

Giving birth is by itself a special health risk for others, although God also provides the special blessing of stem cells that seek out ways to strengthens the mother's body (as I understand). Having children is the greatest possible blessing, matched only by having grandchildren.

And what do we see in the raising of children? First of all, they start out as demanding babies who seldom make life easy. Many little ones have special problems that double the cost of being a mother. As they grow older, children often see their mothers as roadblocks on the path of happiness.

And in all these years, believing mothers look at their children with love and have special love for those with special needs. 

Believing mothers always teach their children about Jesus, which leads to a strange situation today. Paul admonished men to be spiritual leaders because they seldom are. In their absence, women will always take over, such as teaching Sunday School and taking their children to church when the fathers stay home. So the trend is to destroy Paul's inspired wisdom and enforce women as running the congregation. One liberal noted that men will not take roles that they see as women's roles. 

In my first congregation, which was German, men ran the Sunday School and taught Sunday School, with the exception of the nursery class. Men knew they did not have the talents for that age group. One liberal church guru said that women pastors and council members always lead men to step down and stay at home. There are many all-women congregations where men hardly show up. This has all come from the "rights" attitude.

No matter what, believing mothers have a great influence on their children. When that is lost, the essential building block of society is lost and the foundation weakens. We are seeing the results of that after about 90 years of Prostestant apostasy, following one intellectual fad after another.

One does not learn if there are no teachers, so the Christian home has become a minority situation in a hostile land, just like the Roman Empire.

Christ also suffered for us

Self-sacrifice is giving oneself for others, and finding purpose and peace in that role. One mother said, "I stopped working when I had our first child." I said, incredulously, "You stopped working?"

I interrupted a fellow sales agent (a bachelor) when he asked a husband, "Does your wife work or does she just stay at home?" I advised him later that he was all messed up.

Being a mother is a lot of work and we do not let many mothers do that work. And worst of all, we diminish the most important work in favor of making money. That is absolutely crazy.

Women have been apologetic to me when they stayed at home to raise their children. That was my first significant question on a date, because I was not interested in a double income and the luxuries provided by that arrangement. The first one I asked was also the last one I asked, because we got married with the thought of working at home being far more important than an extra job.

But many women have no choice in the matter, and we have to respect them for doubly working as breadwinners and mothers.

The meaning of the Christian life is to serve others and find enjoyment in that service. Mothers are the best example of that.

Just as Christ was gracious and welcoming and forgiving, so are mothers. Those who hold up past mistakes against their children for 20 years are not very much in tune with the Gospel.

No honest parent will say, "I am a perfect parent," so how can imperfect people have perfect children? That cannot be.

We come into this world as sinners and the chief difference is faith in Christ.

Faith gives us the gracious forgiveness of Christ and makes us forgiving if we are truly repentant. That is the big challenge of mothers and all parents - to teach the faith and live the faith.

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 

We should also admit that there are irregular parents. I have known a lot of them, and I have seen their victims, their children. One time I wondered about the hostility of one church council member. He always seemed to have knives shooting from his eyes, not matter what. Then I met his father and I knew. In fact, I have known several council members like that. One confessed how horrible his father was, and I recalled how awful he was, and how his daughters married men like him.

There are obnoxious, hateful mothers - and they go to church. They are a mixture of hatefulness and craziness. And how is this God's plan?

That gives children a chance to break the pattern as much as possible, to understand their emotional scars and take care not to scar others the same way.

Christ is the best example of that - not taking revenge, not getting even, but letting God take care of justice.