Mother’s Day isn’t all its cracked up to be. Sure, Mom gets a few good things out of the day.  However, I heard a few stories yesterday from a couple of moms who received breakfast courtesy of their young children. The image this creates in one’s mind is nice but the reality is, there is going to be unwanted food that needs to be consumed and a huge mess that will need to be cleaned up.  Of course, Mom is probably the one who will end up doing that task, so you have to wonder, was this breakfast a true blessing?

You would think that when kids get older things would get better.  While they can make a breakfast Mom would want, as well as clean the kitchen up afterwards, the problem is they can’t get out of bed early enough to make that breakfast for Mom, unless she wants it at about 2 in the afternoon.  In some cases, the grown child doesn’t live close enough to do anything for Mom except wish her well or send a card.

Don’t get me wrong, I think moms really enjoy what they do get from their kids.  I know Lily was thrilled with the card she received from Karlie, and the video chat they had in the afternoon.  And our son, Mike, came through nicely too – he bought flowers for his Mother and gave her a card she will treasure. He even made a restaurant reservation for lunch on Mother’s Day. He didn’t pay for lunch, but he made the reservation.

 Here’s the thing: by the end of lunch, Mother’s Day is essentially over.  But what Mom really wants is time with her kids and family adoring her, catering to her needs all day long, and not just until the noon meal ends.  Often Mother’s Day isn’t much different from April Fools Day, which only lasts until noon. (I really don’t want to make any more comparisons with that day right now.)

By the afternoon, things get back to, “Hey Mom I need this.” or “Can you do that for me?”, or worse, everyone’s falling asleep watching some sporting event on TV.  Mom is left either catering to the family needs or she is ignored as the family does their own thing.

I wonder if God feels that way sometimes. We give Him a couple of hours Sunday morning and then do our own thing the rest of the day.  We get busy napping or playing or working on projects around the house.

I don’t think we have to stay in our “good clothes” all day like I did as a kid (to prevent me from doing things that would cause me to exert myself).  However, in the things we do, instead of ignoring God, we should include Him. And when I say “include” what I mean is acknowledge Him in what we are doing.  This might take a bit of thought on our part, some intentionality, but doesn’t God deserve a little more than just a Sunday morning?

Oh and by the way, Lil, next Mother’s Day, I won’t take that afternoon nap like I did yesterday.

Until Next Time!

Pastor Paul

How do you try to intentionally include God in your Sunday? 

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