"Children born to another woman call me “Mom.” The magnitude of that tragedy and the depth of that privilege are not lost on me." -Jody Landers

Mother’s Day brings out so many emotions for me.

First I think of my own mother and how incredibly blessed I am to call her “Mama”. We have a mother/daughter relationship that is rare and beautiful. I always think to myself if I can just raise my own daughters a fraction of the way my mom raised me, they will be just fine. My mother loved me unconditionally, sacrificing much to raise me. She was always present in my life. She was always available. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I saw the strength I always saw in my Mama was a strength from the Lord. She always sought the Lord in how to raise me, and He never failed in giving her wisdom. It was my mother who taught me to find the Lord in all circumstances and to know that no matter what happens, God has a plan that will prosper me.

Second I think about my own journey to becoming a mother. It was one of the most painful times of my life. My pastor said this at the beginning of his sermon today: It takes more than just giving birth to be a mother. I couldn’t agree with that more because if it was just up to giving birth to someone to become their mother, I wouldn’t be a mother. But becoming a mother is so much more than just conceiving a child, carrying a child for 9+ months and then giving birth to that child. Real motherhood is in the daily mundane tasks that sometimes drive us mothers crazy! It’s also in the huge responsibility we are given to raise these little people up to be servants of the Lord.

Third I think about the two women on this earth who conceived my girls, carried them for 9 months in their wombs, gave birth to them, and then chose me to be their mother. Sometimes it stops me dead in my tracks and I think to myself that Little Bug or Sweet Pea could be living a totally different life from the one they know now. I could not be their mother. I could not know them at all. It makes me so thankful that I was chosen to be their mother; to have the privilege of seeing them enjoy life, to hear them tell me “I love you Mommy” or “I want you Mommy”.

Fourth I think about the fact that Mother’s Day doesn’t drum up fuzzy feelings for everyone for various reasons. Maybe because you grew up with an abusive mother. Or maybe it is painful because your mother is lying in ICU this Mother’s Day fighting for her life after a stroke and the doctor’s have not given much hope but everyone is still fervently praying for a miracle (My former pastor’s wife, Gina. Will you pray for her too? And her husband, Lee and their three children, Matthew, Megan & Micah.). Or maybe you, like me years ago, are wondering if you will ever become a mother because you are in a battle against infertility. Maybe you are technically a mother but the world doesn’t really recognize you as a mother because your baby is not on this earth. (My cousin & his wife who suffered a miscarriage last year of their first baby.) To all of these I can only hope and pray that you will find comfort in the Lord.

And, of course, Mother’s Day makes me think about me as a mother. Growing up, it’s all I wanted to be and now that I am a mother, I realize that I didn’t realize back then what all being a mother entailed! I didn’t know it would require sacrifice on my part, selflessness and a strength that could only come from the Lord. I fail miserably some days at my role as mother. I lose my patience and speak in ways that are not always loving! At the same time, I wouldn’t trade these days with my children for anything. I know they are fleeting days. I know I will never again have this time with my children. And I know God is using my children to teach me more about Him every day.

I just have to trust that God’s grace will be enough to cover my shortcomings!

I am so thankful for these two little girls. Growing up I always pictured being the mother to two little boys and two little girls. These little girls truly do bring me so much joy (when they are not making me want to rip my hair out!) and I look at them and I am just so thankful that I get to be their mother and their teacher! We have some special times ahead and I am thankful God has entrusted them to me and given me exactly what I need to be able to raise them, even though sometimes I feel inadequate to be their mother.

Little Bug will often tell me, “Mommy, I wouldn’t want any other Mommy to be my Mommy! I only want YOU to be my Mommy!”. I feel the same. I wouldn’t want any other little girls in the world to be my daughters.

- Elaine