Mother’s Day Is More Than a Hallmark Card

Those of a cynical bent see Mother’s Day as one more money making scheme which leads people to buy gifts their mothers will probably not use in an effort to salve their consciences for not treating mom well during the other 364 days of the year. But Mother’s Day is so much more than that.

Mother’s Day is a celebration of that which is best in the human race. Mother’s Day is a day to honor the one person in our lives who probably sacrificed more for our happiness than anyone else. Mother’s Day is an opportunity to take a stand against the growing individualism and isolation of our society by stating boldly that people are more important than things, that family well-being is more important than self-centered happiness.

The Christian mother is a symbol of sacrifice. She is committed to doing anything for the good of her children, even if it comes at her expense. She represents the ideals and values which the American family so desperately needs today.

If you have a wonderful mom who seemed to always mix love and discipline in just the right measures, take this Mother’s Day to tell her what she means to you. Thank her. Tell her you love her.

If you have a mom who didn’t always get it right with her kids, a mom who was learning to find her own way in life, be there for her on Sunday. You can be sure she knows the mistakes she made far better than you. Tell her the past is the past. Affirm her. Assure her you will walk into the future together, supporting one another.

There is a fierce assault today on what has been called the “traditional” family – one husband, one wife and children. Its critics want to see our nation become a group of individuals whose greatest allegiance is to self-fulfillment. The traditional family, however, is God’s idea. It has been the foundation of every society in history. Every culture that has gotten away from family commitment has crumbled. The future will demonstrate the same as has the past. We need families. Motherhood is one of the pillars of the family. So let’s honor our moms Sunday – because they deserve that honor, because it is good for us to express our thanks to them and because our country needs Christians to celebrate the tremendous gift God has given us called – family!

What Kind of Proof Do You Need?

The first Easter Sunday when Jesus appeared to his followers, Thomas, one of the original 12 disciples, was not present. And no matter what the other disciples said to convince him that Jesus had risen from the dead, Thomas refused to believe. He said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” You probably know how that challenge turned out.

For a moment though, think about your own questions. Fill in the blank of the following statement with what causes you to doubt Jesus:

“Unless I ________________________________, I will not believe.”

Every one of us has had doubts about our faith. Maybe we didn’t want to put our finger in the nail holes of Jesus’ hands, but it was something we wanted him to do for us. Have you ever had thoughts like, “Jesus, unless you heal me or give me that job or make my life the way I want it to be, I will not believe in you”? This Sunday we’re going to use the doubts of Thomas to learn how to turn our doubts over to Jesus so that he can turn them into something positive in our lives. Doubts are something we all struggle with, no matter how sincere our faith is. What matters is what we do with those doubts. Join us either this Saturday evening (6:00 pm) or Sunday morning (10:00 am) and start turning your doubts into something good.