Fruit for Mother's Day

As I’ve mentioned before, we’re not big “holiday” people.  We don’t have anything against holidays per se, we just never wind up having things together for timely and traditional celebrations within the household.  So what I got for mother’s day was fruit.  It was the best Mother’s Day gift I have ever gotten.  But it wasn’t the kind you eat.  It was the kind you get to see God producing in your children.  And I couldn’t think of a more appropriate blessing for Mother’s Day.

Yesterday evening, the children were sitting together on the sofa after dinner.
Luke: Hey, Foofie, come here and look at this book with me.  I will show you some amazing things that animals do!
Mama: (wanting to probe his thinking) Luke, before you do that, let me ask you a question.  Why do you think that looking at amazing animals is an appropriate thing to do on the Lord’s Day?  I mean, aren’t we supposed to be worshiping the Lord, not animals?
Luke: Well, Mama, let me ask you a question.  What made these animals so amazing?
Mama: (with surprised laughter) Why, the Lord, of course!
Luke: Well, then …

Later, Matt prayed at the close of family worship.  Then Luke asked if he could pray, too.  He did.  Usually, Luke’s prayers are limited to “Thank you for this food.  Please help it to nourish our bodies.” Or “Dear God, please help so-and-so to get better.”  But last night, he prayed from his heart for a whole litany of things I had no idea were on his mind.  He prayed about the message of yesterday morning’s sermon, he thanked God for Pastor Griffith (our former minister of 23 years who was visiting and preaching yesterday morning) and for Pastor Bullock (our current minister) and for his continued ministry, he thanked God for his godly Daddy and prayed for God to give Daddy more strength and wisdom, he prayed for some elderly members of our congregation, thanked God for their long life and thanked God for the church in its ministry to these ladies.  By the time the prayer was over, I was in tears.  It was an excellent Mother’s Day!

But that wasn’t all.  As I put the kids to bed, I looked around their room and, in my prepare-yourselves-to-work-cheerfully-because-I-don’t-want-to-deal-with-fussing voice, I pointed out that their room was quite messy and that we would need to tackle that problem first thing this morning.  This morning, we heard thumps and bumps upstairs (Matt and I have “coffee time” in the library in the mornings) and Matt went up to check.  He came back down and said that a surprise was taking place.  A few minutes later, all four kids walked in the room two abreast and said (more or less in unison), “Oh my most gracious mother and oh the delight of my eyes, Happy Mothers Day!  We cleaned up our room!” (followed by Bo-Bo echoing, “Kee Up Moom!”).  Amazing.

My kids are not perfect.  And there are plenty of days that do not look rosy and sweet like this.  (And there are plenty more days where my kids are nice and helpful and I just don’t notice or am not thankful for it).  But on this day, the Lord not only provided evidence of the fruit he is working in them, but he opened my eyes to see it.  Thank you, Lord.  And thank you, Lovey and kids.  I am living my dream life (when I take the time to realize it)!

(Oh, and by the way, lest you think any the worse of my husband, my “official” Mother’s Day gift is coming in a couple of weeks.  At my request, we are spending Memorial Day in our pajamas, playing board games and cooking together and accomplishing absolutely no projects what so ever!  Yea!!)