Page 1 of 4 MOTHERHOOD, PARENTING & THE SHEPHERD A Reflection for Mothers Day ~ Christian Family Sunday May 11, 2014 ~ presented by Pastor Jane Blannin-Bruleigh As we approach this time of reflection and thoughtfulness let us pray: Creator God, our Nurturing Parent, we ask you to open our ears to hear these words. Open our hearts and minds to hear beyond these words. Thank you for your love for each one of us. Amen I begin this reflection as I have begun all reflections on Christian Family Sunday, or Mother’s Day – I wish all of the women who are mothers a very happy Mother’s Day. AND I also wish a happy Mother’s Day to those women, who although they do not have their own children, they have been “just like a mother” to someone else’s children. And I also acknowledge that today, Mothers Day, is a complicated day for many birth-mothers - those who have placed children for Adoption and for many adoptees who often in secret, remember their birth mothers today. In our family today we remember 3 birth mothers and 3 guardian angel grandmothers and we celebrate our complicated family! There is a lot of joy on Mother’s Day! And how many mothers recall “breakfast in bed”, homemade gifts, cards, creative surprises and other delights of Mothers Day. I was thinking this past week about some of my standout memories from Mothers Day. When I was in grade 1, I made my first Mothers Day handmade gift at school. The teacher gave each of us some sparkly white modeling clay, which reminded me of snow with glitter. And I created this wonderful pin cushion for my mother. I am still amazed at how my mother managed not to laugh when I informed her that her gift, which was now rock hard was a pin cushion, because I knew how much she loved sewing! Then there was my first Mothers Day as a mother, when I had been a parent for 10 months and was enjoying a wonderful 3 year old. And mixed Page 2 of 4 in with my joy was my heartache for our birth mothers and my desire to be able to let them know how wonderful life was for both of us. Family can be very complicated! I found a list on line of The Top 50 Challenges Faced by Parents – as told by Mothers I have chosen just a few to share with you 1) Sleep deprivation 2) Having patience 3) Tantrums (in teenagers too) 4) Dealing with an ill child 5) Dealing with other people’s opinions about your parenting 6) Sibling rivalry 7) Not constantly worrying about your child 8) Having to answer constant questions – even when you don’t know the answers 9) Keeping your children in shoes and clothes that fit! 10) Peer pressure – for your children – for you I am seeing smiles and heads nodding! We all have our own unique memories of parenting and of motherhood and of family. Some of us are blessed with a rich library of memories that make us smile. Some of have a smaller cache of memories. And some of us do not hold very many good memories. And for some of us, we avoid thinking back, as there is only heartache, pain and tears in our memories. I believe that Jesus understood how complicated life can be for families, especially for mothers. In our Gospel reading today, Jesus spoke about the Shepherd and the Gatekeeper. There is a huge importance in the proper use of gates. The Shepherd leads the flock through the gate. That is the proper way to enter. Gates are important on farms to protect livestock and they are also important for children especially small children. Page 3 of 4 Baby gates that keep tiny ones away from the hazards of stairs. Gates that keep children in the safety of their own yard. Gates that keep us away from the danger of swimming pools. The shepherd has to know what is safe and what is not safe and then has to lead the herd in the way of safety. Parents have to lead their children in the way that is safe – the way that is the better choice for their child and then, they have to teach their child how to choose the better way. And then, they have to allow their child to make their own choice and choose the way that they will take. Teaching children is hard work, it seems that sometimes the repetitions will not end. A bit like the endless questions that children ask. The even harder part is when you have to start to let go and let your children make their own choices. I think Jesus, as our Good Shepherd, probably experienced that struggle. He taught his followers so many important lessons. Love God and also love your neighbor. Think about who your neighbor is. Remember to pray and give thanks and ask God to help you and to forgive you. Remember I will always be with you. I wonder, when it came time for Jesus to leave his earthly life, did he stop and wonder if any of his followers would remember what he had told them? Did he stop and think about whether he made a difference to those he taught, to those who followed him and listened to his wisdom. Jesus the Good Shepherd, was taken from his followers and then they had to continue to make the better choices as he had taught them. Jesus was a teacher, just as many of our parents were our teachers. We learned many life lessons from our parents – and Jesus also taught us many important lessons. I am going to conclude my reflection this morning, with the Great Prayer, one of the most important lessons that Jesus taught us. Together let us join in The Lord’s Prayer: Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Page 4 of 4 PASTORAL PRAYER – May 11-1014 Let us pray: Today, O God, we gather on Christian Family Sunday to pray and give thanks for our families. We thank you for families rooted in love, where character is formed and values are learned, where lives are filled with hopefulness and laughter ! We acknowledge that families can often disappoint us. People disagree. Family members fight; they hurt each other; We ask you our Divine Healer, that where there is pain, resentment or bitterness, enter with your healing love. Increase our compassion towards families with painful memories, to those who have suffered abuse and violence. We pray that more families will become a source of love, encouragement and a blessing to many. In our wider church family of Manitou Conference, today we pray especially for Kapuskasing United and Reverend James Ko ; Rev Mary Jo Ekert Tracy, the family of Rev. Bob and Rita and David Gardner on the unexpected passing of Rita’s mother; In our church community and beyond, we pray for Irene, Ed, Bob, Lori, Chris, David and others not listed here. And now in a time of silence, we bring to God those names which come from our hearts and minds as we honor this time of silent prayer. [SILENCE] We give you thanks Loving Shepherd, for hearing all of our prayers, those spoken out loud and those which have come from our hearts and minds. Today we give special thanks for our mothers and for those who have been like mothers to us and to our families. For all of these blessings and memories. We give thanks. Amen.