Two of our girls and our daughter in law are mothers now. I became a mother at 22. Feeling Brad's movements made me a mother before his birth and significant things occurred immediately after his birth. After pushing for an hour or so (first two babies - natural childbirth) I held him as I sat on the gurney. Our kind doctor said, "He has two thumbs on one hand." I said, "Oh, what do we do about that?" The doctor's response, "When he's eighteen months old, he can have surgery." My answer, "Hmmm. Okay." This was my first experience with motherly concern. Yes, less than ten minutes into "motherhood" I experienced this holy love and worry. Smile. God had begun to grow my mother's heart. I did not pass my babies around for everyone to hold. I was a mother bear, quite compelled to protect my cubs. In the first few years of parenting, I experienced awed surprise. How did I, a selfish and fearful girl, set aside my own concerns and turn into a mother? How? How did I figure out that because our children only had one mother, I had better strive to be a good one? How did those huge surges of affection present themselves and astound me, encourage me, and motivate me? I'm looking at Mary's words, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." The angel had just told her, "For nothing is impossible with God."
My heart, forever knit with His, forever knit with our sons and daughter's hearts, and forever knit with other mothers' hearts. The mother's heart is unexplainable, the call is ultra holy, and the privilege is a woman's opportunity. My friend Elaine has not given birth but she has loved elementary school kids and teenagers with a mother's heart and she loves all her friends with a nurturing spirit. Robin, a blog friend in Ohio, adopted her two sons and has given her mother's heart with huge joy unspeakable. Sue, a gracious soul, had one baby. She loves her son and gives that same mother love to everyone around her and gave it to students before she retired. Kari mothers people with her wise and gentle words and before that she loved school children, too. The mother's heart is a miracle. Happy Mother's Day.
