Mother's Day Without Mom

 

I celebrated my thirty-fifth Mother’s Day without my mom.  Legendary Alabama Football Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant did a telephone commercial.  He concluded it with two sentences at the end, "Have you called your Momma?  I sure wish I could call mine."  Producers that it was corny, but the more they listened the more they heard the sincerity of the Bear.  I can say it now.  I wish I could call my momma.

 Mother's Day is a day of celebration and reflection.  I remember doing a friend’s funeral on Mother’s Day.  He was killed in a tractor accident the Thursday evening before Mother's Day.  It followed a wedding, rehearsal and reception, my daughter’s college graduation, a baby dedication, and a high school baseball state championship.  All those events happening in a period of four days drained me emotionally, physically, and spiritually.  Not everyone has a joyous Mother’s Day, especially those who mourn their first Mother’s Day without their mom or the loss of a child.

It is ironic that Memorial Day comes on the heels of Mother’s Day.  Granny Hopper received word that my daddy died in action in North Africa.  It has to be almost unbearable for parents to receive news of a soldier boy or girl dying.  I remember Granny telling how she prayed that her notice was wrong.  She could not believe her ears when daddy told her that he was wounded, but very much alive.

Thousands have not received the good news granny did.  In the Old Testament, there is a story of a mother who waited for the return of her son from war.  Her son was an enemy of Israel, but a son.  The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots? (Judges 5:28 KJV)  It was another lady, possibly a mother, who killed Sisera.  Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died (Judges 4:21 KJV).

The Bible reminds us that there will be wars and rumors of wars until the return of Christ.  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet Matthew 24:6 KJV).

As the United States of America continues to defend the freedoms of our nation and the freedoms of those who we have championed, let us remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice that we might have a Mother’s Day and Memorial to celebrate.