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In the photo – Anna Jarvis and Julia Ward Howe who in the 19th century promoted the idea of mother’s day. Then 3 men who wrote about their moms, Lincoln, Edison and Churchill

Today, May 14 is Mother’s day as well as being Easter 6 and Rogation Day. Originally Mother’s day was less about Mom but the conditions she faced in being Mom. In wartime it became a peace movement. Finally, it became about Mom herself in our time.

In the late 1850s, Ann Jarvis established Mother’s Work Day, a day dedicated to teaching mothers how to better prepare food and clean so as to prevent disease. The mission was to improve sanitary conditions. This mission was driven by personal experience, as seven of her eleven children died before adulthood. Though personal, this experience was anything but unique in a time before vaccines and a widespread understanding of germ theory. They raised money for medicine and helped families with mothers suffering from tuberculosis, among other supports.

After the War, Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the “Battle Hymn of the Republic”, also wrote her “Appeal to womanhood throughout the world”, later the “Mother’s Day Proclamation”, which attempted to unite women around the world together to bring about a lasting peace:

“Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy, and patience. We, women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country, to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”

After the war, with tensions still high between those who fought on opposite sides, she “organized a Mothers’ Friendship Day…to bring together soldiers and neighbors of all political beliefs.” It was a great success despite the fear of violence.

Mother’s Day continued to be celebrated as a movement for peace, but was only celebrated at local levels until the turn of the century. In 1908, Anna Jarvis, daughter of the aforementioned Ann Jarvis, began to campaign to make Mother’s Day a federally recognized day in honor of her mother who had died in 1905. The first nationally celebrated Mother’s Day was in May of 1914. But what had been a day dedicated first to cleanliness and later to peace was again repurposed, this time to celebrate mothers themselves.

Famous men have celebrated their moms:

Abraham Lincoln – “All that I am or hoped to be, I owe to my angel mother. ” Nancy Hanks Lincoln promoted his love of the written word.

Thomas Edison on his mother- ” The good effects of her early training I can never lose. If it had not been for her appreciation and her faith in me at a critical time in my experience, I should never likely have become an inventor. I was always a careless boy, and with a mother of different mental caliber, I should have turned out badly. But her firmness, her sweetness, her goodness, were potent powers to keep me in the right path. My mother was the making of me. The memory of her will always be a blessing to me.”

Winston Churchill – A London editor submitted to Winston Churchill for his approval a list of all those who had been Churchill’s teachers. Churchill returned the list with this comment: “You have omitted to mention the greatest of my teachers—my Mother.”

This year’s Mother’s day prayer in our church service today covers a variety of moms-

“We give thanks and pray for our mothers and for all who have loved and cared for us as mothers in this life. We pray for mothers who rejoice; shield them. We pray for mothers who are weary, frustrated and overwhelmed; give them rest. We pray for those who have lost children; comfort them. May we love one another with your own tender compassion. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.”

Thanks, Mom.

A portion of the sermon from Steve Shepherd, retired minister

On Mother’s Day we can’t say enough good things about our mothers, but we’ll try. And God help us if we don’t!

PROP.- I want to share briefly three thoughts:

1- Her hands work

2- Her mouth speaks

3- Her heart loves

I. HER HANDS WORK

ILL.- A boy got his first job. As he was boasting about the amount of work he did, he said, "I get up at 5 a.m. and have my breakfast." He was asked, "Does anyone else get up too?" He replied, "Oh yes, mother gets up and fixes my breakfast and then fixes dad’s breakfast."

"And what about your dinner?" The boy said, "Oh, mother, fixes that too."

"Does your mother have the afternoon to herself?" The boy replied, "No, mama cleans the house, looks after the other children, and then gets supper for me and dad when we come home. Then we watch TV before we go to bed."

"What about your mother? What does she do?" The boy replied, "Mama washes some clothes and irons the rest of the evening."

"Do you get paid?" "Of course, Dad and I get paid."

"And what about your mother, does she get paid too?"

The boy replied, "MOTHER, GET PAID?! MOTHER DON’T GET PAID. SHE DON’T DO NO WORK."

If anyone here today believes that moms don’t work, I would suggest that you’d better keep your mouth shut.

In Prov. 31, we see that mothers do all kinds of work.

– She sews v. 13, 19, 22 "She selects wool…and works with eager hands."

– She shops v. 14 "bringing her food from afar."

– She cooks v. 15 "She provides food for her family…"

– She gardens v. 16 "She plants a vineyard…"

Our text also says that mothers v. 15 "get up while it is still dark" to prepare food. And v. 18 "her lamp does not go out at night."

WHAT’S THAT OLD SAYING? "Man works from sun to sun, but woman’s work is never done."

v. 27 "She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread idleness." She isn’t lazy.

ILL.- When my twin sister Sharon and I were born in 1944 mom already had a three-year-old boy. I think all three of us were in diapers. No Pampers either. And no washer.

Most of you know about those days. Nothing fancy in our homes. No extras. But mom worked hard, cooked meals (loved her fried chicken, biscuits and gravy), she cleaned house, washed clothes, ironed clothes (I helped to sprinkle the clothes), put out a garden, and later, worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse while still taking care of the home. THANK YOU, MOM, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

II. HER MOUTH SPEAKS

Prov. 31:26 "She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue."

ILL.- When Preacher John Wesley was a student at Oxford Unversity, he was shocked by the amount of drinking done by the students.

After writing to his mother, Susanna Wesley, for her counsel, he received the following words: "My dear son: remember that anything which increases the authority of the body over the mind is an evil thing." Great instruction! And I’m sure that Susanna Wesley said a lot of other good words of wisdom to her children.

ILL.- A London editor submitted to Winston Churchill for his approval a list of all those who had been Churchill’s teachers.

Churchill returned the list with this comment: “You have omitted to mention the greatest of my teachers—my Mother.”

ILL.- Preacher G. Campbell Morgan had four sons and they all became ministers of the gospel. At a family reunion, a friend asked one of the sons, "Which Morgan is the greatest preacher?" While that son looked at his father, he replied, "MOTHER."

Mother was the greatest preacher. Many mothers have done a lot of preaching to their children, whether they considered it preaching or not.

ILL.- I don’t remember much of what mom said to me when I was a kid, sad to say. But I’m sure mom said plenty to me! Because I remember that she washed my mouth out with soap a time or two, which meant I said something wrong. And I’m sure she said something to me about it too!

I’ve told you before that I used to tease her in front of people by saying, “Oh, mom, you know I was the best kid you ever had.” And she would say, “No, you weren’t.” Which meant she lectured me many times about what to do and what not to do. THANK YOU, MOM, FOR CARING ENOUGH TO TELL ME WHAT WAS WHAT.

III. HER HEART LOVES

Prov. 31:11-12 "Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life."

If a husband has full or complete confidence in his wife, then you know that she is a woman who loves her man.

ILL.- An epitaph on his wife’s tombstone written by her husband after 60 years of marriage, read, "SHE ALWAYS MADE HOME HAPPY." That’s love.

ILL.- A grandmother was telling her granddaughter goodnight when the little girl said, "Mommy and daddy are entertaining some very important people downstairs."

"You’re right," grandma agreed, "BUT HOW DID YOU KNOW?"

"JUST LISTEN," the little granddaughter said, "MOMMY IS LAUGHING AT ALL OF DADDY’S JOKES."

Brethren, where there is a lot of laughter in a home, you just know that something good is happening in that home! AND, OF COURSE, THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE LAUGHTER IN THE HOME.

Prov. 17:22 "A cheerful heart is good medicine…" When there is a lot of laughter in a home, someone is putting out some good medicine. AND IT ALSO SHOWS A LOT OF LOVE.

ILL.- A teacher at school put this question to little James in math class, "James, suppose your mother made a cherry pie, and there were ten of you at the table: your mother and father and eight children. How much of the pie would you get?"

"A ninth," was his answer. "No, no, James. Now pay attention. There are ten of you in the home. “Don’t you know your fractions?" "Yes, maam," he replied, "I know my fractions, but I know my mother even better, AND SHE’D SAY THAT SHE DIDN’T WANT ANY PIE."

The unselfishness of a mother shows a heart of love for her family. And all of us can remember many unselfish acts of devotion our mamas made to our homes.

ILL.- Some years ago while my mother was still living at her home on Webb City, MO, but was stricken with Parkinson Disease I was there alone visiting her for a few days. I was sitting on her couch and she was in her recliner. Suddenly, I started crying over some heavy burden in my life. The tears poured and I glanced over to look at mother and she was trying hard to get out of her chair. I said, “Mother, what are you doing?” She said, “I’m coming over there to love you.”

Thank you, mom, for loving your grown son

CONCLUSION

ILL.- Thomas Edison once said, “I did not have my mother long, but she cast over me an influence which has lasted all my life. The good effects of her early training I can never lose. If it had not been for her appreciation and her faith in me at a critical time in my experience, I should never likely have become an inventor. I was always a careless boy, and with a mother of different mental caliber, I should have turned out badly. But her firmness, her sweetness, her goodness, were potent powers to keep me in the right path. My mother was the making of me. The memory of her will always be a blessing to me.”

What a loving tribute to a blessed mother.

Prov. 31:28 “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.

So how well do you know the mothers in Bible ? 

We have an online quiz of 10 questions which could stump the best of you. You don’t have to register, give your name, blood type, etc. The results are only known by you. But give it a try.  

The quiz is here for all who dare.