How long is Mom a Mother? Whether you’re a mom or a grandmother, I hope you’ll enjoy this personal devotion. Be sure to read to the end for a special way to honor a mom or a grandmother.
Mothers Forever
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 118:1
Seven years passed, and still no change for my daughter. How many “tests” had she taken? And how many times had false hopes been raised? Too many to count. Lately, it seemed like all of her girlfriends had tummies growing with expectation of their first little ones, some even their second. Was it her imagination, or did their conversations sometimes fall to a hush when Jen approached them? Were they protecting her? When would her turn come?
She had begun medical testing, receiving fairly normal reports for both of them. That made it almost even harder. Because of the way Jen loved to surprise people, she hadn’t told many, including us, that she was even trying to get pregnant.
Jen’s doctor had performed the final test to see if she had blocked tubes. Her doctor discovered that one tube was indeed partialy blocked, and considering her futile attempts to become pregnant, he suggested she see a “specialist” about a hundred fifty miles away.
Jen and Craig had sought prayer at their church from one of the elders. He prayed over them, asking God for a miracle to happen. In the meantime they had decided to go ahead and set the appointment for a specialist. Friends and family began praying.
The night before her specialist appointment, Jen called us about bedtime. She wanted us to pray for them and especially for God’s will to be done. We thought it a little strange she would call so late, but given the circumstances, we agreed it was not too unusual. Five minutes later, the doorbell rang, and from the other room I heard my husband open the door and then a loud exclamation: “What in the world?” A burst of loud laughter followed.
I emerged from the bedroom and found my daughter and son-in-law standing in our living room. They lived four hours away. How did you…? But you just called!
Seeing my obvious confusion, Jen explained, “We called from your driveway.” It wasn’t until that moment that I finally focused on the cause of the earlier laughter. Both Jen and Craig wore hand-painted T-shirts. Written on one were the words, “We’ve got a BUN in the oven.” The other one read, “Are you ready to be called ‘Me-Ma’ and ‘Pe-Po’”? (We had previously joked about such titles. Thankfully, the names didn’t stick.)
Only four days earlier Jen had taken a home pregnancy test and discovered God had miraculously answered her prayers–just days before the scheduled specialist appointment. And in a matter of seconds, my life had changed too.
Once you’re a mother, you’re a mother forever.
It really doesn’t matter what age or stage a mother is at. Once you’re a mother, you’re a mother forever. God places within each mom the need to nurture her little ones–always guiding, always loving, always giving and prodding them in the right direction with gentle reminders: “Be careful,” “Dress warm,” “Eat healthy.” And just when you think the nest has emptied and mothering can take a vacation, the phone rings. A pleading voice begs for advice. The years pass, and instead of motherhood ending, it begins a new role with another title: Grandmother. Same loving, same nurturing, same prodding in the right direction–only with a bit more spoiling.
At some point it may appear you’ve changed roles completely, as your now grown child mothers you. Not so. Because inside, where it really counts, a mom never changes: she’s always guiding, always giving, always loving…
Just like our heavenly Father.
DAY-BREAK
Think about when your role switched from “Mom” to “Grandmom.” How did you first find out? How did you feel? Overwhelmed? Overjoyed? Worried? Fearful?
DAY-BRIEF
God–and his love for us–never changes.
DAY-VOTEDLY YOURS
Father, thank you for your faithfulness daily. Help me in this new role as a grandmother to nmirror your love to my children and grandchldren. I need your wisdom as I begin yet another great adventure in my life.
© 2010, Rebecca Barlow Jordan, Day-votions for Grandmothers (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan), All Rights Reserved
You might also enjoy this blog post I wrote about mothers: Thank God for Mothers.
Grandmother Gift
Whether you honor your grandmother (or mom) on Grandparent’s Day, birthday, Christmas, or just any day, be sure and express your love and appreciation throughout the year. The Day-votions for Grandmothers book (and my other books) are always available on my books page.
Don’t forget Mom!. However you choose to honor Moms and Grandmothers this year, you can be an encouragement to them with words, gifts, and special actions that say, “You’re special!” “I love you!”
What about you? What was it like when you first became a mom? A grandmother? What are your favorite memories of your grandmother? Do you agree with the statement that “Once you’re a mother, you’re a mother forever?”
Personal Note
When sharing a devotion like this from my devotional book, I realize that many women who longed to be mothers or grandmothers may feel like their prayers were never answered. While I will never attempt to explain the workings of God, I can testify to His tender love and faithfulness. Someday in heaven perhaps we will know and understand in a new way why things happened or didn’t happen the way we wanted them to on earth. In the meantime, we wait and trust the One who truly loves and cares for us, asking Him to teach us His paths for our lives. One of the sweetest women I’ve even known never had grandchildren of her own; yet everyone called her “Granny.” You can read the story here about Granny Ruth.
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