Mother's Day in Capricorn

There’s a social speech-blunder that happens in greeting people, especially on days like Sunday. For example, someone says, “Happy Birthday!” The receiving person (maybe a bit shy or shocked or wants to avoid the conversation) slips and says, “You too” although it’s not the greeters birthday at all. The “you too” knee-jerk response often gets us in trouble when we don’t think through what we should respond.

The same thing happened to me last Sunday. As I was setting up the church for Worship, the Sunday School children were coming in the building, many of which came to give me big hugs and hellos. Some of the older children added an appropriate day’s greeting of, “Happy Mother’s Day!” I smiled and just brushed it off - reminded that being 29 years old and without a biological child is truly foreign to these children. They assume anyone over the age 18 has a birth-child and they were just being polite and festive for the day! I didn’t correct them, I just said “Thanks and good morning to you” and moved on.

As the adults came in, I got the same greeting. Some of the adults stopped themselves, laughed and said, “but you’re not a mom, are you?”  “No, but that’s ok” I said trying not to make the situation awkward.

My thinking was shifted when one mother in the church came up to me and said, “Happy Mothers Day. Look around, all these are your children” I smiled, adjusted my view and said, “Yes, they are, aren’t they! It’s a great Mother’s Day for me!”

As I watched my little Capricorn children run around the building and as I had the privilege of worshiping alongside my rows of tiny ones next to me, I celebrated Mothers Day in a brand new way. It was finally for me. It was a day I took as my own and held dear in my heart. Mother’s Day in Capricorn will always be special to me because of my army of children that I adore and love!

I’m honored that others see my love for these children and agree in my role to ‘mother’ them and love them as my own. The church has a responsibility to raise a village. Even if our own families are less than ideal (a missing family member, an absent parent, a wayward child), it’s the church’s role to pick up the pieces, join together and serve families and allow God to provide, filling in the human gaps and give divine love that we’re not capable of giving on our own. I’m proud to be part of a church with such a wide presence of children and youth. They teach me about Jesus every day.

So, May 13, 2012 was my first Mother’s Day in theory. I’ll treasure that for a lifetime!