She Looketh Well to the Ways of Her Household

I want to take this time to wish all the mothers in America and around the world a very happy Mother's Day. I want to say likewise to my mother as well. The woman credited with Mother's Day is Anna Jarvis. I won't take the time in this blogpost to speak of the origins of Mother's Day. I may do that next year, Lord willing. But I'm thankful for her influence and and for Congress voting to set aside this special day on the second Sunday in May around 1914. Mothers are definitely worth honoring. Where would our world be without our mothers. I've heard the old saying that rings true and that is "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." That's undoubtedly true. A mother exerts a major influence in the lives of her children. There have been famous men in this country that have spoken of the influence their mother has had in their life. America has had three presidents in their life that has had strong influential mothers. Rose Kennedy was the matriarch of the Kennedy family and she had a strong influence over John F. Kennedy. Dorothy Bush was the mother of George H.W. Bush and she was a strong mother. Former First Lady Barbara Bush was the mother of past president George W. Bush and she had a huge responsibility in keeping her house in order. She was very influential. You can't place a price tag on a mother's love and influence.

Proverbs 31 is the often-quoted chapter speaking of the virtuous woman and how she is to conduct her household. I'm going to quickly quote one verse. "She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness." (vs. 27) Any mother that's worth her salt looketh well to the ways of her household. She doesn't have time to be slothful. She monitors all the activities and events that takes place in her household. She tendeth well to the needs of her children. She makes sure they have everything they need on a daily basis. She makes sure they all have their meals. Regardless whether she cooks them on a particular day or they eat out somewhere, she makes sure they all have their meals. She makes sure in some fashion there's dinner on the table. She cleans her house and makes it a home for her husband and children. Whenever her children become bruised or sick, she tends to those needs. There's been many a mother that's had to stay up all night because their son or daughter was sick with the flu and they stayed up making sure their children would be okay. Many mothers also involve themselves in their children's activities at school or at church. Mothers also have to play the role of chauffeur shuffling their children from one place to another. They volunteer their time to participate in their children's activities. Mothers also pray for their families as well. I've heard numerous testimonies from children who at one time were wayward and said it was the prayers of their mother that the Lord answered. Some of those children said their life would've been a catastrophe without the prayers of their mother. The husband looks forward to coming home and greeting his wife and children. The husband can trust in her because he knows things will be accomplished around the house. He knows that she will meet all the needs of her family around the house. Her children will rise up and called her "blessed." She will make the home a haven. Once the children are all grown and out of the house, they will have fond memories of their mother and all the things she did for them at the house while they were growing up.

You can't place a price tag on the worth of a mother. In today's society it's increasingly become difficult for the mother to perform the duties around her household because of the economic situation in America. There are mothers that have to work a public job to make ends meet. Then when they come home they have to tend to the needs of their family. That can be very stressful. I appreciate those that still try to keep their household going in spite of being in situations where they have to work a public job. My heart's out to them. Tending to the needs of the house alone is a full-time job. It's even more difficult when her attention has to be divided elsewhere. I do appreciate the mothers in our society and I appreciate all they do to keep our society moving. You mothers can't even begin to recognize of the value of your service. Happy Mother's Day!