Happy Mothers day...

Well, first I would like to say Happy Mothers day! So many holidays are celebrated every year and some of them are “more deserving” than others. Thankfully, I can say this day is a fitting day to recognize the wonderful women in our lives.

Today in Church we had some speakers talk about their mothers, and I felt that I was spared the the “thankamonies,” for the most part. I believe that a proper thanks is always needed, and depending on the deed, some places are more appropriate for a thanks.

For example, I believe that a public thanks is appropriate in some circumstances, to thank some key influences for their dedication and sacrifice. However with public thanks also comes the risk of not acknowledging everyone and the possibility of offending others who were omitted. Another risk that comes with public thanks is the hazard of hypocrisy. Hypocrisy you say, how do you mean?

I mean those who publicly thank their spouses and children, their fathers and mothers- siblings and close associates... without ever uttering a word of personal acknowledgment or recognition- declaring publicly what they casually omit privately. If we are to be come wholesome people, that is to say to become “whole” or “complete” we must be at the task of aligning our personal and most private observances of respect and devotion to our “public personifications”....

I will readily agree that this is one of our greatest challenges we face. to struggle with our “real,” and seek to make it more “ideal.” Elder Neal A Maxwell put it well when he said: “I am the first to acknowledge that we, as Church members, have a tremendous challenge being equal to our theology and our opportunity. We fall short. If we stumble, let us arise and continue the climb...”(The Pathway of Discipleship, Maxwell, Neal A. January 04, 1998.)

It seems that in our quest to become more righteous, if we are not careful and do not look “to the Great Law Giver” we will pursue righteousness "singularly"-by ourselves, and end up more “self righteous” than truly sanctified.

This is my point with mothers day, we can and should thank those who have given and sacrificed so much, and in doing so we ultimately look to the source of all goodness and perfection- our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

In visiting with one of my many surrogate mothers' (today) the story of Christ in the fifteenth chapter of Matthew was mentioned by her Bishop. Christ teaches a multitude for three days and his disciples want to send away his followers- to get their own food. A true predicament is at hand- “seven loaves and a few little fishes” is all that is present and thousands of people of feed. Christ does the “impossible,” He multiplies the needed sustenance and feeds the multitude. So many parallels may be held with our good and generous women- their compassion, practicality, faith and devotion.

Who has not felt of the warmth and love of a mother figure- such love and compassion which seems to have multiplied within her own soul. Who has not sought sanctuary in the understanding eyes of a sanctified woman of God- their ability to: “weep with those who weep, and to comfort those who stand in need of comfort?”

Are these not Christ like attributes? Are we not seeing an extension of the Lords “tender mercies” in our lives? Are we not witnessing the ministration of Angels in our lives- some mortal, some not- all heavenly... is it any wonder that is was a woman- Mary Magdalene who first saw Christ after his resurrection?

I am grateful for the goodness of my Heavenly Father who sent my angel of a mother to minister to my needs. She makes me want to be not only good, but to be my best. She inspires in me the desire to cultivate the nurturing and healing art. It was my mother (and father) who taught me the needed lessons about life- the need to trust in my Heavenly Father's plan with all my heart, who taught me to acknowledge my blessings and allow the Lord to “direct my path.”

God be thanked for the sending of such pure and refined individuals into my life.