Mother's Day - joy or pain?

What was your mother’s day like? Joy or pain? Can you relate to any of these scenarios?

Joy: Breakfast in bed organized by the kids (aged 5 and 7) with a little / lot of help from Dad. The pancakes are a little rubbery but they contain the most important ingredient …. love.

Pain: The teenage children were out late last night and are still asleep. It’s 10am. They were too busy this week to buy a present or a card.

Joy: Mum is encouraged to listen to the local FM radio station at 11am. She hears a heartfelt message of thanks and appreciation from her daughter, broadcast to the ‘whole world’. They are not usually a family who speaks from the heart. Tears well up.

Pain: It’s taken a fair bit of cajoling and persuasion during the week to organize the four adult children to come home for mother’s day lunch. The fridge is full. All is in place. Beep, beep. Two texts arrive simultaneously. Apologetic. Can’t come. “Missed the train”, “didn’t realize I had a uni assignment due tomorrow”. Don’t they realize how important today is? Couldn’t they be better organized? Sadness. Anger.

Joy: Susan is excited. The 12 week ultrasound yesterday revealed all is well with the baby. Their first. Have been bursting to tell people. At lunch today the announcement will come – “I’m going to have a baby”.

Pain: Charlotte is 50. Never married. She loves family gatherings with her mother, sister, nephews and nieces and poses for several photos with them around the lunch table. Driving home now. Feeling a bit sad and lonely. Thinking “I will never be a mother”.

Joy: Haven’t seen mum for a while. I walk through the door and there she is smiling, eyes full of delight. A warm hug and kiss on the cheek. My arm around her as we walk into the kitchen and catch up on all that’s happened since we last met. Talk and laughter.

Pain: Photos on Facebook remembering a mother of four who died of cancer aged 50. We miss you mum. Especially on mother’s day.

Joy: Mary the mother of Jesus, sang with Joy as she contemplated giving birth to Jesus the Messiah.

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. (Luke 1:46-50 NIV)

Pain: Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother ... (John 19:25 NIV)