Monday, May 15, 2006

Emotional Mother's Day

I had an emotional Mother's Day, but then, I guess, isn't Mother's Day always emotional?

At church in the morning, my son and I were the "greeters" who stand by the door and welcome the congregation into the sanctuary.

It has been pouring non-stop here and the crowd of umbrellas, raincoats, baby stollers, moms, dads, kids, grandmoms, grandads, grandkids was something to behold.

Add to that, we celebrated a baptism and so there was one very lucky Mom and Dad celebrating their new baby's "entry" to the church on Mother's Day ... what could be more appropriate? I was happy to greet their large extended family, none I'd met actually, who arrived for the event, as well as the cute little tiny acorn-faced girl they were all celebrating. She was a screamer and my minister told us all this was very good luck, as legend has it that babies who scream through their baptism are busy telling the Devil to get basically GO TO HELL and get out of their way and leave them alone.

After all the greetings, my son and I made our way to the pews. I was thinking of Scoble's mother being ill and praying for him and Maryam and all his family. I was thinking of my mother's passing and praying over that. I was thinking of all the mothers in the room there.

The first grade Sunday School class ended the service by passing out pink carnations to all the women in the room, my minister being sensitive to how many mothers were there and how many women who may have lost children were there and how many women who wish to be mothers but may not be able to, were also there.

And in her sermon, my minister read a poem called The Lanyard which brought me to tears.