Our Saturday devotion was prepared by Deb Ruhrdanz, a member of our faith community, who currently serves on our Church Trustees.
Scripture Proverbs 6:20:
“My Son…do not forsake your mother’s teaching”
Reflection
"The Meanest Mother"
written by Bobbie Pingaro (1967)
I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs or toast. When others had cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different than the other kids' also.
My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were on a chain gang. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going.
I am ashamed to admit it, but she actually had the nerve to break the child
labor law. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make the beds and learn
how to cook. That woman must have stayed awake nights thinking up things for
us kids to do. And she always insisted we tell the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth.
By the time we were teen-agers, she was much wiser, and our life became even more unbearable. None of this tooting the horn of a car for us to come running. She embarrassed us to no end by making our dates and friends come to the door to get us. I forgot to mention that most of our friends were allowed to date at the age of 12 and 13, but our old-fashioned mother refused to let us date until we were 15! She really raised a bunch of squares. None of us were ever arrested for shoplifting or busted for dope. And who do we have to thank for this? You’re right, our mean mother!
I am trying to raise my children. I stand a little taller and I am filled with pride when mychildren call me mean. Because, you see, I thank God, He gave me the meanest mother inthe whole world. Our country doesn’t need a good five-cent cigar. It needs more mean mothers like mine. Blessings on that wonderful women!
The above condensed version appeared in a Pastor’s Corner column in my local paper 25 years ago. It makes me reflect on the women who have come into my life: my mom, Sunday School teachers, mother-in-law, bosses, friends. Each woman has had an impact on the person I am today. Take a moment today to think about the woman in your life who have had an impact on you.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the strong women you have brought into each of our lives. Let us reflect on them today. Help us to continually grow in their teachings. Amen