A Fellow Traveller

Children who are not exposed to love and respect in the home, find it difficult to give out to others. What model do they have? How can you give something you have not received? If my bank account has not had "magic pennies of love" deposited into it, what do I have to give from? It is always easiest to give a smile back to someone who smiles at me. Likewise, if I wave at a neighbour every day and it is not returned, I soon give up trying. As a woman, so much is expected from me in terms of giving. If I am operating from an empty bank account, I will soon go into overdraft, feeling exhausted and depleted. As I receive the love of Jesus in me, deposits can begin to warm my heart. As those deposits build, I will have so much to give to others. Rather than my actions expressing love out of duty, I will find myself giving out of the overflow.

"Everyone has a mother, so everyone gets a flower." That's the thinking at our church on Mother's Day. If you won't be seeing your Mom, or your mother has passed away, you are to give your carnation to someone else deserving instead. Yesterday, I had the joy of seeing my children give their flowers away. My oldest daughter was quick to get her carnation and give it to her best friend's Mom. Not only is this Mom missing her only child who is already away for the summer, but she is still grieving the death of her own Mother. As she hesitated to take it and asked about me, I quickly moved in to reassure her that it was okay. Even though my son had already given his carnation to me, as we were driving out of the church parking lot, my middle daughter saw another mom leaving all alone. As she exclaimed that she had already given hers away, I offered mine. It was worth giving my flower away to see the joy on the face of the receiver, as this Mom wiped away te...