"Honor Thy Mother......"

Ladies, I did not always honor my mother. As I got older, I found myself being very judgmental for the decisions she made regarding my absentee father. I began questioning if she had been the "perfect parent" but in actuality, my mother taught me the greatest lesson of all...forgiveness. 


As many times as I heard my father say, "Baby, I'm sorry," I learned that forgiveness is more than saying sorry. She had the character and the strength to do what I could not find it in my heart to do...forgive and not hold his transgressions over his head. She never tried to make him feel guilty and in my early twenties, my mother was able to answer a question that I so long wished for the answer to: "Why did you keep allowing him to return especially when you knew he was not being faithful?" She softly replied, "Because I did not want my children to grow up without their father."


Yes, my mother loved my dad, but she loved him to the extent where she forgave him so that he wouldn't miss out on the life of his three children. Unfortunately, he is still no longer in our lives but for whatever reason, I too forgive him and I thank my mother for teaching her children not to hold grudges. She taught us to forgive and let God handle the rest.


What I love even more is that the more he manipulated, the more he took advantage, the more he lied, the more he was deceiving, the more he was self-seeking, the more he was unfaithful, etc. She treated him the way she wanted to be treated. Yes, this was another lesson our mother taught us and when the two combine, my mother was able to love her children harder. Yes, she invested and there was such an outpouring of love that I at time misconstrued as strict parenting when all she was trying to do and what she was guilty of was protecting us.


No, she could not shield us from every pain but her love for us transcended beyond her family out into the world. She effected the hearts of many of our neighbors, her co-workers, even strangers but again, she upheld another biblical principle, "love thy neighbor as thyself." 


Yes, I have been guilty of not always honoring my mother but thankfully she forgave me and I in turn asked God for forgiveness so that I could accept her forgiveness, forgiving myself and forgiving those that trespass against me. 


My mom, my mommy and by no way did she allow me to call her mother because to her it was too close to the phrase "mother ******." Yes, we found that to be hilarious but respected her wishes on this request nonetheless.


No, I did not always honor my mother, but she instilled in us the principle to honor our father and now as an adult, I understand that to honor both my parents is a mere reflection of my total adoration unto God.


Yes, I did not always honor my mother or father but I came in contact with One that was willing to forgive me of my sins. Yes, I came in contact, with someone who was willing to forgive me when I had not yet decided to forgive with my whole heart. I met someone that said, "Daughter, thy sins are forgiven," and who knew that God was teaching me all the while on forgiveness through my mother.


Yes, I had the opportunity to be reconciled to my mother because she was willing to forgive. I was willing to forgive. We forgave each other and cleared up misunderstandings but most importantly, I received the blessing of my sins being forgiven and praise God that in reconciling the world back to himself through his Son, Jesus the Christ, I too have benefited by becoming the child of the Most High.


Honor thy mother....Lord God, thank you for the blessedness of obeying that command....


Happy Mother's Day Divas and remember...honor thy mother... 


If not careful, you too will be a mother and my God talk about the shoe being on the other foot! LoL!


Walk Worthy Ladies and do so by Honoring thy Mother! The benefits are worthwhile!