Clearly CaringChristian Life Resources

Celebrating Mothers!

PParishEdition

In a world that challenges mothers in their noblest of roles it is good to recall God’s perspective about the estate of motherhood:

Having Children is God’s IdeaGod always intended there to be mothers. Since the first woman was created on earth, He gave the directive to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28).

Motherhood does not mean a woman can’t serve in other capacities – it simply subor- dinates those other roles. A woman can get more education and start a career. The role of motherhood, however, is God’s gift both to a woman and to the world. When God ended His creative work after the sixth day He blessed man and woman with the task of continuing to create lives to both fill and rule over the earth. A mother assumes that primary role in fulfilling God’s wish for His people.

God’s Assurances for the Christian Mother

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Preparing Children to LeaveWe are told “a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Children are not only God’s gifts to their parents, but they are also God’s gift to another spouse some day – and to the world as a whole. In raising children, mothers teach their offspring the foundational truths of life so they, in turn, carry those truths and values into the world – by touching others’ lives and paying forward the love they were shown.

Being a Mother is Not EasyWe can thank the fall into sin for this sad reality. “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children” (Genesis 3:16). As any seasoned mother can tell you, the trials and tribulations do not stop after childbearing. While struggling with her own imperfections, mothers raise imperfect children in an imperfect world. In their sin and immaturity children occasionally disappoint their mother and bring her heartache. Sometimes the father is not as helpful as he could or should be. Sometimes it seems like the troubles can become overbearing. But in those darkest of times, it is good to remember it is God who leads all mothers through the storm. It is God who watches over them and their children. It is not easy being a mother, but mothers have an all-powerful Helper.

Mothers Are Not PerfectThe words sting: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). When teaching children the perfect things of God, mothers are painfully reminded about their

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Counseling

• Christian help and support for you and your family

• Christian Family Counseling™

clinic locations in WI & MN

• Online counseling with the Member Assistance Program™

available across the U.S. and around the world

Home Care

• Samaritan at Home Care™

• Caring, Christian homemaker, companion and personal care program for seniors and adults with disabilities

• Peace of mind for you and your loved ones wherever they call home

Senior Communities

• Christian independent and assisted living options

• Full-time, on-site RN case management • Housekeeping, activities, medication management and wellness programs

WLCFSChristian Family Solutions™

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with a Life Tribute gift to Christian Life Resources.

own imperfection. A mother teaches her child to be loving as God is perfectly loving, yet she catches herself not practicing what she preaches. She insists that her child learns his memory work – knowing too that she herself might fumble at reciting those very words. She reminds her children that their words and actions touch and influence other people. Yet, she also knows that sometimes the example she provides can be less than exemplary. That is why the Bible refers to every person as “jars of clay,” (2 Corinthians 4:7): fragile, easily nicked, chipped and broken. But a mother has God as her ever-present source in every trial and tribulation. Each day she rises from bed, brushes off the dust of past transgressions and strives during the new day to serve as a more perfect testimony for her children to watch and emulate (Philippians 3:13).

A Mother is a Child of GodBefore getting married or having children – yes, even before being held in her mother’s arms as an infant – a mother was God’s creation (Psalm 139). Biologists call it “fertilization and conception.” We know it as the moment God gave her life. He formed and fashioned her – passing on characteristics and traits of her own mother and father. He brought her into His family by the washing of baptism. He continues to watch her every step, hears her every word, and massages all things with a tweak here and a nudge there, so that it all works for her good (Romans 8:28). Through His Word God reminds her of how deeply devoted He is to her – in the sacrifice He offered of His own Son so that all those mistakes, short-comings, and flashes of sin find forgiveness in the outstretched arms of His Son who paid the price for all sin.

On this day, cherish your mother as the instrument God used to give you life and, more importantly, to lead you to the knowledge of Christ. Emulate Christ’s perfect love as you teach that love to your children. Embrace Christ for His sacrifice of forgiveness to inspire all mothers to train their children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6).

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A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan

Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:42)

Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together. ~Pearl S. Buck

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)

That best academy, a mother’s knee. ~James Russell Lowell

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. (Proverbs 1:8,9)

A mother’s arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them. ~Victor Hugo

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LOrD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

One good mother is worth a hundred schoolmasters. ~George Herbert

We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LOrD, his power, and the wonders he has done. (Psalm 78:4)

Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn’t know you had, and dealing with fears you didn’t know existed. ~Linda Wooten

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)

Mother’s love grows by giving. ~Charles Lamb

A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. (John 16:21)

Profound Thoughts About Mothers

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One woman will brag about her children, while another complains about hers; they could probably swap children without swapping tunes. ~Anonymous

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)

For a mother is the only person on earth who can divide her love among ten children and each child still have all her love. ~Anonymous

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7)

What do girls do who haven’t any mothers to help them through their troubles? ~Louisa May Alcott

Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. (Proverbs 31:28)

On the Lighter SideMy Mother Taught Me...

TO APPrECIATE A JOB WELL DONE – “If you’re going kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning the house!”

rELIGION – “You better pray that will come out of the carpet.”

TIME TrAVEL – “If you don’t sort yourself out, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!”

LOGIC – “Because I said so, that’s why.”

FOrESIGHT – “Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.”

IrONy – “Keep crying, and I’ll give you something to cry about.”

THE SCIENCE OF OSMOSIS – “Shut your mouth, and eat your dinner!”

CONTOrTIONISM – “Will you look at the dirt on the back of your neck!”

STAMINA – “You’ll sit there until all that spinach is finished.”

WEATHEr – “It looks like a tornado swept through your room.”

HyPOCrISy – “If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times – Don’t exaggerate!!!”

THE CIrCLE OF LIFE – “I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.”

BEHAVIOr MODIFICATION – “Stop acting like your father!”

ENVy – “There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful parents like you do!”

MEDICAL SCIENCE – “If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they are going to stick that

THINK AHEAD – “If you don’t pass your spelling test, you’ll never get a good job.”

ESP – “Put your sweater on; don’t you think I know when you’re cold?”

HUMOr – “When that lawnmower cuts off your toes, don’t come running to me.”

BECOMING AN ADULT – “If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.”

GENETICS – “You’re just like your father.”

rOOTS – “Do you think you were born in a barn?”

WISDOM OF AGE – “When you get to be my age, you will understand.”

JUSTICE – “One day you’ll have kids ...and I hope they turn out just like you!”

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Sale prices good through June 30

Just as Christian Life Resources offers “food for the soul” in bite-sized insights about Christian living, we also offer “food for the body” with recipe favorites. Enjoy this issue’s selection.

CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP

1 green pepper, diced 1 red pepper, diced

1 onion, diced 1 oz. jalapeno peppers, chopped (optional)

2½ cups chicken, cooked and diced 1 cup half-and-half cream

2 (12 oz.) jars nacho cheese sauce 2 T. salad oil

3 quarts chicken stock 1 tsp. cumin

½ tsp. chili powder ½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. onion powder salt to taste

Saute peppers, onions and spices in oil over medium heat until tender. Add chicken stock and nacho cheese, bringing to a boil. Thicken with roux (flour and oil mixture used for thickening) until desired consistency. Stir in half-and-half and chicken. Serve with deep-fried tortilla strips.

recipes

Informational articles written by Pastor Robert Fleischmann, National Director of Christian Life Resources.

3070 Helsan Drive • Richfield, WI 53076800.729.9535 • info@christianliferesources.com

www.ChristianLifeResources.com

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Also join us for a fundraising dinner featuring special guest Charlie Sykes and the music of Tonic Sol-fa!

St. Paul Lutheran Church • Slinger, WIChristian Life Resources National Convention

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