CONTENTS

• JUST VISITING
• FEATURE ARTICLE:
  The World's Hardest Job
  

  Just Visiting

  I have few regrets in life, but one thing I do regret is my failure to appreciate the sacrifices my mother was making for me when I was growing up. Like most children, I was self-centered and demanding. When I reached adulthood, I developed more understanding of her role. She's been dead more than 25 years, and I appreciate her contributions to my life now even more than I did then. Mother's Day provides an occasion for us to be reminded of just how much these precious women mean to us. Norman

  * * * * *
  THE WORLDS HARDEST JOB

  by Norman Bales

  Some people think the president of the United States has the world's hardest job. I don't think so. As far as I'm concerned mothers have the world's hardest job. Oh, I know there are many mothers who contribute nothing to a child's life beyond giving birth, but I'm not thinking about them.

  I'm thinking of the women who went through pain that no man could possibly understand just to get us here. Then they soon came face to face with the fact that while motherhood starts in the delivery room, it does not cease until her eyes close in death.

  Before she has time to recover from the ordeal of childbirth, the medical staff sends her home with a baby who is totally dependent on others for everything. Not only that, the newborn cries a lot and has no control when it comes to eliminating bodily waste.

  Over the next several years she will be expected to teach everything from how to communicate in the English language, all the way to tutoring her middle school son so he won't flunk his math course.

  Over the space of nearly two decades per child, a mother will wash her offspring's' clothing and preach to them about the importance of maintaining responsible personal hygiene. She'll be forgiven for thinking that "cleanliness is next to Godliness" belongs in the Bible.

  She's a disciplinarian, a negotiator, a culinary artist, a dispute settler, an inspector of ears and the back of necks, a counselor, and a listener of complaints. She heals broken hearts, and puts band-aids on scratches. When there's a serious physical ailment, she loses sleep. Sometimes she has to fix plumbing, electrical wiring, and toasters that won't work. She could probably add carpenter, painter, interior decorator, and horticulturalist to her list of job skills on her resume.

  Besides all this she has to go through the pain of watching her child grow up, while reminding her children they aren't as mature as they think they are. That's a formidable task and it requires her to master conflict management.

  Just about the time she gets used to the job, the children leave home, and then she's got to figure out a new role for her life. Or does she? She's still "Mom" when the phone rings late in the night, and a frightened child, who is now a mother herself, says, "Mom, the baby has a high fever. What do I do?" When does a woman stop being a mother? Never.

  Ever since 1914 when Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day, we've been honoring mothers. We look for ways to appreciate them. Some buy expensive presents, but I would imagine nothing would ever take the place of a voice on the other end of a telephone line saying something like, "Mom, you're the greatest mother a child could ever have."

  It's appropriate for us to honor our mothers. The law of Moses includes it as a part of the ten commandments. Jesus honored his mother from the cross. Paul said, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother'-which is the first commandment with a promise- 'that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.'" (Ephesians 6:1-3) Happy Mother's Day.

  * * * * *

  If you have questions about marriage and family relationships, you can " ASK THE COUNSELOR" Address your questions to Mikal Frazier. Her address is mikal@allaboutfamilies.org

  Norman's e-mail address: nlbales@allaboutfamilies.org
  Tell your friends they can subscribe by sending a blank message to subscribe@welovegod.org.
  If you would like to be taken off this newsletter mailing list please send a blank message to
  unsubscribe@welovegod.org
  

  Southern Hills Church of Christ
  9080 Southwood Drive
  Shreveport, Louisiana 71118
  (318) 686-2190
  

  E-mail:
  Norman Bales: Norman's e-mail address: nlbales@allaboutfamilies.org
  Ann Bales: ann@allaboutfamilies.org
  Mikal Frazier: mikal@allaboutfamilies.org
  "Jim Bales"jbales@prcoc.org
  Web:allaboutfamilies.org
  allaboutfamilies.org/sh
  

  * * * * *