You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
Psalm 139:13-16
Every so often one of the kids, or my jokester husband, will find the need to call me “Mother Theresa.” While there are days when I can behave quite saintly, on others I would probably receive more votes as Mother Hubbard than Mother Theresa. There are no perfect parents, and sadly our imperfections seem to manifest themselves in the most inopportune moments. At least as far as the children are concerned. Whether real, imagined, or simply perceived, parental imperfections can become issues for the children. Hopefully Sunday my family will once again put aside those old Mother Hubbard days and help me celebrate Mother’s Day.
For some it will be difficult to celebrate Mother’s Day. Many people are still nursing wounds incurred early in life from one or both parents. These wounds can be unmet needs, absence, neglect, harsh words, or abusive behaviors. I believe it is for these reasons A Mother’s Blessing was written. I found this particular version on Christian Healing Ministries’ website. The words, salted liberally with the Holy Spirit, offer hope through healing.
The Mother’s blessing can begin with “I really don’t know if you are willing to hear the words of a wounded mother speaking to you, but please lend me your ears for a few moments. My dear child I know the scriptures command you to honor me; and I want you to know that you will honor me best by becoming and being all the Lord intends you to be. I ask the Lord to richly bless you.”
“I ask the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of His Cross and Blood to set you free now from any harsh or cruel words that I said, especially the ones you keep remembering over and over. I am sorry.”
“I ask the Lord to set you free from heart injuries you sustained from me or from others in whose care I placed you in. I ask the Holy Spirit to set you free from; heartache, disappointments, dreads, grief, or rage you cannot resolve.”
“And I’m so sorry for any struggles I may have caused you. May you be healed from being ignored by me or smothered by me. If I ever made you feel less than or not good enough, I am deeply sorry and ask you to please forgive me. May the Lord set you free from working so hard to please me when nothing ever would. May the Lord set you free from trying to get from me what I never had to give, I’m so sorry.”
“May the Lord set you free from blaming me for failing you, not because I need that, but for you to be free to grow; to receive; and to achieve. To be creative in ways you have not yet imagined. May the Lord give you all the things I was unable or unwilling to give you. May the Lord guide you in ways I never could and grant you peace. May the Lord free you from any of my grief, fear, terror, anger, dread, and expectations you are still trying to live up to. May the Lord free you from feeling that you must always be perfect. I pray that God will help you to see that the hurt and pain I caused you came from my own childhood. It limited me, and I am so sorry if it has limited you.”
“I pray that God will remove from you any belief that you were not wanted or loved. I pray that you have no doubt that you are the gender you were supposed to be.”
“Please forgive me for not nurturing you. I pray that the Lord will release you from any unhealthy bond that you may have with me. I want you to keep all of the good that came from me, and give the rest to God.”
“My precious one I love you.
I am so proud of you.
I am so glad you were born. Be released now to be the person that God created you to be. Be free my love and live!”
For those who needed to hear the words of A Mother’s Blessing, it is not too late. Be encouraged by the Psalmist in Psalms 139:13-16, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” He has a plan for you and with Him, it will be successful!
For moms looking for a little advice, let me offer a few words from experience. “You can never love the kids too much. Not with material things but with your time and touch. You can never pray too much. Pray for every aspect of their life, including their future mate. Be sure the children know your door is always open and the side of your bed is available for discussion or confession. Try to be more loving and less judgmental when sins occur, and they will occur.”
Finally, for those who did not need this word today, you have another wonderful reason to be thankful and blessed this Mother’s Day.
Shaped by FAITH Prayer
Lord, I am so thankful that you wrote my story before I was even formed in my Mother’s Womb in the secret place. You gave me the Mother that would make me strong in so many ways. I thank you for the hard times, sad moments and I thank you for the good times I had with my Mother. I pray for the Mother’s who have lost their own Mother and I ask Lord that you would also strengthen their hearts just like you did for me.