Mother’s Day 2020. The sweet. I am so grateful for my children. They are an eternal blessing. Just last evening my 14-year old daughter Koah, was doing a school assignment. She had to recreate a famous masterpiece for art class. She chose to emulate the “Last Supper” so she and her brother Kyler started taking photo after photo with costumes and props.

Later in the evening Koah showed me the finished art and I start laughing so hard I began to cry.  See it for yourself below.

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At some point in the photo shoot, my older son, KJ came into the room and asked if he could have a piece of the pound cake I made from scratch on Friday. I said, “Shouldn’t there be some sort of Mother’s Day song before we cut it?” I thought he was going to turn the melody of “Happy Birthday to you” into “Happy Mother’s Day to you.” Instead he grabbed his phone and started to sing a song called “I love my mom” by Blake Rules.

The above is a snapshot of my life with my children; they are creative, smart, kind, funny, love me and their dad and most importantly, God.

I am so grateful to have the privilege to be their mom.

The Bitter. For many woman, Mother’s Day is especially hard. They long for children and don’t have them. The hurt from difficult memories with a mother who was not able to mother well or at all. And there are mothers whose child has preceded her in death. This is sadly my reality too.

Our daughter, Kennedy Anne Wilson, died after 25 days of life on September 29, 2003. She had such a short time of earth, but she changed my life forever. The days following her passing were so hard and bitter.

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Losing her placed me in a sisterhood of women that may be mourning as others are celebrating and I just want to acknowledge you and pray. Father please give beauty for ashes. In Jesus’ name.

The Bittersweet. So much of life is actually a mixture of these tastes and emotions. As my husband and I remember our moms, who are both with the Lord. We laugh above the funny things they did. How kind their affection was to each of us. How both moms stabilized us with their love. And we wish they were alive to see the antics of their grandchildren…and children. (As we miss our moms we acknowledge our “bonus” mom, Wanda Wilson. Happy Mother’s Day!)

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Ironically I was reading my Bible yesterday and the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 was covered. I believe there is a special mom hidden in the passage.

John chapter 6, verses 3-9 say “Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” 6He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!”

Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up.

“There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” (NLT)

I often smile as I read this passage and think about a godly mom who says, Matthew, don’t forget to take your with you. I packed five loaves and two fish. Maybe the boy smiled as he ran out of the house. Or maybe he rolled his eyes, like five and loaves again. Maybe that was a very generous helping that could be shared. Or maybe is was barely enough to push away hunger pains until dinner.

But the account shows that this mom was raising a child who cared about the things of God, why else would he be listening to Jesus. We know he had some level of boldness as he spoke up and told Andrew about the specifics of his lunch.  And he was kind and did not keep it for himself, but had faith to give it as an offering to the Messiah.

After Jesus uses the lunch to feed the crowd of 5000 men, and the women and children that were also there.  Jesus has leftovers. I would bet that He made sure that at least one of the twelve baskets of leftovers was sent home with the young boy. And whether she was there on the hillside or at home, I bet he ran straight to his mom…

Today, April 23, is the first day of the 2020 NFL draft.

Ironically I happen to live in a suburb Cincinnati, Ohio and the Bengals have the first draft pick. But draft day is also personal to me because my dad – Allen Tyrone Smith, Sr. – was drafted by the New York Jets in 1965.

The J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets! were part of the American Football League back then. Maybe we didn’t even use that chant yet. I was about 13-months old and my daddy left Findley College early to make a living for my mom, his young wife, Lorraine and me. In a sense we were his first draft picks.

Though my dad wasn’t the top pick of that draft, like Joe Burrow is expected to be for the Bengals, I bet he was thrilled to be chosen. As will every young player who will be chosen.

Today also reminds me that I have been chosen to be part of a different team. This team has an amazing record. We could be called the Tribe… of Judah.

You see I am a draft pick of Christ. 1 Peter 2:9 says “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Jesus gave all, so that I could be a member of His Eternally-Winning team. And this is true of all who ^“declare with your mouth that, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NIV.

Perhaps this idea is the answer you are seeking as we all walk through this unprecedented season of living during the COVID 19 pandemic.

At the end of this year’s draft, there will be some young men who have yet to be drafted. Of course they will be disappointed and prayerfully their football dreams will continue is some way. But none of us need be left out of the most important and in the end – winning team. We only have to ask and believe in the One who is Number 1.

Have a blessed day and enjoy the draft tonight. Welcome to Cincinnati Joe Burrow!! I’ll be praying for your success on and off the field!

Kelly

Easter is quickly approaching or as my Pastor calls it Resurrection Sunday, and I see people being more open to teachings from the Bible.

I am so glad that the Bible speaks about all aspects of life, including our dwelling places.

In Deuteronomy 6:9, it says that believers are to write God’s commandments “on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates”

One modern way to do this is with art and décor. Here are two ideas…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you celebrate the glory and joy of the risen Savior on Easter, capture the season by hiding His word in your heart and displaying it in your home and office. This is a great faith builder.