Heroic Moms: in Ireland, in Wisconsin, and in . . .
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When Woody and I were in Ireland this past March, we were surprised to discover that we were there for Mother’s Day! In Ireland, Mother’s Day is March 22. Of course the whole visit felt like “Mother’s Day” for me, as I got to spend one whole week with my daughter and granddaughter. What more could a mother want?
I was particularly captivated by an article that ran in
The Irish Times
that weekend entitled “Who’d Be a Mother? The Advertising Angle.” the piece explored what advertising executives had said about how they’d advertise motherhood as a job. The consensus seemed to be that you’d need to be honest and tell the truth about what motherhood involves. One consultant recalled the ad that Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton placed in the
London Times
recruiting men to follow him to the South Pole:
“Men wanted for hazardous journey: small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success.”
(It is said he received thousands of responses.)
The consultant went on to observe that motherhood is a “heroic expedition that, despite their better judgment, people embark on all the time.” Other contributors to the article, some advertising consultants, some moms, observed that, while motherhood tests your limits and requires multitasking described as “150 careers, one mammy,” it offers meaning and rewards that outweigh all the rest. Yet, as one ad writer and mom said, “Motherhood is about having to be a grown-up every day of your life.” Yikes! Every day of your life—that’s not easy!
I thought of this article a couple of weeks ago as I sat at the celebration brunch at our church’s Mom to Mom in Hartland, Wisconsin. As I listened to some of the stories shared by our moms, I thought about what a hazardous expedition motherhood is, and what heroes these moms are. And I realized anew how very very important it is for us to support and encourage each other. How thankful I am that God implanted the idea of Mom to Mom so many years ago and it continues to encourage moms in their heroic journeys.
I’ll let a few of these moms speak for themselves about what Mom to Mom has done for them (quotes are approximate, from my notes):
“It makes me feel like I’m doing something right—or at least HE is!”
“Mom to Mom makes me feel normal, despite serious psychological issues!”
“When I leave, I just feel lighter.”
”Thank you for helping us look above the fray.”
“It’s so awesome to know that you really matter cuz sometimes you just feel like you don’t!”
“My leader is so encouraging. She calls me every Monday, and though I work on Mondays, my husband waits for her call and loves talking with her.”
“It’s helped me realize that every moment counts.”
“I see Jesus in the women in my group, and that has helped draw me closer to Him.”
“It’s helped me move my faith from my head to my heart.”
“It reminds me that God is faithful even when I’m not.”
A hazardous journey. Great rewards. Mom heroes. A faithful God. Lots of encouragement needed along the way.
I’m so glad that we moms can join hands and look up and encourage each other in this heroic expedition. I’ll bet you have some hero-moms in your Mom to Mom groups. Got any stories to share? I’d love to hear them!