Show Up

 “one of the worst things about being a parent, for me, is the self-discovery, the being face to face with one's secret insanity and brokenness and rage.” ― Anne Lamott, Operating Instructions

Yesterday we had the opportunity to take some family photos at a somewhat local park as a Mother's day gift.

You'll notice this picture is not my entire family.

These are the people who chose to come to the family photo.

If you've been with me a while, you know Mother's day is not my favorite holiday. Remember the glitter and the glue?

I would wager that Mother's day is difficult for the majority of women.

Yet Walmart continues to run an ad and Hallmark continues to make a card.

And for many, it's a day of deep sadness or disappointment. Or both.

As I stood taking this picture yesterday, wind blowing in my hair and trying to figure out if I was supposed to cross my left arm over my right or vice versa, I reminded myself that women show up.

We show up and we stay.

Even if no one else does.

Even if we don't want to.

It was women who showed up at the crucifixion. It was women who showed up at the tomb.

Some of you wake up this morning without a mom. I see you today showing up for the remaining parent, for your siblings, for your own family.

Some of you wake up this morning having never had children. I see you today being the most fabulous aunt, the best godparent, the most encouraging teacher.

Some of you wake up this morning having had children who are no longer with us. I see you today continuing to put one foot in front of the other.

Some of you wake up this morning having had children who don't celebrate with you. I see you today loving them unconditionally from a far.

I see each of you today showing up and staying.

Mama Warriors, social media can be an ugly beast of comparison on a holiday.

Maybe today you gift yourself a fast from scrolling.

You read a book instead. Or binge your favorite comfort show.

Take a moment to celebrate yourself for showing up and staying even when Mother's day doesn't look like you wish it did.

Respectfully

 "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." First Amendment of the US Constitution

I love Sunday mornings.

Currently, my Spotify playlist is playing "Christ be Magnified" and I'm singing like I know all the words. I do not.

I'm sipping my Irish Breakfast hot tea.

This wasn't always the case. For those of you with multiple children, I remember the days when "easy like Sunday morning" was a joke.

This morning our Constitution gives me the RIGHT to worship wherever I want.

Or not worship at all.

I have exercised both of those rights over the years. And I've certainly gotten down "wherever I want" as I have probably attended most churches in our county at some point.

I love that for me.

But I also love that for YOU.

BUT - there's always a but right?

With great privilege comes great responsibility. Originally said by Voltaire ( the author, not the bad guys in Twilight) but mostly accredited to the great Spiderman.

Because YOU have the privilege of worshipping, or not, anywhere you want this morning - you also have the responsibility to respect that right of others.

Those who choose to worship in the Catholic faith are mourning the loss of a leader.

A man who was by everyone's account a man of God.

As I scrolled social media this week, I can came across this picture on our country's official site.

This is disrespectful to those mourning.

This is disrespectful to those in the Catholic faith.

For that, we should all be sorry.

Not just for the Americans that are offended, but for those all over the world.

Pope Francis stood for all the things you find in the gospel. He was a leader for those in the margins. He spoke up for the poor, the hungry, the immigrant, the lonely. He advocated for love first. Remember - the greatest of these is love?

Peanut and I have had a lot of talks about how each person gets to choose what, if any, religion they want to participate in.

They get to choose what theology they support and what doctrine they participate in.

I've also told her I fully believe that God gifts us that choice.

I don't think you get to some end of time and God says "Wait - the right answer was "x" denomination so off to hell you go."

I think God is invested in the big picture not whether you dunk or sprinkle or some other fully logistic item.

So I believe God shows up for you in the church you choose because that's what you need.

I respectfully ask, as does our Constitution, that you accept that God shows up for me in the church I choose because it's what I need.

And because of that mutual respect, we do not mock the traditions or beliefs of each other.

We don't AI dress up as the Pope and make fun of people in mourning.

Mama Warriors, it is our job to speak up about these things. It's our job to tell our kids "this is not okay."

Many times in their lives people in power will do things that in their gut do not feel okay. We have to send the message that people in power don't always make the right choices. And when they don't, it's okay to call them on it.

Respectfully.

Hold Hands

"Ordinary work, which is what most of us do most of the time, is ordained by God every bit as much as is the extraordinary. All work done for God is spiritual work and therefore not merely a duty but a holy privilege."

Yesterday we attended the celebration of my nephew's 5th birthday. As I sat in the diner center of this kid's museum, being waited on by the Peanut, another child came up and sat in my lap. Her mother hurried over and apologized multiple times. I recognized that look of panic in that mom's face - her daughter was unique and she didn't know how I would react. 

That makes me so sad this morning. Like ugly cry sad. Why do we live in a society where mama's not only have to battle the challenge of caring for a child with special needs, but also have to apologize for them? That sweet little girl knew Mama hands, she grabbed my hands and sat in my lap. My hands. 

In the last few weeks, I've looked down at my hands and thought "Man, I think I'm old!" My hands are showing the wear of the life I've lived. The bible tells me though that my hands are showing the works, the lives they have touched. 

"May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us." (Psalm 90: 17)

I read some book years ago about safety and children written by an ex head of the secret service. His number one tip about helping your children know what to do when they are lost was to tell them to find a Mama with kids. People in uniform aren't always safe, and kids can't always tell the difference between a police man and an exterminator in uniform. He shared that a mama with kids won't leave your kid until she finds you. It's an innate characteristics of mamas. We stay the course. We show up. We persevere. Our hands do the work of Jesus. 

Mama Warriors today, you are enough. Whatever is on your plate today, you've got this. Your hands - they find lost blankies, they bake favorite treats, they hold hands of scared children. Ordinary work is extraordinary.