THOUGHT-FUL-NESS

This past Saturday I received two Mother's Day sentiments...one in a card and one via a Facebook message.  Now, I don't have children, never had children, never will have children, so both of these came as quite a surprise, and I was quite touched by them.  

I don't think what my husband and I have done over the years is that remarkable...reaching out to or taking in a friend's child on a short-term basis isn't really all that difficult...but hanging in there day after day is.  For us it was a privilege to be of help, and always a thrill when the child responded positively to us two old folks.

What I do find remarkable is the thoughtfulness of these two women. As mothers, they could have been in a receiving mindset around May 13 and who could blame them.  But instead they were in a giving mindset and set out to be an encouragement to me (and probably others) on a day reserved to honor them.  What is even more remarkable is that I have never really "mothered" any of their children...so this was not a "thank you" gesture.  This was a "I-have-noticed-something-and-I-would-like-to-acknowledge-it" gesture.  And even more remarkable is neither of them live in my town and one doesn't even live in my state, so I should literally be an out-of-sight, out-of-mindset.

This is humbling to me because of all the wonderful mothers I know not one of them received a card from me, not even the ones I know are struggling right now. But I am also motivated by these two women and their reminder to do what Phillipians 2:4 encourages us to do:

 "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, 

but also to the interests of others"

So, thank you.  If this is how you "pay attention" and "acknowledge others," what wonderful Moms you must be!