Mothering is for Everyone

Mothering is an action meaning to nurture or raise a child and or children. During May, we celebrate mothers. It is important to honor all those who cultivate others in the real sense of the word.

There are many titles, Mother, mommy, mom, mama, Lois, and for a time, this becomes their identity almost devoid of any other. Children summon regular occurrence with the call mommy, mama, or mom. If amongst a group of them when the call issues, the heads turn in quick response.

For years I wondered, after being told it was doubtful I would have children, when or how I might become a mom. I recall a conversation at one point where the Doctor shared, “you will not have children of your own, so why bother, and you might as well get rid of the parts.”

I found this cold, and the truth is they did not understand the power of my God. This limiting conversation defined me as a non-mother for a time. However, In my way, I was mothering many children who needed nurturing. They may lose a parent or have one that was not as accessible as they experienced in life.

Perhaps God allowed this, as there was a sincere desire for me to share that love that burned inside me. I believed my God is a mountain mover; I trusted and surrendered my status as a mother to Him. He delivered me with His amazing grace, allowing two beautiful souls to care for, along with my husband. Miracles of life I carried and performed against the odds of circumstance.

I also know the loss of a child through miscarriage and many years of waiting for God’s plan for my life as Mama to unfold. Many lost a child or lost a mother in this lifetime, always before they were ready to.

Since that statement, “you should get rid of your parts,” I vowed to experience motherhood by any means that God would provide. It wouldn't matter if they were my own, only that God placed them before me. After my surrender, He blessed me with my special babies to nurture, two beautiful miracles, a girl and a boy.

I do not share these personal thoughts to say how lucky I am or how amazing it is to be a mom (although it is), but to impress upon us all that mothering is a gift anyone can have and is an integral part. I want to shout out to those who have taken the time to share with others in a nurturing way. Every mentor, every case worker, youth leader, teacher, single parent or grandparent raising a child or those caring for anyone, an older adult, or even little furry critters, all have the potential to nurture.

To nurture, to be loved, and to care for, is the art of raising the world, or for lack of a better word, the art of mothering. I recall a time working with at-risk youth in the juvenile court systems; many of those kids had no one they could call "mother." They often raised themselves along with any sibling that fell in line with them. Even at a young age, as a young adult, I felt the urge to protect and nurture those lost and left to fend for themselves. If we think about it, young men and women at war seek this same need-based nurturing, and some soldier, though not identified, rises to the occasion and watches after the ducklings. In every hive, there is Queen Bee. In every colony, there is a Queen Ant.

So, in every circumstance, there is the ability to nurture and love. Therefore, all of us, male or female, can be mothering. To be a mother and the act of mothering are two very different things. I suppose the most important is the action. Let's take action and mother the world as nurturers. To nurture makes our world a better place. Our Father in heaven gave us the gift of mothers, but He gave us all the gift of nurturing. So God bless everyone on Mother's Day and let's take action and get mothering.