The Dean of Easy Street

Happy Mother’s day to everyone. I have to admit I haven’t always been excited about this day though. Not that I don’t love moms and motherhood. Totally the opposite. I’ve always put mothers on a pedestal.

It’s just for a long time the day was painful for me because my mother died unexpectedly when I was 12. And when your mother dies that’s when you know everybody dies. She had a reaction to a prescribed medication. It was an unforeseeable accident, and I don’t blame anybody. The doctor was a family friend, and the drug was later taken off the market. Nobody was sued.

Now though I know I don’t have to live in the past, and I also see how my experience has contained many blessings. I’ve been deeply healed. I’ve never looked to drugs to make me healthy or happy. I’ve been touched by the Mother Heart of God. I always got along great with my girlfriend’s moms. And I’ve had many mothers who have embraced me over the years. I’ve learned a lot from them too. I lost one mother and gained a multitude.

Mothers have contributed immeasurably to all human progress. And usually quietly, behind the scenes. Take Susan Wright, for example. Never heard of her? I’m not surprised.

She was the daughter of a buggy maker in Virginia in the 1800’s. She spent much time in her father’s shop as a young girl and developed a life-long mechanical aptitude. Later when she married a circuit riding preacher from Indiana she built her own appliances and toys for her children. And among those children were two boys named Orville and Wilbur - The Wright Brothers. Iit wasn’t their dad who inspired them to build their bicycles and eventually their flying machines. He was on the road. It was mom.

There is a spirit of motherhood and even if you’re not a mother, even if you’re not a woman, you can have it. As my pastor pointed out this morning the most famous mother in the world, Mother Theresa had no children of her own. And the man’s man apostle Paul even told the Thessalonians, “We were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.”

Yes, there is a spirit of motherhood, and it includes all manner of good things, but especially the spirit of inspiration. Who can ever count the value of that?

Thank you moms. And thank you all who walk in the spirit of motherhood. You love us, support us and help bring out the best in all of us.

Dean Delker - The Dean of Easy Street