Single Moms this Mother's Day

I spoke to a room full of moms this morning - single moms who are raising children on their own. Widows and divorcees were joined by military wives and young, unwed mothers at Mission Hills Church, in San Marcos, CA.

I used quite a bit of my talk "Becoming Supermom" which basically looks at how un-super I tend to feel the majority of the time. The talk focuses on a few Super-powers I've had to develop over the years to help me fly out of the pit of my despair. God supplied the levity I had specifically been praying for and the SUPERwomen in our midst laughed and cried many tears as they contributed to the conversation and then shared more about themselves at their individual tables. I really felt that they needed some good discussion times during the talk to form relationships in their community at Mission Hills. There were many ladies who had been invited to todays brunch, who are totally unchurched. And it was obvious (as it was visible on their faces,) that they felt loved this morning. Like I said, what a joy to have been a part of it.

When I was asked to share with this special group, my immediate response was "no"... NO! On so many levels I wanted to say "no." And so I told God, "no." And then I felt a little guilty, so I asked others if they thought I should do it. Finally, of course, I talked to God about it. And instead of telling me "yes, I want you to do this..." He instead told me of His love for these Ladies. And I was challenged to love whom He loves; to feed His sheep; and to minister His care and concern, and the truth of His redemptive love to those He puts before me each and every day. Today these were the Ladies before me.

God has been building in me the redemptive message of this talk over the past few months, as I continue to grow in the knowledge of His power in our weakness. His Gracious exchange of Jesus' life for ours, that we might not only have life forever but also life forgiven here and now, continues to humble and amaze me. And the more I learn to accept it the more I desire to share this miracle love with others. That's what has been happening, even as I long to say "no" along the way for various reasons. I keep learning, and keep hearing from Him, and keep sharing His Word with others. And the result always brings Joy... Joy to others and Joy to my own heart.

Even when feeding His sheep isn't convenient or comfortable, it is always where this Poema finds the good works she was created to walk in.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus

for good works, which God prepared beforehand,

that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:10

Pretty please, with a cherry on top

My boys have learned the endearing phrase, "Pretty please, with a cherry on top" from one of their cartoons that they've watched multiple times. They often use it now, and always in the right context. I, however, am taking it completely out of context right now.

You see, this was to by my one night to really put my head down and prepare for my next talk, which happens to be this Saturday morning. Every moment of every day has been so packed and the evenings worst of all, so tonight was my time to see it all come together. Oh, it's all written, I just wanted to go through it a time or two more. "Pretty please, with a cherry on top," has been my prayer.

Only I did not know that the cherry that would top my actual evening would be little Asher's bright red behind. He has spend the past 2 + hours getting out of bed over and over and over and over. At first it was a simple lesson for me to not get frustrated at my little guy just because I had an agenda for my evening. And so I read him books, rocked him extra good, giving extra kisses and hugs and prayers and songs... and still he came out for more, time and again, these past two hours. Finally, now, he is down. And now I have my notes open before me.

But what a reminder that this Mother's Day Brunch for Single Moms, that I'm slated to attend in two days, is going to be chalked full of ladies who are always setting aside their agendas for those of their children. With no one else to shoulder the responsibilities, not just at bedtime but most all the time, these ladies have known many of their own plans thwarted.

It's been my most consistent prayer as I've prepared to share with these women, that God would increase my love for them. And so as I gave up my time of preparation to correct, discipline, and finally just give in to the obvious needs of my little one, I spent my time stroking his hair and praying for the ladies I'm to minister to.

I remember one night, as I was particularly nervous over speaking to a group of ladies, my husband Matt wrote me a text message just moments before I went on stage. He wrote: "love them well."

Tonight's thwarted plans reminded me yet again that the crux of serving God by serving others is to love them well, for God is love. If I bring my perfectly sculpted talk but have not love... I'll just be a clanging cymbal. And who would that benefit?