Mother’s Day

A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.— John 16:21

Mother’s Day arrives at a great time for Louisianans. It’s not too hot, the gardenias are blooming, and it’s crawfish season. It’s no surprise that many mothers here are honored on this day with a crawfish boil and, if they’re lucky, plump Ponchatoula strawberries for dessert.

It’s a ritual around these parts to boil the crawfish yourself. That’s part of the fun. The crawfish are sorted and rinsed while the fifteen-gallon pot of water heats up. Garlic and seasonings are thrown in, and when the water comes to a full, roiling boil, the crawfish, small red potatoes, and corn on the cob are added. Before long, hot, steamy crawfish are dumped onto newspaper-covered picnic tables, and everyone gathers around to peel and enjoy them.

My sons Christopher and Kevin were working hard, keeping their promise that I would not have to lift a finger for my Mother’s Day meal. I got up from my chair on the patio and walked into the kitchen to refill my lemonade.

“Kev, don’t worry about peeling the garlic,” Christopher instructed. “They go in just as they are. And the bell peppers, hold them like this when you slice them and they’ll be the perfect size for boiling.”

Kevin looked on, nodding in agreement. “Okay,” he said, “thanks.”

There were my sons, twenty-three and twenty, joking and laughing together.

As a young mother I’d wondered if such a scene would ever happen.

I walked in, hugged them both, popped a strawberry into my mouth, and relished not only the sweetness of a perfectly ripe fruit but the gift of motherhood.

Patient Father, thank You for Your reminder that many of the gifts we receive take time to ripen. — Melody Bonnette

Excerpted with permission from Daily Guideposts 365 Spirit-Lifting Devotions for Women, copyright Guideposts.

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Your Turn

Happy Mother’s Day, moms! We see you. We see you working hard, intentionally tending to the hearts and minds, the hopes and fears, the spirits and futures of your children. We see that it’s sometimes hard and sometimes full of joy and we honor you for all that you are today! Bless you, moms! Come share about the mom in your life on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily