This line of thinking where we cater to the possibility of the worrisome areas of life is another symptom of what is wrong with our culture. Let's not recognize or reward the people who are noteworthy because we might offend or hurt someone else's feelings isn't fair, or reasonable. It's stupid.
I'm not insensitive to the people who can't conceive or those who had a bad childhood. That's not my point at all. Maybe we need a day out of the year where we recognize their losses, but even for those who suffer great tragedy, we can't shortchange the heroic or the victorious by ignoring their importance.
I'm sad for the women who can't have children and really want to. It's not fair. The reality is, you are no less of a woman or a human if you aren't able to bring children into this world, but it does hurt, it leaves a void in your heart, and it hurts so much because of the blessing of parenting and motherhood, something we celebrate for a reason.
And, yes, there are horrible mothers. My mom, rest her soul, never would've received "Mom of the year." I'm at peace with her failures as a mom, and I've learned to love her, "warts & all." She left with another man when I was about 14, then came home later when my dad went looking for her, and there a host of other issues I could ruminate on if I wanted to make myself a miserable wretch. You come to grips one day that your parents did the best they could, and even when that wasn't good enough, you live & let live, and you let go of the past and you learn to forgive. If you don't comes to terms with these problems, they will ruin you and the relationships that matter in life.
Still, even for all the hurt feelings and problems surrounding Mother's Day, none of those problems negate the fact there are good, yes great, moms out there who deserve a little special recognition at least once a year. Since God gave us one of the greatest gifts, Mothers & Motherhood, I think it's highly inappropriate for us to neglect moms or honor them when we gather as a church.
