The Beauty of Ordinary Moms

The Beauty of Ordinary Moms

Publication: The Lookout

Date: May 11, 1997

Column: From the Editor's Desk

Category: Mothers

Each year the second Sunday of May rightly reminds us to see the best in our mothers. But sometimes the sentimental images almost seem too good to be true. The Ideal Mom? She's the loyalty of Ruth, the courage of Esther, the faith of Mary, the diligence of Priscilla, and the compassion of Dorcas all rolled into one. She possesses the nursing skills of Florence Nightingale, the matronly sweetness of June Cleaver, the humor of Erma Bombeck, the street-smart wisdom of Claire Huxtable, the humility of Mother Theresa, and the cooking ability of Julia Child.

It's a lot to live up to. The Ideal Mom, we imagine, never nags or complains. She's never depressed, worried, sick, selfish, or grumpy. She's beautiful with or without makeup, even first thing in the morning. She's living proof of the maxim, "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."

She's a spiritual wonder-woman who reads her Bible non-stop, sings in the choir, helps with VBS every year, and loves working in the church nursery.

Mature, godly women do embody roles like these—though such women would be the first to remind us of their flaws. But the fact is, Ideal Moms are nothing more than Ordinary Moms who have survived the unglamorous years of motherhood and graduated from Motherhood University (otherwise known as the school of hard knocks) with God's help.

In the labor of childbirth, an Ordinary Mom does one of society's toughest jobs while earning some of the fewest perks. Busy days and sleepless nights find her juggling multiple roles—from taxi driver to button sewer, from money manager to homework helper, from athletic coach to amateur counselor.

She perseveres through tedious seasons when little seems to change but diapers. Her less-than-picture-perfect children squirm and squeal as they sit in stoic silence when she hands them the phone to talk to their grandparents. She endures careless remarks from thoughtless friends who ask, "Do you work, or are you just a homemaker?" or who insinuate, "No good Christian mother works outside her home."

The Ordinary Mom pours two or more of her life's most productive decades into rearing her children. Then she must carefully cut the apron strings lest she be branded a doting mom or an interfering mother-in-law.

Nowadays, it's hard just to be an Ordinary Mom, let alone an ideal one. The hand that rocks the cradle . . . gets really tired sometimes.

So let's hear it for Ordinary Moms! If a caring mother has touched your life, she's an extraordinary gift. Even if her personality isn't bigger than life, she gave you life and she deserves your honor. Can you look past her flaws and see her faith? Do you recognize the beauty God placed in this one who loved you through your unbeautiful moments of helpless infancy and awkward adolescence? Do you find familiar comfort in that special dish no one else prepares quite as well as she? Do you appreciate the security of knowing she'll always pull for you and pray for you?

Her hand rocked your cradle. Now she deserves a hand.