an ounce of mother worth a pound of clergy

This is a repost from 2010.

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My mother has been the greatest picture of selflessness and sacrifice in my life.  Sometimes people think being a missionary in Africa involves a lot of sacrifice –but I’ve got nothing on my mom.  From the time I was 13, she raised three of us on her own, while working full-time and going back to school.  Mom graduated from college with degrees in business administration and accounting the same year I graduated high school.  And she did so with a 4.0.

But more than that, my mother raised us to have faith in Jesus Christ, and to be committed fully to him.  As the Spanish proverb says,

An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.

Mom, I hope you have a very special day today.  I’m sorry I can’t be there to celebrate it with you.  Thank you for all you’ve done to bring me into the faith in which I now rest — and for teaching me how to sacrifice myself for others.  I love you.

A lot of people have said a lot of nice things about mothers.  Below are some of my favorites:

a mother’s response to the ground zero controversy

THAT’S IT!  I. have. had. E…NOUGH!  I’m sick and tired of you two arguing all the time.  You boys are entirely too old to be acting like this.

Islam, you’re 1400 years old and should know better than to wittingly aggravate your brother like this; and your “This is not actually Ground Zero — I’m not touching, I’m not touching” routine is not going to cut it this time, mister.

And you, Christianity, I can’t believe I’m listening to a 2000 year old whine and cry about where someone else wants to play with his toys.  This is a shared house, and what do you think gives YOU the right to control where everybody else goes and what they do there?!

I don’t know why you two can’t be more like your older brother, Judaism, and quietly mind your own business.  And I do mean business.  Have you seen Jud’s lemonade stand?  He’s making a killing right there in our own front yard — and no one’s being made angry in the process.

And, no, WE WILL NOT be drawing a line down the middle of the room.  We didn’t do that in the 1860′s with North and South, and we’re for sure not doing it with you.  You boys are just gonna’ have to learn to share.  And if you two don’t start playing well together, then no one — and I mean NO ONE — gets a place of worship!  Not at Ground Zero or anywhere else.

Now hug and go to your room.  There will be absolutely no Xbox tonight, and I’d say you’re going to bed without any dinner, but — Islam, you must be starving; you haven’t eaten since sunrise.  I’ll send Judaism up with some Kosher foods after dark.  Until then, I want you two to think about what you’ve done, and how it reflects on who you are.

[For my thoughts on another controversy at ground zero, have a look see here.]

selflessness and sacrifice: happy mother’s day

My mother has been the greatest picture of selflessness and sacrifice in my life.  Sometimes people think being a missionary in Africa involves a lot of sacrifice –but I’ve got nothing on my mom.  From the time I was 13, she raised three of us on her own, while working full-time and going back to school.  Mom graduated from college with degrees in business administration and accounting the same year I graduated high school.  And she did so with a 4.0.

But more than that, my mother raised us to have faith in Jesus Christ, and to be committed fully to him.  As the Spanish proverb says,

An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.

Mom, I hope you have a very special day today.  I’m sorry I can’t be there to celebrate it with you.  Thank you for all you’ve done to bring me into the faith in which I now rest — and for teaching me how to sacrifice myself for others.  I love you.

A lot of people have said a lot of nice things about mothers.  Below are some of my favorites:

A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. –Tenneva Jordan

Sweater, n.:  garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly. –Ambrose Bierce

The phrase “working mother” is redundant. –Jane Sellman

Women’s Liberation is just a lot of foolishness.  It’s the men who are discriminated against.  They can’t bear children.  And no one’s likely to do anything about that. –Golda Meir

Whatever else is unsure in this stinking dunghill of a world a mother’s love is not. –James Joyce

A suburban mother’s role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after. –Peter De Vries

A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest. –Irish Proverb

God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers. –Jewish Proverb

May God bless our mothers.  He surely knows how they’ve blessed us.