Mother's Day & Father's Day ... Too Late

Common Sense Commentary:

Even as I grew up, in West Texas, during the hard scrabble days of the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and then World War II, when many kids were unloved or not shown much love, I never doubted that my mother was the most loving mother in the world ... and she told us often. My dad didn't say it much, in words, but no man ever worked harder or sacrificed more than he, and he constantly showed us his deep, fatherly love by his actions. My mother's strength was love and hard work, whereas, my father's strength was integrity and hard work. How I do thank you, Dear Lord, for giving me such parents during those difficult years of crop failures and dust, hunger and dust, dead farm animals and dust, dry wells and dust, and no water for baths ... and dust. And Oh did mention the dust? I don't know how my mother took the stifling hot summers of West Texas without air conditioning or a refrigerator; or how she endured the terribly cold winter winds, of which old folks said, "There ain't nothin between Texas and the North Pole but a barbed wire fence." We had one little wood stove in the middle of a 10X10 ft. living room, and ancient, hand made, hand-me-down quilts on the beds that weighed a ton. That was it ... except for two lamps, and one light bulb hanging from an electric wire. But Mom and Dad brought us through it with love, integrity, hard word and frugality ... backed up by their faith in God. I wouldn't say they were spiritual giants but they were moral giants and they both had an abiding consciousness of God and knew He was always present with us. They grew in grace from a work focused young couple, to solid, bed-rock, committed Christians in their old age. Dad was a deacon and Mother was constantly serving others.

My greatest regret in life was taking them for granted and not being more attentive to them in their old age ... and dying years, when I was a pastor in Florida ... looking out for someone else's parents and children.  That is a scar I will bear to my own grave. You too may not give your parents much thought now, while they are living, but I promise you ... you will when they are gone. It is a bitter pill that neglectful children must take every night in their own waning years. You only have one Mother and one Father, so love them, and honor them, not so much for their sake and who they are ... as for your own sake, and who you are. You will one day wish you had, but then ... it is too late. Honor them while you can, it will do you more good than them. There is a double promise to those who honor their parents. RB

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." Eph.6:1-3.