A Trip with Mom
Ever since Adam's sin and the fall of mankind in Genesis chapter 3, God has been on a mission to restore His kingdom. Graeme Goldsworthy says the kingdom of God is "God's people in God's place experiencing God's rule and blessing." Though it may be hard to see at times, this is where history is ultimately moving. This is the hope and blessing we have in the Lord. As part of that blessing, God gave us the commandments to know how to live. The fifth of the ten commandments given to the Israelites reads, "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you" (Exodus 20:12).
As many of you know, I (and my son, Colson) recently took my 89 year-old mother to Hawaii last week. I guess you would call it a vacation though we didn't really do vacation-type things. Hawaii is where my mom was born and raised. My dad, who passed away almost a year ago, also grew up in Hawaii. So the purpose of the trip was for my mom to return to where she grew up, places that hold lots of memories, see old friends and relatives, and to scatter some of my dad's ashes. It was a busy time as we drove to different parts of the island. For those of you who are familiar with the big island, we spent time in Hilo, then the small town of Honokaa where my mom is from, and Kona where my dad was from.
Praise God, everything went well! Thank you to those who prayed for us. My mom, with her walker, her medication, and all, did great with all the travel, the accommodations, and seeing people she hadn't seen in a long time. I think we got to do almost everything we wanted to . . . except eat Hawaiian food :). Can you believe it? Six days in Hawaii and we didn't eat Hawaiian food? As you can imagine, the trip stirred-up lots of memories and emotions for my mom and me. We visited my parents' old homes, old hangouts, their coffee farm, the cemeteries where their parents (my grandparents) are buried, and places that our family would spend time during the summers growing up. So much of it was a reminder of how time has passed and the years have gone by.
With all of that said, the trip did make me feel some regret that I haven't always honored my father and mother as scripture commands. Growing up, I didn't always communicate with them well or consider their thoughts and feelings. As friends and relatives told stories from the past, I realized there's a lot about my parents that I didn't know and still don't. Either I was too busy to ask, they didn't tell me, or I wasn't listening when they did. I certainly could have done more to love and honor them. But God is gracious! I'm thankful I'm still learning things about them and getting to know them better. And I'm grateful that God gave us time for this trip! In Ephesians 5:16, we're encouraged to redeem the time and make the most of every opportunity. As Mother's Day approaches, honor your mother, your grandmother, your parents, as God would have you. Spend time with them if you can. Take them out. Call them. Pray for them. Get to know them better. Honoring them, honors God! For they are truly part of the blessing that God has given each of us.
Thank you Lord for our mothers and grandmothers. Be with them wherever they are. Sustain them and impart your love to them. In Jesus' name, Amen! Happy Mother's Day!
Pastor Darren
