Ralph Waldo Emerson a world renowned poet wrote, “People are what their mothers make them.”

Abraham Lincoln once said, “All that I am and hope to be I owe to my angel mother.”

Lord Shaftesbury boldly stated, “Give me a generation of godly mothers, and I will undertake to change the whole face of society in twelve months.”

Our mothers are truly remarkable people.

For 9 months, they lovingly carry, nourish and guard us till we are born.

We learn love as our mother’s gaze holds our eyes while we nurse.

We learn trust as we take our 1^st shaky steps while clinging tightly to our mother’s hands.

We learn communication from our mother’s quiet talk and lulabies.

All creation learns loyalty from her mothers. Forests can burn down but chicks are secure under their mother’s wings.

We learn to read on our mother’s lap.

Our mother’s hold our hand as we fearfully step into the classroom the very 1^st time.

Mothers give a kiss and tell us we are the best as we head for school – through university.

Mothers care for our wounds – emotionally and physically.

Mothers cry with us, laugh with us, walk with us.

Mothers can hear through walls and make the family money stretch beyond the possible.

Mothers work from morning till night to make our homes a castle.

Mothers turn ordinary homes into bakeries, fantasy lands, classrooms – all secure for creative imaginations.

Mothers watch our clumsy attempts at sports, music and art and tell her friends we are the best.

Mothers watch in tears as their child takes a man as husband.

Grandmothers hold their grandchildren as if they were her own.

If mothers show love, grandmothers are love.

Because my parents were missionaries and we lived in primitive African jungles, I was sent to boarding school 800 kms from home. From the very 1^st grade until today – over 50 years later, I have received a letter every single week from my mother. Even if I did something poorly, my mother found something in that poorly attempted effort to encourage me and make me feel I could be a winner. We are who we are because of our mothers! As we honor our mothers today, let’s show our love, forgive a wrong, give a loving kiss and show our mothers our pride in them.

None of us are perfect as individuals – nor are our marriages perfect. As we work together to maintain our love and a strong marriage, our homes will be a good environment for growing and happy children.