#212 (5/13) - Sunday Special - "In Honor Of Moms"

[NOTE: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! As always, please remember to watch today's broadcast of "Truth That Transforms," in Orlando at 5 pm on channel 55.1. There is a re-broadcast tomorrow at 7 pm, channel 52.2. It presents the classic message, "Will the Church Forget?" as well as tells you why the 300,000 pulpits of our country are largely silent in speaking out on the issues of our day.]
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[Note: The article below is a rather sociological view of the importance of the nurturing of mothers. It is good stuff. However, like me, you may find the following story more illustrative: It happens that on August 16, 1987, a Northwest Airlines plane crashed shortly after taking off from the Denver airport and killed 155 people. Miraculously, the lone survivor was a four-year old named Cecelia from Tempe, Arizona. Initially, rescuers thought her good condition meant that she lhad merely been in one of the cars the plane had crashed in. But the plane manifest later showed she was definitely unboard. Though we will never know for sure, it is believed that what probably happened was that, as the plane was falling, her Mom, Paula Cichan, quickly unbuckled her seat belt, got down on her knees in front of her daughter, and wrapped her arms around the little girl's body. Her actions had the effect of sufficiently cushioning her daughter from the full force of the fall, which resulted in her survival.

In relating this story ("God's Story, Your Story," pp. 86), author Max Lucadeo says, "God did the same for us. He wrapped himself around and felt the full force of the [Fall]. He took the unrelaxed punishment of the guilty. He died, not like a sinner, but as a sinner-in our place...His sacrifice is a sufficient one. Our merits don't enhance it. Our stumbles don't diminish i. The sacrifice of Christ is a total and unceasing and accomplished work.(John 19:30, I Cor. 1:30)"

(I believe that what that Mom did is part of the natural instinct that God places in every Mom - and Dad, for that matter. It tells you just how much pure Evil must overtake any Mom to surrender her unborn child to be killed by an abortionist. It also explains why so many struggle with that decision for the rest of their lives because they also killed a part of themselves with that decision.)
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A Mother’s Care and Concern: The Gifts That Keep on Giving - Collette Caprara; May 9, 2012
http://blog.heritage.org/2012/05/09/family-fact-of-the-week-a-mothers-care-and-concern-the-gifts-that-keep-on-giving/

As the nation celebrates a day honoring mothers, it’s a great time to recognize both the immediate and long-term benefits that their involvement and investment has on their children’s well-being.

Moms’ care and concern impacts virtually every aspect of their children’s lives—from academic success to psycho/emotional health and behavior—all of which play a role in the trajectory of not only children’s futures but the future of communities and the nation.

The sensitivity that moms bring to their interaction with their children from infancy through pre-school years is a strong and consistent predictor of the social skills and behavior that they will exhibit throughout childhood. Mothers’ involvement is, likewise, inversely related to the likelihood of preschoolers’ hyperactivity, while kindergarteners who have a positive relationship with their mothers are less likely to exhibit behavioral problems and tend to have greater academic achievement in their middle school years.

The behavioral and social benefits of mothers’ care continue through the teen years. Simply asking about their children’s lives, encouraging their interests, and spending free time with them is associated with a decreased likelihood of adolescents’ behavioral problems, and youths who feel a close bond with their mothers are less likely to engage in violence. The frequent experience of family dinners, likewise, is linked to a lower risk of substance abuse among teens.

In terms of cognitive development and success in school, a mother’s involvement also makes a difference. Children whose mothers read to them in their preschool years tend to exhibit higher levels of cognitive development. Adolescents who describe their parents as highly responsive and willing to help them with their problems typically have higher levels of academic achievement, while children whose parents are more involved with their education when they are in elementary school are more likely to graduate from high school.

And, just as a mother’s care and love influences her children’s well-being, so do the standards and values she conveys. Children who do well in school are more likely to report that their mothers are not only warm and supporting but also firm. Adolescents whose mothers monitor their behavior are less likely to use alcohol, and those whose mothers discuss the social and moral consequences of being sexually active are more likely to remain abstinent, as are those whose behavior is more closely monitored.

The benefit of a mother’s nurturing increases a child’s likelihood of success and promotes his or her becoming a contributing and valuable member of society. Far more important than devising programs for children who are failing academically or suffering behavioral and emotional difficulties is to recognize and facilitate the natural root of their healthy development and well-being: the nurture and care of a loving mother.

Gratitude goes to the moms of America for their investment of care and guidance and for the “many happy returns” on that investment.

[bold and italics emphasis mine]
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From MikeysFunnies.com: A mother can touch a whole generation just by loving her own child well.