Why We Love Our Mothers

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Why We Love Our Mothers

• Ephesians 61

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As We Consider Our Mothers Today

• Let us as children pay tribute to them today
• Let us plan to honor them every day of the year
  (Eph. 61, Ex. 2012)
• Encourage our mothers to work even harder to do
  whats right
• The mothers should realize the influence they
  have in the world
• Lets examine some characteristics that make
  mothers loveable

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Mothers areUniversally Loveable

• Despite their faults, they are our mothers
• There is a bond of love with our mothers that
  cant be understood nor explained
• Mothers exhibit admirable qualities toward the
  care of their children

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Mothers are loveable because they haveCourage

• The need for courage has never been greater
• Tough decisions in a permissive society
• Constant struggle against the worlds standards
• Teenage years
• A mothers love gives them courage to do most
  anything

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Eunices courageII Tim 14

• Acts 161-3
• Timothys Greek father
• Timothys reputation
• II Tim. 14 Paul assumed Eunice and Lois had
  taught Timothy well
• II Tim. 314-15 Timothy had both learned and was
  convinced of the truth
• The success of congregations today due to women
  who have followed this pattern

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Mothers are loveable because they
illustrateCommitment

• Commitment to what is right
• Very difficult when fighting against the world
• Sometimes the fight is gentle yet persistent,
  always present with a voice of reason
• Sometimes the fight is very dramatic

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•           Some years ago on a hot summer day in
  south Florida a little boy decided to go for a
  swim in the old swimming hole behind his
  house.          In a hurry to dive into the cool
  water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind
  shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into
  the water,  not realizing that as he swam toward
  the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming
  toward the shore. His mother - in the house was
  looking out the window - saw the two as they got
  closer and closer together.  In utter fear, she
  ran toward the water, yelling to her son as
  loudly as she could.          Hearing her voice,
  the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn
  to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as
  he reached her, the alligator reached
  him.          From the dock, the mother grabbed
  her little boy by the arms just as the alligator
  snatched his legs. That began an incredible
  tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was
  much stronger than the mother, but the mother was
  much too passionate to let go. The struggle went
  on for what seemed like several minutes. As the
  futility of the struggle was started to overwhelm
  the boys mother, a farmer happened to drive by
  and heard her screams. The farmer raced from his
  truck, took aim and shot the alligator.         
  Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the
  hospital, the little boy survived though his legs
  were extremely  scarred by the vicious attack of
  the animal.
• Years later at his high school graduation, the
  boy was honored to be the valedictorian of his
  class. As he spoke to his fellow classmates and
  guests at the assembly, he recounted the
  nightmare he had survived as a small child.
  Wearing short pants under his gown, he raised the
  hem of the gown to reveal the disfiguring scars
  on his legs from the alligators attack. But as
  he was explaining the power of passionate
  commitment and how he came to learn this
  attribute, he raised his sleeves to reveal the
  deep and disfiguring scars on his arms that were
  from his mothers fingernails as they had dug
  into his skin that frightening day.
• Mothers know better than to give up on their
  children. They realize that with Gods help, and
  passionate commitment in times of crisis, there
  is always hope for a solution just around the
  corner.

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Mothers are loveable because they
illustrateCommitment

• Commitment to what is right
• Commitment to children
• A safe haven for children to talk
• Careful with judgment as no child is perfect
• Hannahs commitment to her son and to her vow to
  God (I Samuel 1)
• Marys commitment to her son (John 1925)

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Mothers are loveable because their works prevail

• Whether alive or in eternity, present or living a
  thousand miles away, we hear our mothers voice
• The things our mother did and said become very
  much a part of us

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Mothers are loveable because their works prevail

• Whether alive or in eternity, present or living a
  thousand miles away, we hear our mothers voice
• The things our mother did and said become very
  much a part of us
• Rev. 1413 Blessed are the dead who die in the
  Lordtheir deeds follow them.

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We love our mothers because they are.discerning

• Listening
• Always considerate of health and safety, always
  watching!

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When Mom turns her back
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Discerning

• Listening
• Always considerate of health and safety
• Considering and looking for signs
• Depression, anorexia, low self-confidence
• Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, bad influences

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Discerning

• Listening
• Always considerate of health and safety
• Considering and looking for signs
• Depression, anorexia, low self-confidence
• Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, bad influences
• Building self-esteem

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Discerning

• Listening
• Always considerate of health and safety
• Considering and looking for signs
• Depression, anorexia, low self-confidence
• Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, bad influences
• Building self-esteem
• Mediating the family arguments

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Mothers are loveable because they areImperfect

• They can relate to our mistakes
• Parenthood is full of mistakes
• If we knew up front the mistakes were making, we
  could prevent them
• Important to learn and grow rather than dwell on
  past mistakes
• Examples of Female Biblical Heroes
• Bathsheba (II Samuel 11)
• Sarah (Genesis 16)

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Overcoming Imperfectionsome Biblical principles

• At some age, children realize parents arent
  perfect (we start out thinking they are)
• Teach children to love
• Teach children to respect truth (God)
• Teach children to appreciate learning
• Dont compete with children in the pursuit of
  perfection (humility)

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Mothers are loveable because they want the best
for their kids

• The truth is hard to deny when youre childs
  well being is involved
• Sometimes they dont understand what is the best
  (e.g. Jesus mother)
• Love God yourself and good things will follow for
  you and your family (Rom. 828)

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A Mothers Day Gift For Yourself!

• Hear (Romans 1017)
• Believe (Romans 1017)
• Confess (Romans 109-10)
• Repent (Acts 238)
• Be Baptized (Acts 238)
• Be Faithful Till Death (Revelation 210)