Encouragement For All Moms

In the encouraging realm, moms are pretty important people. Two things transpired recently in my life that started this train of thought for me. Both of them had to do with visiting my sister and family in Southlake, Texas.

Watching 'Gridiron Gang' with my sister and husband(his choice), I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed and would recommend this as an inspiring encouraging movie for the whole family. One of the major story lines of this true movie/documentary was the encouraging impact of Sean Porter's{head Coach of the Mustangs}mother. In fact, she was one of the driving forces behind the perseverance of his success at Camp Kilpatrick, his very own 'wings beneath the wind' influence.

"I always had faith in you," she said to him. "You were my mom, that was your job." he replied.

But, as Sean Porter found out working with gang members, not all moms are created equal. In an emotional scene after she died, he gave her this tribute. "She bandaged my cuts, washed my stuff, fed me and cheered me on. She loved me. I feel bad for those kids that did not have that kind of mother." And that was the beginning of his vision to stop the controlling grip of gangs on the juveniles in LA County.

The second is the excellent encouraging care my sister gives her two young boys and the energy needed to sustain that positive influence. I watch as she has spent countless hours doing research on eating allergies, then shopping for and cooking the way their growing bodies can digest food. When a friend observed what my sister does and said she could never do that, Joan promptly replied, "oh yes you can, when it makes the difference in the health of your children, you'll do it!" That's the way she believes in mothering--giving her best to encouraging and nurturing her children. Unfortunately for alot of kids, some moms don't...

Beth Moore writes in her new LPM blog, "My point is, Moms, you've got to have a support group of other moms. Many who are peers. Others who are just ahead of you. It's a necessity for mental (and often spiritual) health!"

Moms...they expend alot of energy to encourage their children. But who and what encourages them?

Mother's Day is May 13th.