{"id":360,"date":"2020-05-15T11:16:40","date_gmt":"2020-05-15T18:16:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peoriapresbyterianchurch.org\/wordpress\/e-votional\/e-votional-may-14-2020\/"},"modified":"2020-05-15T11:16:40","modified_gmt":"2020-05-15T18:16:40","slug":"e-votional-may-14-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/peoriapresbyterianchurch.org\/wordpress\/e-votional\/e-votional-may-14-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"E VOTIONAL MAY 14 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Mother\u2019s Day Message 2020
\nBy Barbara H. Swicegood <\/h1>\n

I noticed today\u2019s bulletin says I am called the mystery preacher. And I must admit this is the first time I have ever been called \u201cpreacher\u201d \u2026nag\u2026 maybe or bossy Barb but never preacher.<\/h1>\n

And you may be surprised to find me delivering our Mother\u2019s Day meditation, so am I.<\/h1>\n

Today I will be using the term Mother\/Father God and HER. The image of God as a loving caring woman has meant a great deal to me over the years. We find this image of our God in Isaiah 66:13 \u201cAs one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you: you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.\u201d<\/p>\n

This past week as I going thru some papers in the little windowless room, I call my study I came across a quote I had written years ago from the book Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good by Jan Karon.<\/p>\n

When I shared it with Terry he asked if I would share with you today. My initial answer was NO but after he asked me a couple more times, I decided to say YES not realizing he was asking me to do the sermon. This is my first sermon and you are my guinea pigs.<\/p>\n

My Mother died when I was 5 years old. I never lived with her due to her health issues. During this time, I lived with several family members who took me to visit her occasionally.<\/p>\n

When I was 6, my father who worked as a Merchant Marine took me to NC on a vacation to visit his Mother. Somehow, I ended up staying there and living with her until I finished high school.
\nMy Grandma did not know my Mother or her family and my Father was out to sea. Without talking and hearing about her I feel I never knew her. I must admit I have never felt a close bond to her until the other day when Terry \u2026\u2026after reading the quote reminded me that my Mother Anne Marie Seubert Hopson gave me LIFE!!!<\/p>\n

Hey\u2026 if it wasn\u2019t for my Mother
\nI wouldn\u2019t be here today
\nI wouldn\u2019t have my beloved family
\nI wouldn\u2019t have the joy of my friend\u2019s hugs and love
\nI wouldn\u2019t be able to behold our beautiful world<\/p>\n

Now, finally the quote:<\/p>\n

This is a conversation between a character and her priest in the book, Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mother died when I was born. Though I never knew her. I miss her very much. How is that possible?\u201d The priest answered \u201cI suppose there\u2019s a sense in which you did know your birth mother. She carried you close to her heart for many months, you inhaled and exhaled her amniotic fluid, which provided everything you needed for life and good health. Most important, she\u2019s how you got here in the first place and began making a valuable difference in the world. All of that, it seems forges a pretty close relationship.\u201d \u2026. Yes!!! Ann Marie got me here and for this I am so very thankful.<\/p>\n

I am thankful, too for my Mother\/ Father God who created me.<\/p>\n

Psalms 139:13-14 reads<\/p>\n

\u201cFor you formed my inward parts, you knitted me together in my mother\u2019s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works: my soul knows it well\u201d<\/p>\n

We are formed as children in God\u2019s image. Gathered together as a brood under HER wing. United as kindred members of one human family and grateful to be God\u2019s children together. Today we celebrate God\u2019s divine love, as it is reflected in human expressions of motherhood.<\/p>\n

I am not a Biblical scholar so I decided to Google women in the Bible and here are a few of the topics I found:<\/p>\n

The top 10 most extraordinary Mothers in the Bible<\/p>\n

The forgotten mothers of the Bible<\/p>\n

Six amazing Moms in the Bible<\/p>\n

Inspiring Mothers of the Bible<\/p>\n

Four Biblical mothers to remember on Mother\u2019s Day<\/p>\n

Righteous Mothers<\/p>\n

Eight Blessed Mothers in the Bible<\/p>\n

Famous Moms from the Bible<\/p>\n

As I reviewed the Mothers listed\u2026 4 women were almost always named.<\/p>\n

Mary- Mother of Jesus<\/p>\n

Elizabeth- mother of John the Baptist<\/p>\n

Hannah- mother of Samuel<\/p>\n

And Sarah – the mother of Isaac<\/p>\n

Just as in the Bible, we, our church family each have our own Mothers who will always be a part of our lives. I\u2019d love for any of you who wishes to share one word about her with us. Please identify yourself first.<\/p>\n

Some of you know I love to sing and I know we sound a bit crazy when we
\nsing on these calls but anyway, I want us to sing the first verse of For the Beauty of the Earth.<\/p>\n

For the beauty of the earth; for the glory of the skies,
\nFor the love which from our birth,
\nOver and around us lies.
\nLord of all, to Thee we raise,
\nThis our hymn of grateful praise.<\/p>\n

In closing I pray our God will hold you in HER loving, comforting arms today today
\nand during these unsettling times. May we all find peace and strength as we
\njourney together each day. Amen. <\/h1>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Copyright \u00a9 2020 First Presbyterian Church of Peoria, All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n

Our mailing address is:<\/strong>
\n10236 North 83rd Avenue
\nPeoria, AZ 85345<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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\nFirst Presbyterian Church of Peoria \u00b7 10236 N 83rd Ave \u00b7 Peoria, AZ 85345-6576 \u00b7 USA<\/p>\n

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