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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">A Mother’s Prayer </span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">If
I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place, but
have not love, I am a housekeeper--not a homemaker. If I have time for
waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements, but have not love, my
children learn cleanliness - not godliness. Love leaves the dust in
search of a child's laugh. Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a
newly cleaned window. Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the
spilled milk. Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys. Love
is present through the trials. Love reprimands, reproves, and is
responsive. Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with
the child, then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood. Love
is the key that opens salvation's message to a child's heart. Before I
became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection. Now I glory in
God's perfection of my child. </span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">As a mother, there is much I must teach my child, but the greatest of all is love.</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Author Unknown</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">__________</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Most Important Job in the World</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Dr.
Tony Campolo is a well-known and highly-respected, inspirational
speaker. Over the last several years, Tony Campolo has spent much of his
time traveling around the world on speaking tours.</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Meanwhile,
his wife, Peggy, has chosen to stay home and give herself and all that
she has to the "Bringing Up" of their two children, Bart and Lisa. On
those rare occasions when Peggy does travel with Tony, she finds herself
engaged in conversations with some of the most accomplished,
impressive, influential, sophisticated people in the world. </span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">After
one such trip, Peggy told Tony that sometimes as she visits with these
powerful people… she finds herself feeling intimidated and sometimes
even questioning her own self-worth. Tony said to her: "Well, honey, why
don't you come up with something you could say when you meet people
that will let them know that you strongly value what you do and you feel
that it is dramatically, urgent and crucial and important.</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Well,
not long after that, Tony and Peggy Campolo were at a party… when a
woman said to Peggy in a rather condescending tone, "Well, my dear, what
do you do?" Tony Campolo heard his wife say:</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">"I
am nurturing two Homo Sapiens into the dominant values of the
Judaeo-Christian tradition in order that they might become instruments
for the transformation of the social order into the kind of
eschatological utopia God envisioned from the beginning of time." </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">And the other woman said:</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">"O, my, I'm just a lawyer."</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">I
like that story because it reminds us that there are a lot of important
jobs in the world today but not one of them is more important than the
job of being a mother. </span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Tony Campolo adapted by James Moore, Collected Sermons, <a target="_blank" __removedlink__89585125__href="http://mail.churchmail.com/lists/lt.php?id=Kk8DAgMBDwVXAUkCBwdKDAtXUVw%3D"><font color="#0000ff">www.Sermons.com</font></a> </span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">All Those Preliminaries</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">In
an old Peanuts strip, Peppermint Patty and Violet are reflecting on
being a grandmother. After Patty declares that she would like to be a
grandmother, Violet agrees and says it would be nice because all they
have to do is “sit and rock” (not quite the case, is it?) The girls then
decide that the trouble with being a grandmother is that first you have
to be a wife and then a mother…and Violet sighs, “I know it…it’s all
those preliminaries that get me!”</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Adapted
from Peanuts. Original strip run March 13, 1950. Reprinted in 2004 in
The Complete Peanuts: The Definitive Collection of Charles M. Schulz’s
Comic Strip Masterpiece 1950-1952.</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">What’s a Good Mother Like?</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Judith Viorst once wrote an essay based on interviews she had with children. The subject was “What’s a good mother like?”</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Viorst
reports that the children expected their mother to get angry from time
to time. “She has to,” said Ted, “or she’ll faint from holding it in.” </span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“But
it’s best to remember,” said Randy, “that when your mother starts to
act real weird, you have to look scared and serious. Don’t giggle. When
mommies are mad, they get madder if you giggle.”</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“My
mommy got so mad,” said Megan, “that she yanked the plate off the table
and all the mashed potatoes flew into the air.” “And why,” Viorst
asked, pretending she’d never heard of such shocking behavior, “why
would a mother do a thing like that?” </span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">“Well,”
said Megan, “she told my older brother, Mike, he’s 11 years old, to eat
the potatoes on his plate and he said ‘Later.’ And then she told him
again to eat the potatoes and Mike said ‘Soon.’ And then she told him he
had better eat those potatoes right now and he said, ‘In a minute.’ And
then she stood up and Mike finally took a bite and told her, ‘How can I
eat them? They’re cold!’” </span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">It’s not easy being a Mom. </span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">King Duncan, <a target="_blank" __removedlink__89585125__href="http://mail.churchmail.com/lists/lt.php?id=Kk8DAgMBDwVXAUkCBwdKDAtXUVw%3D"><font color="#0000ff">www.Sermons.com</font></a>, adapting Judith Viorst, All in the Family</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Unconventional Mother’s Day Gifts</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">This
Mother’s Day take a moment to think of all the mothers in the world who
are in need. There are millions of women in the world living on less
than a dollar a day. There are women in this country who are wondering
how they are going to feed or diaper their children from day to day.
There are children who need medical attention that their parents may not
be able to afford. Anyone who has ever had to worry about such things
can deeply sympathize. For those of us who have escaped such worries, we
can only imagine the level of instinctive stress that uncertainty can
provoke.</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">There
are many ways to celebrate Mother’s Day, but here are a few
unconventional suggestions that will prove to your own mother that she
did a good job raising you. How about dropping off a box of diapers
and/or a case of formula to a local food bank or women’s shelter? If you
have some baby furniture or clothing that your own children have
outgrown, how about donating that stuff to a local charity? Does our
local hospital have a fund for children who need care? Are there doctors
in our community or city who volunteer in clinics overseas who might
need supplies? There are countless ways to help support Moms locally and
globally. Let your own Mom know that you were thinking about her and
all of the many things she provided for you along the way…and that you
did a good deed in honor of her. It will make her proud.</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><a target="_blank" __removedlink__89585125__href="http://mail.churchmail.com/lists/lt.php?id=Kk8DAgMBDwVWCUkCBwdKDAtXUVw%3D"><font color="#0000ff">www.esermons.com</font></a> </span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Worse-Case Scenarios</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">If
moms are to be faulted, it is because they love their children so much
that they get irrational about it. For instance, in the comic strip
Calvin and Hobbes, Calvin approaches his mother</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Calvin: "Can Hobbes and I go play in the rain, Mom? </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Mom: "No." </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Calvin: "Why not?" </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Mom: "You'll get soaked." </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Calvin: "What's wrong with that?" </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Mom: "You could catch pneumonia, run up a terrible hospital bill, linger a few months, and die." </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Calvin, looking out the window at the rain: "I always forget. If you ask a mom, you get a worse-case scenario." </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Hobbes: "I had no idea these little showers were so dangerous." </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Bill Watterson, The Essential Calvin & Hobbes, p. 130.</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The Truest Friend</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">A
mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden,
fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends
who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken
around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts
and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to
return to our hearts. <br>
<br>
Washington Irving (1783-1859)</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Qualities Needed In All Moms</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">A
panel of experts was asked to complete some sentences about their moms.
What made them experts was the one thing they all had in common. They
were all kindergarteners. Even though these are the words of 6 year olds
I think the qualities they recognized in their moms are they qualities
needed in all moms. Here are the sentences and the answers:</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">My
mom is best at: "feeding the dog," "making my bed," "driving,"
"cleaning," "running," "riding a two-wheeler," "watering the garden."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">If
I had enough money, I'd buy her: "flowers," "a car," "a necklace," "a
brand-new fan," "a kitten," "a diamond ring," "a big pack of bubble
gum."</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">It
makes me feel good inside when Mom says: "I love you," "good job,"
"dinnertime!" "You look handsome," "I'll buy you something."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">My mom is as pretty as a -- "butterfly," "ballerina," "mouse," "princess," "my brothers," "goose," "gold ring," "a clean horse."</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">By
the way, one of the most memorable comments from the children on
Father's Day was: Daddy gets tired out from: "chasing mommy." </span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Is It Well With Your Family?</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Brett Blair and Staff, <a __removedlink__89585125__href="http://www.eSermons.com" target="_blank">www.eSermons.com</a>.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">____________________________ </span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Long Over Due</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Mother's
Day was declared an annual National Holiday in 1914 by President
Woodrow Wilson. He directed the Congress to designate the second Sunday
of May as a special day for public expression of love and reverence for
the mothers of America. Since that time there has been a "Mother's Day,"
and, I must say that even in 1914, it was long overdue. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"> </div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">R.E. Lybrand, CSS Publishing Company</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Humor: Mother’s Maintenance Manual</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">Many
of us take better care of our cars then we do our mothers and yet we
only expect our cars to last 5 or 6 years but we expect our mothers to
last for a lifetime.<br>
<br>
Maybe we need a maintenance manual for mothers so we would know how to
take care of them at least as well as we do our automobiles.<br>
<br>
Here are some items that might be included in such a manual.<br>
<br>
Engine: A mother's engine is one of the most dependable kinds you can
find. She can reach top speed from a prone position at a single cry from
a sleeping child. But regular breaks are needed to keep up that peak
performance.<br>
<br>
Mothers need a hot bath and a nap every 100 miles, a baby-sitter and a
night out every 1,000 miles, and a live in baby-sitter with a one week
vacation every 10,000 miles.<br>
<br>
Battery: Mother's batteries should be recharged regularly. Handmade
items, notes, unexpected hugs and kisses, and frequent "I love you's"
will do very well for a recharge. <br>
<br>
Carburetor: When a mother's carburetor floods it should be treated immediately with Kleenex and a soft shoulder.<br>
<br>
Brakes: See that she uses her brakes to slow down often and come to a full stop occasionally…</span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt">The rest of this humorous list and many additional illustrations and sermons for Mother’s Day and Easter 6 can be accessed at <a target="_blank" __removedlink__89585125__href="http://mail.churchmail.com/lists/lt.php?id=Kk8DAgMBDwVXAUkCBwdKDAtXUVw%3D"><font color="#0000ff">www.Sermons.com</font></a>.</span></div>
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