special edition: what to do with single women on Mother's Day

I love Mother's Day. 

If it had a smell, it would be homemade pancakes and syrup. A touch? The soft hair at the nape of her neck that I would run my hands through as she read aloud from A. A. Milne and Tolkien. If it had a sound, I think it would be something Mendelssohn. A look? Her liquid blue eyes staring straight into mine and knowing. 

BUT outside the mothers we celebrate, this Sunday can be kind of tricky. What about marrieds who don't have children? Those who've miscarried or experienced the death of a child? And what about those single women sprinkled around you? In this age of rampant inclusivism, this day's a tough one for sure. 

I still remember the onslaught of articles on my Facebook feed last year at this time. Most of them bemoaned the injustice of focusing on typical mothers to the neglect of women who, for some reason or another, didn't fit neatly into that category.

I can't speak for most of these women. Have no idea about their struggles, grief, and experiences. But, from my single woman orbit that whirs slightly outside the typical, here's my perspective. How to respond to single women around you on Mother's Day? 

Let us rejoice. 

We want to rejoice with the mothers around us. We want to honor you, and hold you high for your life of sacrifice, for your high calling of training up children in the way of the Lord, for your incredible stamina and practical love. As fellow women, we notice it. And we can only imagine what it costs you. We want to point you out, and applaud you loudly. We love you, and your families. 

I'll be honest, there may be moments this Sunday when we're going to work hard at keeping teary, woe-is-me, left-out, I-want-to-mother-too, why-isn't-there-national-single-woman-day thoughts at bay. Working hard because we know those thoughts are not of faith. They rage against the very foundation of who our God is. 

But there's no need to employ some form of linguistic gymnastics to squeeze us inside the celebration spotlight. I've never seen it done well. It's ok to simply respond graciously to our applause. Really. 

How? I mean how can we all be fine with a day that will naturally include and exclude women all around us? How can it be ok? 

Because this: The same amazing, all sufficient, never ending flow of abundant grace that is ever available to you as you mother (yea, that you find new every morning), is the same flow available for us in our God-given role as singles right now. Trust God's grace. Trust that we are experiencing its rich fullness. Relax into believing that God has provided more than enough of it for you to mother. More than enough for us to single. More than enough grace to...

Rejoice with those who rejoice.

Beth