MOTHERS DAY

 

Mother’s Day

 

     Well it is that time of year where we pay tribute to Mothers.  I have been married to a wonderful wife and mother named Lois for a very long time.  She has been my helpmate and friend.  She is the most godly woman I know.  She is also a wonderful mom and grandmother.  We have raised four children together and now have seven grandchildren.  Not bad for a couple who are only 39 and holding.  So to here and women like her I pay this tribute. 

     Now here are some amazing facts about mothers.  The youngest mother in recorded history is Lina Medina. She was just 5 years and 7 months old when she gave birth to a 6.5 lb. boy by caesarean section in Peru in 1939.  The oldest mother in modern history to give birth is Rajo Devi Lohan from India. She was 70 years old in 2008 when she gave birth to a baby girl following a controversial IVF treatment.  Bobbie McCaughey from Iowa gave birth to the most surviving children from a single birth. In 1997, she had the first surviving set of septuplets (4 boys and 3 girls).  The shortest interval between two births is 208 days, or 6½ months. Jayne Bleackley gave birth to a son on September 3, 1999. She later gave birth to a daughter on March 30, 2000.  There are about 2 billion moms in the world.  According to the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend about $162.94 on their mom on Mother’s Day. After Christmas, Mother’s Day is the second most popular holiday for giving gifts. There are about 122.5 million phone calls on Mother’s Day, making it one of the busiest phone days of the year.  The average age of new moms in North America today is 25 years old versus 21 years old in 1970.  On average, moms take 2 minutes 5 seconds to change a diaper, which is equivalent to about three 40-hour work weeks each year. Mothers do about 88% of laundry in the U.S. This equals 330 loads of laundry and 5,300 articles of clothing per year. The least favorite job for moms is vacuuming the stairs.

     Here are some more interesting facts about Moms.  The mom with the most kids is Mrs. Feodor Vassilyev of Russia. She gave birth to 69 children between 1725 and 1765.  The mother who gave birth to the heaviest baby was Carmelina Fedele of Italy in 1955. Her newborn weighed 22 pounds 8 oz.  An early precedent of Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday,” in which the faithful would return to their mother church. Eventually, the tradition became more secular, and children would present their mothers with gifts and flowers in appreciation.

  In Canada, All mothers think their children are oaks, but the world never lacks for cabbages” said Robertson Davies (a famous Canadian author). For a mother her child remains the best and vice-versa. Mothers are respected, loved and appreciated universally for the sacrifices they make during their lifetime. Mother’s day is observed on the second Sunday of May each year. It is considered as the most popular festival of the year. On this special day, children pay tribute to their mothers and show gratitude for their constant support.  Carnations in particular are used to grace the occasion.  Today we honor the women who have been there as our support, encouragement and strength.  To all mothers reading this today, I echo the words of Solomon in Proverbs 31 and rise up to called to you blessed. 

    Here is a Mother’s Day poem.  Mom’s smiles can brighten any moment, Mom’s hugs put joy in all our days, Mom’s love will stay with us forever and touch our lives in precious ways…  The values you’ve taught, the care you’ve given, and the wonderful love you’ve shown, have enriched my life in more ways than I can count.  I Love you Mom!