On Mother’s Day, I preached a sermon based on my blog: “Meditations: “The LORD Is My Shepherd”. My pastor at Almaden Hills United Methodist Church in San Jose, California asked me to fill-in for her because she was ill. She liked that blog and asked me to use it during Worship.

Since it was Mother’s Day, I added the following thoughts that are relevant to mothers, and to any person who plays the role of a loving “parent” in any part of a person’s life. Here is what I said:

Especially when a child is young, a parent constantly makes sure they don’t lack anything.

A parent makes sure they rest in safe places.

A parent restores their spirits when they are sad.

A parent comforts them when they are scared.

A parent prepares milk and cookies when other children are mean to them.

A parent gives them so many blessings that the cup of their life runneth over.

A parent’s goodness and love follow them all the days of their life.

And they can always feel at home in the home of their parent.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT

When have you made sure a child rests in safe places? How?

When have you restored the spirits of a child? How?

When have you comforted a child who is scared? How?

When have you prepared “milk and cookies” for a child to whom other children have been mean? How?

When have you given a child so many blessings that the cup of their life runneth over? How?

When has your goodness and love followed a child all the days of their life? How?

When have you made a child feel at home in your home? How?

In what ways have you been a good shepherd—a good “parent”—for teenagers? Adults? Widows? Orphans? Strangers?

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For the context of this blog, please read my blog “Meditations: The LORD Is My Shepherd”.