Sweet Mother, I no go forget you! (I won't forget you)

Many years ago a Nigerian musician (many argued that he was Cameroonian after the success of his album) recorded a debut album with the title track "Sweet Mother." It was a massive hit! Done in the common Pidgin English spoken in much of West Africa, Prince Nico Mbarga's song tugged at the heartstrings. He sang about the fact that our mother's nursed and nurtured us when we were ill, at the expense of their own health and well being. He emphasized the fact that if we didn't eat they wouldn't either. In spite of the fact that Prince Nico was barely educated, his hit song became popular both among the educated elite and the masses. So great was its success and the pride of place that it gave mothers, that a clarion call was sounded by 'jealous' men insisting that he should record a song extoling the many and varied virtues of fathers. Giving in to the pressure (and possibly the allure of another hit song and the attendant financial windfall), he recorded a song called "Good Father." It bombed!

The point of the story is simply this: Our mothers hold a really special place in our hearts (If you don't believe me, tune in to any NFL game during the season and listen to the players on the sidelines when they have the camera's focused on them. The first thing out of their mouths usually is... "Hi Mom.") Our successes are celebrated by them, our failures are mourned as if they were their failures. From Samuel to Samson, from John the Baptist to Joseph, the scriptures indicate that every man that was born to a woman who was initially barren, went on to visibly affect his world for the better, because of the deep intercession of his mother. I am thankful for my mother, she has seen me through some of the most difficult seasons of my life. I know my kids are thankful for theirs (and so am I). When she's around all just seems right with the world.

So, as we approach an extremely well deserved celebration of our mothers this Sunday, I want to be the first to say to my mother, my wife, and all the mothers of our church; Happy Mother's Day.