Dear Mama by 2Pac (Tupac Shakur)
I'm Yours by Jason Mraz
The Best Day by Taylor Swift
Mama I'M Coming Home by Ozzy Osbourne
Good Morning Beautiful by Steve Holy
Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles
I Wanna Hold Your Hand by The Beatles
I'd Come For You by Nickelback
Forever by Chris Brown
Pumpkin Soup by Kate Nash
One Love by Bob Marley
1234 I Know You Want Me by Pitbull
Any Way You Want It by Journey
You Are My Sunshine by Jimmie Davis
Sunny Day by Akon
For A Pessimist I'm Pretty Optimistic by Paramore
If (My Mommy) by Saigon
Lady by Styx
My Girl by The Temptations
Where I Stood by Missy Higgins
Blueprint (Momma Loves Me) by Jay-Z
A Song For Mama by Boyz II Men
Best Day Ever from SpongeBob Square Pants
Day to Remember by Celine Dion
Burnin' Up by The Jonas Brothers
Best of Both Worlds by Hannah Montana
Seven Things by Miley Cyrus
In My Daughter's Eyes by Martina McBride
Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas
Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi
More Than a Feeling by Boston
Mother and Child Reunion by Paul Simon
I Turn To You by Christina Aguilera
1And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.2And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan... 3And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.
This sums up parenting. We tell our children not to do something. We warn them, we plead with them, we instruct them... and then when we aren't looking, they head into a ditch. The moment Ehud, the last judge died... Israel is back in a ditch... And then in trouble, the cry out to God for help. The feel the problems they are in...
STORY: Me... Rusty Trap.. Crying out for my mom
STORY: My grandmothers both died within two weeks. Grandma E was a real shock... no reason to see it coming... My mom was struck that my grandma Say it coming and had lots of "this is it conversations in a rather routine" surgery... And she died. That was it. ... And my mom months later told me how surprised she was that her instinct would be to pick up the phone to call her mom, share her news..... She said, "SOmeone once told me, you know you are grown up, when you can't call your mom anymore..."
TRANS: At least when they are in trouble, Israel calls out to God in trouble... And God raised up a Judge names Deborah... And many of the leadership lessons we see from her... And lessons in motherhood and parenting for us all.
SInce we all get off track. And the Bible affirms over and over that our children, our grandchildren have the same problem we do "We get off track," Every Christian leader can follow the three examples of Deborah: She gave Opportunities, Reminders, and Challenges.
Mothers Give Opportunities
4And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.5And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
This tree had a name... The palm tree of Deborah because she was always there.... The children knew where to find her. How to find her... When to "come to her for judgment' As leaders, as parents, as moms', we need to be availble and create opportunities for speaking into our kids lives.
STORY: MOM http://www.mytributetomom.com/Bio.htm
What is it that your mom was known for? If not the "palm tree of Deborah", perhaps it was the "Kitchen table conversation of Ann" or the "Room Mother Game Planner"... "Back gammon of Eileen..." My grandma Eileen loved backgammon... and I would talk about my life as we played... She created opportunities in the midst of the game... My mom might be the "Sofa of Diane" many times after friends were gone... My mom would just sit and listen, ask how my night was... and create opp for me to share my life.. Sometimes I said little. many times I said more...
VIDEO: Horizon people's memory of Mother
This year... I got to see folks at Horizon honor mothers who have been that source.... Keith Lindner... taking care of mom who is taking care of dad... so she can go out... Dale Scaeffer eulogy for his mom... etc.
II. Reminders
For moms reminders are a way of life.. Remember to put on clean underwear. Remember your curfew, Remember to wear a coat. Remember who you are... Remember not to stay too late.... Remember...
Here is Deborah reminding Barak... of what God already said...
6And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? 7And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.
Notice that Deborah was not giving "new information'... This is "didn't God already promise you something.." "Didn't GOd tell you to obey something...'
Few things are more draining as moms, dads, and leaders as constantly reminding those around us... "didn't I say this.." "Am I losing my mind" are phrases that go through our heads as we remind again and again.
DRILL DOWN: The word remember... is a weird word really. It is the opposite of dis-member... When we trust in lies... deny the promises of God... Turn to other sources of truth... We dismember our soul, our emotions, our hearts, our minds... And we must remember... Remember the truth about God, ourselves, and our lives. And the role of a mom, the role of a leader, the role of a coach, the role of a discipler is to provide OPPORTUNITIES and REMINDERS!
APPLICATION: When you are frustrated, annoyed, ready to pull your hair out for giving a reminder for the 100th time... remember... You are helping "re-member your kids" toward wholeness and wellness... in a world, in a culture that constantly dismembers them. We can trust them, support them, help them, and cheer for them. when others don't and won't.
STORY: MOM, Mr Smith... A & W.
III. Mothers Give Challenges.
8And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. 9And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh...14And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.
As leaders and moms... We are constantly helping others with insecurities. Challenging our family members and employees who aren't ready, or feel inadequate about the future... And Barak feels insecure, scared... And says, I can't do it. I won't go unless you go with me... And Deborah challenges him... "You can do it..." God is with you.. But if you need I'll go with you.. And she did.
STORY: Last October, when I got the news about Quinn's eyesight, I was on the phone with my mom. She listened to me talk, cry, and be uncertain of God, his leading, his calling in my life... And she then spoke incredible words of challenge into my heart... She told me that "God was with me. That He would equip me with whatever I needed for this challenge. She told me..."
Deborah went with him. Helped him find his way. Helped him trust god. Challenged him to trust God.
STORY: I pulled out this folder. This is a folder my grandma Eilleen made for me when I was 16. She wrote me a poem to challenge me.. To bless me....
TRANSITION: Here's the problem. We all know we need to give opportunities for our kids. We know the constant wear and tear of reminding them, we know we need to challenge them, But How? Where is the motivation to keep on mothering when we know we can't be the perfect moms and grandmothers... Only as we see the perfect parenting of God. Deborah and Barak sing this song to God.
CONCLUSION: Find the Perfect Parent
2 “When leaders lead in Israel, When the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the LORD!
3 “Hear, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I, even I, will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. 4 “ LORD, when You went out from Seir, When You marched from the field of Edom, The earth trembled and the heavens poured, The clouds also poured water 5 The mountains gushed before the LORD,This Sinai, before the LORD God of Israel.6 “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, In the days of Jael, The highways were deserted, And the travelers walked along the byways. 7 Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel,Until I, Deborah, arose, Arose a mother in Israel. 8 They chose new gods; Then there was war in the gates; Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.
9 My heart is with the rulers of Israel Who offered themselves willingly with the people. Bless the LORD!
Notice the chorus to her song is "We offer ourselves willingly to the Lord. This is the Lord we bless. But the main thrust of the song.. The verse says. Look at God's goodness. Look at his power. Look at how He provides water from clouds. Water from the rock. Look at how life was deserted when we followed other gods... But then I arose. A mother in Israel arose... And we "chose new gods" We found the true God. We found the God who is the source of all we need. The perfect mother. A God who is the perfect mother in Israel. He reminds. Loves, Cares. Nurtures. Provides for us in need... The way to be the best mother. Be the best leader. Is to fall in love with the perfect mother. the perfect Father. The perfect parent.
ADORATION: Jesus came to earth was not only a masculine father figure. He was tough enough to endure the lashing. Tough enough to deal with with hours of crucifixion. Smart enough to stand up against lawyers cross examination. But, we see an incredibly tender side to him as well... He sees children and goes to them. Let's them sit on his lap. He came to a little girl who had passed away.. He walks into her room... with the family in mourning.. and gentle takes her by the hand and says, "Time to wake up honey..." He sees his people in Jerusalem rejecting him.. and his heart breaks, he weeps, and says... I feel like a mother hen longing to gather my chicks..
APPLICATION: None of us had a perfect mom. None of us will be a perfect parents. But all of us can find the perfect model in Christ. He is the example. He is the source. He is the model. And he rescues us and forgives us for all the ways we, and our own parents have failed... and offers his grace to us...
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