Kevin's mother finished folding the clothes and looked at her watch. It was twenty minutes after three, and almost time for Kevin to be coming home. Glancing through the living room window, she saw him come around the corner with a friend.
She opened the door and watched as her son and his friend walked up the sidewalk. "I don't see why you can't come over and play ball," she heard her son's friend saying. "You wouldn't have to stay very long. And I really want to try out my new mitt."
"I can't come over because Mom told me to come right home after school," Kevin explained. "I like to play ball too, but I don't want to disobey." He looked up and saw his mother standing in the doorway. "Hi, Mom!" Then he turned back to his friend. "See you tomorrow, Jason."
As he came into the house, he said, "Mom, I made something for you in Wood Shop." He set down his book bag and dug through it until he found what he was looking for at the bottom. "Here it is!" He held out a pencil holder made from three blocks of wood.
His mother took the pencil holder and looked it over carefully. "Kevin, this is really nice work! Did you make it all by yourself?"
Kevin nodded. "Yes, except Mr. Light helped me drill the holes to hold the pencils. But I did all the sanding and gluing. It's an early Mother's Day present for you."
His mother gave him a quick hug. "Well, I sure can use it! You know I can never find a pencil near the phone when I need one, so this holder should come in really handy. Thank you so much, Kevin." She paused for a moment then said, "There is something else I want to thank you for. Something extra that you probably haven't even thought about."
Kevin finished putting things back in his book bag, and then looked up, puzzled. "What's that, Mom?"
"I want to thank you for obeying me and coming right home from school instead of stopping to play ball. I heard what you said to your friend just before you came in. It makes me happy to know that you obey me even when I am not there to check on you. And Jesus is happy too! I am very pleased to have this special Mother's Day gift, as well as the super present you made for me. I will always be thankful for your obedience."
God uses mothers to help, and also teach, their children. To help your child become aware of some of the things mothers do, make a mobile together, using small objects or illustrations cut from magazines.
Perhaps the easiest mobile to make is simply a coat hanger with objects and illustrations hanging on different lengths of string or yarn.
Doll clothes could be used to represent a mother's taking care of clothing, a toy watch for her reminding us of the time to do things. Other items could include a comb, a small cereal box for food, or a square of material representing a washcloth. Don't forget to add a picture of a small Bible and praying hands.
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