What is more important than going to God with our lives, full of joys and sorrows and all that life brings?

On this Mother's Day what is more important than going to God with a prayer for families?

Let us pray.

"Eternal God, father of all families of the earth and the head of all homes where your name is honored, we come to You as children come to a loving earthly father. We are yours. We have learned to trust your goodness and your guidance.

"Today we give you thanks for our parents, especially for our mothers. For mothers who have been devoted in the home, we thank You. For their love when called upon to endure all things and to hope all things, we thank You. For their love that willingly sacrifices for the sake of others in the household, we give You thanks.

"Bless, Oh Lord, the homes in our own community. May children and youth find their parents deserving of honor, so that they may keep your command to honor father and mother. May mothers praying this prayer find joy and fulfillment in serving the needs of their families. Help us to see again the high calling of motherhood as a sacred and holy vocation.

"Enable us, oh God, whether as parent or child, husband or wife, brother or sister, to make our homes places where the power of love and forgiveness is at work everyday. Gives us the grace of patience when tempers are tried. Give us the grace to forgive when we feel offended. Give us the grace to respect the rights and privileges of others in our homes, even as we want them to honor our rights. And give us the grace to turn to the resources of your love and guidance in every decision and in every problem. Grant new appreciation and enthusiasm in our families for worship and the journey of faith.

"Oh Lord, hear our prayer for others today. We pray for children who have not known or do not now have father or mother. We think of children who in many countries have lost a father in battle and are left innocent victims of war, alone now in life and not understanding why.

"We pray for children in this country who for some reason are left without father or mother. Show us how we can care and make a positive difference in these lives.

"Bless the efforts of those who work with children teachers, pastors, Sunday School teachers, youth advisors, social workers, law enforcement officers and others.

"We pray for parents who have lost children or whose children have turned to patterns of life that bring sorrow and disappointment. Give them healing and peace in things too hard to understand.

"These thoughts of prayer and all others which we can now say silently in our own hears, we bring to your throne of grace, oh God. You can be trusted. You will always be faithful. We know You hear us. We know You love us. We love You.

"We pray in your holy and precious name:

"Amen."

Finally, on Mother's Day, allow me the personal privilege to honor my own mother, Doris Lee Kollmeyer. Having finally succumbed to cancer nearly three years ago, she was a devoted and loving mother to me, my sister and my brother. My father is also a Lutheran pastor, and you might think that I have followed in his footsteps, which I have of course. But I honor my mother by telling you that my journey of faith and my pattern for Christian service is equally following in HER footsteps.

My mother was a gifted organist and played for services for over 50 years, mostly without any monetary compensation. In our home she taught us grace and mercy, confession and forgiveness, respect and honor. She was Jesus to us not in perfection, but in loving us unconditionally.

She made house rules and enforced them, for which I am grateful. She labored tirelessly in our home to make it a place of learning, safety and faith.

She served us relentlessly providing meals, clean and pressed clothes, fun and laughter. I'm eternally thankful for her. Than You, oh God! Thank You!

To my mother still, and to all mothers today: Happy Mother's Day.