Being A Proud Black Mother

I’m a proud black mother

Who reflects upon history

And understands the timeline,

The never-ending chronology

Of mothers’ fears, worries and concern,

About every child delivered and born

Into this world of inequality and scorn

Simply because of their skin tone.

 

I’m a proud black mother,

Who can and does empathize

With those who stood quietly,

Tears rolling down their face

Pain ripping apart every fiber of their being,

As they watched their babies,

Torn from their arms,

Sold, abused and misused, slaughtered and maimed

All at the white man’s whim

With no humanitarian laws against him.

 

I’m a proud black mother,

Who lived through Jim Crow laws,

Never fully understanding then,

Heartache endured of my kin

Who had to stay in “their place,”

Never muttering a word against

Discriminatory acts, fear etched in their face,

Because the laws were never just,

Never considered the black man worthy of equality

Or having just laws to protect their families,

All we got was silence, no response to our pleas

To be treated like human beings.

 

I’m a proud black mother

Who gave birth to two children

My daughter and son, in that order.

Teaching her how to avoid situations

That could traumatize her life,

Teaching him how to avoid strife

While living black.

Over 40 years later, since my children were born

Not much has changed, children are still torn

From their mothers in one way or another,

From police brutality or someone else’s brother,

Who just didn’t understand

How precious life is for every black man.

 

I’m a proud black mother

And though some may never admit,

Days of being concerned, fretfully

About the plight of every black child

Will never end, until every man, woman and child

Stops treating human beings differently,

Until laws include a humanitarian stance

With equality and justice for all,

No matter what our skin tone is called,

Because the simple truth is this,

If we believe mankind began on the African Continent,

We are all of African descent

And can no longer hide in ignorant bliss

Behind the lies of inferiority of one man

To appease a fragile ego of those needing

To feel and act superior.

 

I’m a proud black mother,

In my advanced age, still willing to take a stand,

Actively involved with my vote and my hands,

Working with the community to silence the hate

That if not quelled, will eventually obliterate

Any forward movement, any strides made

To cross that finish line where all men, women and children

Are seen as humans and not just the color of their skin.

But until that happens, please understand the need for all to see

Black Lives Matter—especially to mothers who look like me!

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Celebrating The Gift of Motherhood!

“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:2,3 NIV)

How have we come so far from obeying the commandments of God as it pertains to honoring mothers and fathers? We know we have because of all the sad events reported in the media. If we really want to see a change in our nation, we must return to doing things God’s way.

But before we can truly honor mothers and fathers, they have a responsibility to their children–to bring them up in the ways of God, not just by word but by example. When children are exposed to Godly behavior  in their homes, they will exemplify that behavior when they are not at home. That’s simple enough, but perhaps too simple to be understood and implemented.

How parents act–and we see them in public–in private will be seen in the behavior of their children in public. Children do what they see their parents do, not just what their parents say. This occurs because some parents have a “do as I say mentality rather than do as I do” mentality. In other words, they are not going to behave as God would direct us and then they wonder why their children are often in trouble.

Admittedly, some children are prone to fall under the influence of peers who have not been parented by Godly parents and they go astray, even though their own parents have lived a life that is pleasing to God in front of them. This is why all parents are responsible for their  children’s behavior since their behavior has wide range influence. Kids who are cussing in public or cussing at their teachers have parents who have no regard for the language they use in front of them. Kids who steal and lie pick up the bad habits from parents who think nothing of stealing and lying in front of their kids. Loud and obnoxious kids usually have loud and obnoxious parents or are influenced by other kids who have loud and obnoxious parents.

But that’s not all parents and it’s certainly not all kids. There are some good examples of Godly parents in our environment and it is those parents who are committed to raising children who respect those in authority, have values and morals that are evident in their daily behavior, and who know and love The Lord.

Kids are not responsible for the behavior of their parents–parents are responsible for the behavior of their kids–to a point. Once they leave a parent’s home, they are responsible for themselves, but if they have not had a good foundation laid for responsible behavior, they may not learn to behave responsibly.

At any rate, there is a time and place for everything and today is the time set aside to “honor mothers”  and all the mothers who have raised their children by Godly example, I salute you. For those who never knew their natural mothers and made it anyhow, I celebrate you. For those who raised more children they gave birth to–God has a special place in heaven for you. For all the mothers–who raised their children with love and discipline as a foundation for living, God bless you!

Hopefully, I have not left out any of the wonderful mothers who have raised or are raising God-loving children. If your mother is no longer here, hug someone’s mother who reminds you of your own. Let’s celebrate motherhood as a great gift from God because it is.