When does mother’s love begin? Her journey of love begins from conception. Mother will exercise extreme care to ensure that her unborn child will not be damaged by any food, drugs or infection. The long suffering mother will bear with all the symptoms of bloatedness, nausea and vomiting for up to 12 weeks. Imagine being on the sea for 12 weeks and experiencing sea-sickness. Some mothers weep and may even be brought to a state of depression and exhaustion and dehydration.

Following the anxious and painful process of child birth, there is a sense of relief and joy at the arrival of a healthy child. This relief is shortened as the next phase of the arduous task of caring for the newborn kicks in. The feeding, cleaning and caring is a twenty-four hour duty. Have you experienced the agony of countless nights of interrupted sleep and some nights with no sleep? Despite all the deprivation and suffering, most mothers are able to cope. Every sickness or injury of her precious child will inevitably cause mother to be sad and distressed. Nursing a sick child to health is a most demanding task.

As the child grows older, education of her child becomes paramount. To be admitted to the best school, to get a good education, to secure the best grades will preoccupy mother’s time and energy. Every setback in the child’s career path inevitably affects mother with anxious fears.

Have you ever wondered how mothers can tolerate the rude speech, the indifference, ingratitude of murmuring, complaining children? Mother’s love is always long suffering, strong, resilient and forgiving. However, there will be moments when mother is unable to bear with these abuses and will breakdown and weep and suffer silently. Some children even mix the bitterest cup of tears for mother to drink.

Mother’s love began with the deep roots that were planted when she gave birth and nursed her precious child. Mother will always continue to protect, provide and care for her precious child till she reaches old age. Such love never grows dim. It may flicker somewhere but this beam of mother’s love will continue to shine forever. Can a mother forget her sucking child?

Have you been presumptuous and taken things for granted? Children expect mother to feed, provide, protect and perform a host of duties for them. Do you ever spare a thought that mothers are made of flesh and blood? She needs time to rest, to be loved, to receive some degree of gratitude. Do not grudge her a moment of joy and gladness. How have you loved mother for her endless toil and tears? What gratitude has she received?

The lyrics of a country and western song aptly illustrate the present situation. A young boy presented to mother a bill listing all the work he had done for mother. He itemized his work and charge accordingly. "Mum you owe me this amount for the duties I have done." Mum turned the bill over and wrote the following:- For the pain and suffering of childbirth, for feeding and cleaning you, for comforting you when you were hurting and frightened, for nursing you when you were ill, for the long hours and the selfless expense I spent to educate you, for all that I have done for you – NO CHARGE. The little boy took the bill and wrote across PAID IN FULL WITH LOVE.

May God forgive us for having neglected or hurt mother in one way or another. May we determine to love mother every day. Gifts, dinners, flowers, cards are temporary tokens of our love. A "regular" kind word, a gentle touch, a willing and helping hand, a kiss, a hug, a massage will go a long way to encourage mother that all the toil and tears was worth it all. OBEY AND HONOUR mother. Ephesians 6:2-3 – "Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth."

If you truly love your mother, never rest till she has accepted Christ Jesus as her personal Lord and Saviour. This is the only and best gift you could give to mothers. One way to reach mother’s heart is that your daily interaction with mother will reveal the beauty and love of Jesus Christ. Her resistance will be melted away by Christ’s love.

Mother will naturally grow old and some may be incapacitated. Do not get impatient or irritated with her. Do not neglect her. Leave her with some happy moments to relish on your grateful love before God calls her home. Ease her way to heaven with joy and comfort. It has been said that folks weep at the death of a loved one because they missed the opportunity to say or do something good for their loved one. Regrets will be too late.

Remember that the salvation of your child is the only thing needful.

Proverbs 22:6 – "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Ephesians 6:4 – "bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord".

All the earthly achievements of your darling child will be in vain if they have not accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour. Take care of their souls.

Mothers, be comforted by God as you grow old. Isaiah 46:4 – "And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made and I will bear; even I will carry and will deliver you."

Finally as you ponder over mother’s strong love, remember it is a shadow of God’s love for His elect children. Isaiah 49: l5,16 – "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."

– Elder Lim Teck Chye

Dear Christian mothers, sing your praise
Through all your busy, happy days
To God our Father, kind and good,
For all the joys of motherhood.

For that wee babe with smiling charm
That softly nestles in your arm;
For childish laughter gay and sweet,
And sounds of little scampering feet.

For the blessings often mixed with tears
As they mature through passing years;
And that deep joy that naught can dim,
When children give their hearts to Him.

- Margaret K. Fraser -

* * *

BREAD OF LIFE
by John Tow

We come to faith
Not by our might,
We see the Light
Yet not by sight.

For deep in sin
We have no way
To know what is
The Truth, I say,

’Tis only when
His Word so dear
Is spread abroad
Its message clear

That only those,
Above the noise
Will rise to hear
His loving voice.

Revived at last,
At His behest,
We live again
In Him to rest.

How blessed are we
Saved by His grace
Raised evermore
To seek His face.

Chosen of God,
We live anew
Our lives for Him,
Faithful and true.

　* * *

Every camper, regardless of age, will be issued with a Camp T-shirt on Sunday, 8 June 2008. The colour of the Camp T-shirt will be Black only. A T-shirt rack with 6 sample T-shirt sizes (XS, S, M, L, XL & XXL) will be displayed outside the Camp Registration Office TODAY. After trying out, please write down your Camp T-shirt size selection next to your name on the camper list there. Closing date for Camp T-shirt size selection is today. For those who have not selected their Camp T-shirt size by then, size "L", "M" & "S" will be assigned to adults, teenagers & children respectively. On Monday, 12 May 2008, we will submit the Camp T-shirt size selection list to the T-shirt vendor for production. Thank you for your cooperation.

1) A Blessed Mother’s Day to All Mothers! Greetings from Ladies Fellowship. A handmade token of appreciation is available for you from 9:30 to 10:15am and from 12:00 noon. (look out for lady with basket). These handmade tokens (gifts) are jointly sponsored by LF & YAF.

2) YF Retreat 2008, "To Gather". Date: 6-7Jun 08. Theme: Fellowship. Venue: New Life BP Church. Speaker: Dr Khoo Hock Seng. Registration fee: S$10. Register now! Drop the form in the box at the front entrance or register online at http://www.lifeyf.org/retreat2008. Forms available at the front entrance. Registration closes on the 25th of May. Contact: Jonathon Khoo (91025650).

3) Life BPC Bible Camp: Kindly be advised to register for the camp as soon as possible with two more weeks to go before the closing date on 25 May. To date, we have over 300 campers who have registered and the registration will be closed when the critical number is reached in view of the capacity we can handle.

Lifers who would like to contribute offerings to help to defray the camp expenses are encouraged to designate the offering "For Church Camp 2008".

4) VBS general staff briefing at Chinese Service Hall 18 May 08, 12.30pm-1.30pm. All teachers and helpers are required to attend.

5) Sunday Lunch Fellowship: Lunch Coupons for the Sunday Lunch on 18 May 08 will be on sale today at $3.00 a packet (duck rice and chicken rice).

6) Youth Gospel Rally this Saturday - Highlight: A Video featuring John MacArthur on the ‘Gospel of Jesus Christ’. Time: 2.30 - 7 pm. Venue: Chinese Service Hall. All youths are encouraged to attend and bring friends. Dinner will be provided. Contact: Caleb (94388889) or Luke (91453667)

7) VBS 2008 (28-30 May). "The King and I" Registration opens for all 4-9 year old children. Closing date: TODAY! Teachers and helpers are still needed. Please register now. Drop the form in the VBS box at front entrance or register online www.lifebpc.com/vbs . Contact: Keng Khwang @ 98293292 or vbs at lifebpc dot com.

8) Gospel Sunday: Invite your friends and loved ones to the Gospel Sunday on 22 Jun 08 (10:45 am). Please pray for Prof William Harding (English) and Rev Tang Wai Kay (Mandarin with Cantonese interpretation) who will speak on "Heaven Our Eternal Home."