St. Luke’s United Methodist Church
“Planting Seeds”
Deuteronomy 6: 1-9
Mother’s Day
May 8, 2005
Janet L. Forbes

Several weeks ago, the stories celebrating Mother’s Day begin to come across my email. I appreciate these from Kristina Linn, our Coordinator of Childcare Ministries.

A little girl is watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She notices that her mother has several white hairs sticking out in contrast to her brunette head. She looks at her mother and asks, “Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?” Her mother replies, “Well, every time you do something wrong and make me unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.” The little girl thinks about this revelation and then says, “Momma, how come ALL of grandma’s hairs are white?”

The children are lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table is a large pile of apples. The nun makes a note, and posts it on the apple tray: “Take only ONE. God is watching.” Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table is a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. A child has written a note, “Take all you want. God is watching the apples.”

Kids say the darnest things! Yet, when our children warp the scripture, or pray for “trash passes” in the Lord’s Prayer, or sing the Christmas carol about “Round John Virgin, Mother and Child”, we wonder, “Will our children have faith?”

Every generation has the task of giving the faith away to its children and its children’s children. At baptisms, we promise to be a sister and brother, uncle and aunt, grandfather and grandmother. We will surround the child in love, helping them to grow to full humanity through living the teachings of Jesus.

Our text from Deuteronomy echoes this concern, “Will our children have faith?” The writer reminds the people to fear God, to esteem God, “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Simply pass on the faith. Write the commandments upon the hearts and minds of the people. Teach them to the children from their earliest days. Wear them as a sign on the body. Fix the words permanently upon the doorways of your homes.

This decree is understood literally within Jewish tradition, giving rise to the use of phylacteries, small leather containers worn on the forehead and left arm holding scripture parchments. The mezuzah, which contains the same scripture verses, is attached to the right door post of the home. Touch the mezuzah, then kiss the fingers, remembering the commandment to love God with all the heart, soul, and strength. The writer of Deuteronomy says, Give the faith away to the next generation.

We hear a lot in recent years about the generation gap. However, a lot of what is said about this subject isn’t new. Children and teenagers have been seeing things differently from their parents and grandparents for a long time. Writings from very early centuries include adults’ complaints about how wild and irresponsible the youth have become.

The gap between adults and their parents isn’t news, either. It may be more noticeable now than in earlier years, because more people live to older ages now than in earlier years, but otherwise, it is a familiar problem.

How are we generative when the generations are so different?

Some observers of contemporary society have begun talking about another kind of generation gap, saying that the most influential differences between generations come from their formative experiences.

A description of this kind of generational difference is published in 1991 in a book named Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584 to 2069 by William Strauss and Neil Howe (William Morrow and Co., NY). When Strauss and Howe look at U.S. history, they see a recurring pattern of distinctive personalities that develop in response to powerful events.

As a result of technology and history, each of the five living American generations has a different view of the world, a different spirituality. Each generation on the family tree has been shaped by different forces.

The GI Generation, also known as the Builders, was born during the period from 1910 to1927. Currently ranging in age from 78 to 95, this generation grew up during the depression, was victorious in World War II, and provided all the United States presidents from John F. Kennedy to George Herbert Bush. This generation has been the glue holding our institutions together. Last night the St. Luke’s Ministers of Swing played the music to which this generation fell in love.

Following the GI Generation is the “Pioneer” Generation, born between 1928 and 1945, who are currently 60 to 77 years old. Colin Powell, the first African American Secretary of State; Sandra Day O’Conner, the first woman on the Supreme Court; and Neil Armstrong, the first person on the moon, are members of this generation. The “Pioneers” drove popular culture for years. Elvis Presley, Little Richard, and the Beatles are members of this generation.

Following the Pioneer Generation is the “Baby Boom” Generation, made up of persons who were born from 1946 to1963, who currently range in age from 59 to 42. This generation set trends and became known as Hippies, Flower Children, and Yuppies. So great were their numbers in 1992 that presidential leadership skipped the Pioneers and came to the Boomers in the form of Bill Clinton. On Broadway, twenty-three-year-old Andrew Lloyd Webber combined his talents with twenty-six-year-old Tim Rice to bring us Jesus Christ Superstar, which made the story of Jesus accessible to the Boom Generation.

“Postmoderns” are persons of the generation born during the years 1964 to1981. Ranging in ages from 41 to 24, they entered a world that was not certain it wanted children. Born between the assassination of President Kennedy and the election of Ronald Reagan, members of this generation grew up with parents who were dealing with revolutions. Approximately 40% of them have parents who are divorced. Many are creating their own extended families through networks for friends. Television shows such as Friends and Seinfeld capture their struggles with relationships.

The largest generation, the Baby Boomlet or Millennials, was born during the years 1982 to 1999, and are currently 6 to 23 years old. The multi-cultural Millennials will challenge our society because of the great disparity between the “haves” and the “have-nots”. Approximately two-thirds of Millennials were born to Baby Boomers. One third were born to the younger Postmoderns, many of whom are teenagers. 30% live within blended families or in homes headed by a single parent.

The Genomics, born in the year 2000 and beyond, will be the first generation to see the benefits and perils of the coming genetic revolution.

What does it mean that we are so different? Will our children have faith?

Our children will have faith if we do not try to impose our experiences. Our children will have faith if we plant seeds, seeds that we can nurture together as life unfolds. No matter the age of your children, you can plant seeds.

1. Carry the story. Read the Bible together. Whatever their age, fill your

children with the stories of people who seek to live their lives in relationship to God, stories of people who seek to follow Jesus and his teachings.

2. Find a spiritual home. Make God’s house your house. Help your children belong. When your adult children come to visit, bring them to church with you.

3. Whatever their age, encourage questions. You don’t have to have the

answers. Learn to say, “I’m not sure. What do you think?”

4. Live in the mystery. Practice the rituals, the holidays, the mission trips. Let them meet God in holy places, or among the poor. Be a part of what God is blessing.

5. Pray for your children. Give them to God every day.

I read an article in the May 3rd edition of the Denver Post, entitled, ”The Perfect Mother”. It was subtitled, “Relax! Just shoot for adequate.”

Moms, it seems that attentive parenting has become very serious business, with an awful lot of assistance coming at you from the outside, often dispensed with “an eyebrow cocked as if to wonder whether you are truly up for the job”. The writer laments, This assistance comes “from the former pediatrician who once blamed me for my son’s illness because I put him in day care while I worked; from the music teach who ‘prefers’ that I take notes during lessons so I can better supervise practice at home; from the letter that comes from school offering tips on how to verbally support my child during standardized testing, from the dental hygienist who scolded me because I didn’t lay my five year old across my lap every night to floss between her teeth.”

If you are here with your Mom, take her by the hand. If your Mother is distanced from you this morning, bring her to mind. If your Mother is present to you from the communion of the saints, say her name before the throne of grace. Will you pray with me?

Lord of Love, we give you thanks and praise for the women who have nurtured us through the years. We honor those women whose love has made us strong. Help us be gentle towards those who have done the best they knew how, even if sometimes we wish they had done differently. Help all the women among us to become bearers of your redeeming love to all the young lives they touch, to all those who are their children either by affection or by birth. Help us raise the little girls among us into strong women of God, that in them the world may see the fierce and tender love with which you, O God, have loved us since the beginning. In Jesus’ name. Amen.