Referring to the No Child Left Behind legislation, Marilyn Parker of Sparkman Coporation decided mothers should not be left behind because mothers carry their family and their community.
Sparkman Christian Classified Magazine wanted to make sure no mother was left behind in 2009, which was the theme of its first Honor Thy Mother Symposium and Luncheon.
It was fitting for the event to honor mothers because the publication is named after Ida M. Sparkman, mother of Sparkman’s executive director Dr. Bessie Reece.
The Honor Thy Mother symposium and luncheon consisted of musical guests and several workshops with topics to help mothers, such as health, parenting and reducing stress.
Bishop E.L. Warren, from Cathedral of Worship did a session about parenting adolescents based on his book Help Lord I’m Raising a Teenager. Warren shared his personal testimony as far as raising teenagers and his experience as a youth.
Warren advised mothers to ask the Lord for revelations about their children. He cautioned mothers not to panic as children struggle with doing God’s will, because they are receiving God’s word if they are going to church. He warned mothers not to speak negatively to their children, because it is an indictment against them. He encouraged mothers to speak positive words to their children.
Warren talked about how consistency is important in discipline with children. He advised mothers to give teenagers clear guidelines and consequences for their behavior. He told mothers not to discipline their children when they are angry. Warren stressed that discipline must be followed by love.
Dr. Steve Haymond, author of the book Stress Climbing Out of It’s Pits with God, presented a workshop on How to Handle Stress. He said, “For the most part we don’t handle stress, stress handles us.” Haymond went on to defined stress as “our perception of what is going on instead of what is actually going on.”
He focused on several different causes of stress, parenting, religion, anger and fear. His advice to mothers was to model for your children what you want for them to become. Haymond reminded the audience that children are treasures and that parents are to be stewards of our children.
As lunch was served, the official welcome was given by Dr. Bessie Reece. A praise and worship session was led by Lauren Brown, a powerful young lady with the gift of exhortation. First lady Madelyn Mickles of Blow Your Triumph Healing Deliverance and Restoration Church shared anointed mime dance performance. Lady Eneazer Blisste Moore, known as Lady E, performed a single from her recent CD. Bishop James E. Holloway performed an original song dedicated to the mothers in attendance.
Motivational speaker and author Dr. Wanda Turner was the keynote speaker at the Honor thy Mother Symposium and Luncheon. She shared a message titled “Mothers, your destiny rests on your obedience.” The message came from chapter six in her latest book Even with My Issues.
Turner said, “Issues are a set up for miracles and that every issue has an expiration date.” She used the biblical text of Jesus and his mother going to the wedding feast. She shared with the audience that it was her mother who taught her how to worship and pray. Turner acknowledges that honoring mothers was important, because “some of you don’t know the price your momma paid for you to be here.
Turner encouraged those in attendance to support Sparkman and assist in making next year’s symposium to honor mothers even better. Those in attendance left with gift bags and door prizes. Many local vendors were on hand to help guest select that special mother’s day gift.
