Mother’s Day can be a touchy subject for some families. Blended families, for example, often struggle with the tension of celebrating both stepmom and biological mom. Other families deal with the pain of grief at Mother’s Day, facing the loss of a mother or child.
Even though Mother’s Day can be difficult, it’s still a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the mothers that are in your life. Mothering is a difficult job. It takes a lot of personal sacrifice. So I hope you will reach beyond any awkwardness in the holiday and honor the women who work so hard to take care of the family.
Here are some ideas to make the holiday special.
1.A Letter of Dedication. This is something a mother can do for herself. Write out a letter, officially dedicating your life and service as a mother to the Lord. God doesn’t ask us mothers to do our job on our own. It’s too much to handle all alone. Christ has promised to be with us along the journey. We need His strength, wisdom, grace, and mercy. Christian moms want to raise our children the way God wants them to be brought up. And for that to happen, e have to listen to His will, His word, and His voice, and be dedicated to seeking His desire for their lives. This written dedication can be a reminder for you throughout your mothering years.
Are your children grown? Write a letter to dedicate yourself to God’s will as a grandmother or spiritual mother to other women.
2.A Prayer of Blessing from your Husband. My husband is my spiritual leader, my covering, and my partner in parenting. He, more than anyone, understands my needs as a mother and as a wife. Not only do I feel a prayer of blessing would be an appropriate gift of honor and spiritual uplifting, I also believe it would be an appropriate sign of my submission to his authority as the leader of our home.
If you’re a single mom or your husband isn’t a spiritual person, ask a spiritual mentor give a prayer of blessing over you.
3.Time to Honor Your Own Mother. Exodus 20:12 commands us to honor our fathers and mothers—honoring our parents is important to God, and I can see why. Becoming a mother has opened my eyes even more to the sacrifices that my mother made for me. I could never repay her for all that she has given me. Several years ago, I wrote a tribute to honor her. It was the best gift I’ve ever given her—my heart and soul typed out on paper.
No matter what kind of relationship you have with your mother, let me encourage you to do the same. A tribute can be healing, cleansing, and powerful, but more than that, when you honor your mother, you honor God.
Has your mother passed away? Write a tribute to her anyway, or write to a woman who has been like a mother to you.
I hope this Mother’s Day remind us all how important our job really is to God and to our families. And by all means, if it’s a corsage or a splurge at your favorite restaurant, do whatever it takes to make this day special—you deserve it, Mom!