Remember when your kids surprised you with “did-it-themselves” Mother’s Day cards? You were a smiling stick figure on an 8 ½ by 11 sheet of paper. And you had two black circles for eyes and a dot for a nose. The words, Happy Mother’s Day and hearts loopy looped the whole page. And big bear hugs and warm kisses followed.
It doesn’t get any better than this.
On Mother’s Day, children: adults, teenagers, and the tiniest of children, honor their mom.
Residents and out-of-towners fill the church pews on Mother’s Day Sunday. And you can expect the minister’s message to be something about motherhood. “What it means to be or have a good Christian mother” would certainly fit the bill.
Around lunch and dinner time, thousands flood their favorite restaurants. And the changing out of family groups is like musical chairs. When one group finishes their meal, another family group sits to be served.
Mother’s Day is the most prominent dining out day of the year. This is the busiest day for major restaurants like Cracker Barrel. Many restaurants even feather “Mother’s Day Specials” at discounted prices.
I’m sure you’ve treated your mom to dinner many times on this special day.
For those who don’t come home, calling mom is the next best thing.
Landline or Facetime, either one is okay.
Callers jam the airwaves with sweet salutations of love and Happy Mother’s Day.
Don’t forget, EC (earthly children) phone home.
Fathers, you guys aren’t off the hook.
I hope my husband reads this post. The following statement is for him and all fathers.
It’s okay for a father to give the mother of his children a Mother’s Day gift.
Don’t you agree, mothers?
We love Mother’s Day, the trimmings, and attention.
I do.
And I enjoy honoring my mother, mother-in-law along with my daughter and daughter-in-law, who are mothers.
And to think that Mother’s Day could have been lost forever.
If Anna Jarvis, the founder of Mother’s Day, had had her way, she would have rescinded the day.
What!
That’s right.
But she had her reasons.
Ann Jarvis, Anna’s mother, was a great humanitarian. During the Civil War, she cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the bloody conflict. After Ann died in 1905, Anna received numerous condolence letters and cards. Stricken with grief, Anna wanted and advocated for a day to honor her beloved and deceased mother along with all mothers.
In May of 1908, several Mother’s Day events were held at Ann’s church. These events and a Mother’s Day event at a well-known department store sparked interest. Anna soon conducted promotional campaigns for Mother’s Day across the country and world. With help from a few prominent people and organizations, the idea of a single day dedicated to mothers caught fire. And Mother’s Day became a yearly memorial to mothers.
In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson established the second Sunday of May as Mother’s Day, a national holiday.
Right away, businesses capitalized on the emotional ties to Mother’s Day with aggressive advertisement and sale ventures.
Anna wanted Mother’s Day to be a day of outpouring love not inpouring profits for businesses. She thought commercialization spoiled the true meaning of the day.
In 1920, she started a petition to rescind the day that memorialized mothers.
Mother’s Day Salads, Mother’s Day Hats, flowers, and gifts weren’t why she founded the day.
She thought a heartfelt personal written letter was way better than an impersonal Mother’s Day card from Hallmark, Walmart or some other store.
I guess she thought if she founded the holiday, she could also do away with the day.
But this wasn’t the case. Jarvis’ efforts were unsuccessful.
Moms’ day is here to stay.
Mother’s Day should be one of the premier celebrations of the year. Where would we be without our mothers?
Tell your mother how must you appreciate and love her this year.
Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12, 2019.
Happy Mother’s Day!
May God bless all mothers.