Today Is Mother's Day
I like to know how things started. The following two paragraphs describe how our Mother's Day in America started (taken from Grace Fellowship daily e-letter).
One hundred years ago, during the month of May in 1907, Anna Jarvis handed out hundreds of carnations at her church on a Sunday morning in memory and honor of her mother. In addition to being a great human being and mother, Anna's mother had organized mothers during the civil war to improve sanitary conditions for the soldiers.
One hundred years later we honor mothers also during the month of May on the nationally recognized Mothers' holiday. It has become a sixteen billion dollar commercial holiday, a fact that would have horrified Anna Jarvis. In fact, about 23 years after Anna had passed out carnations at her church, the day that later was declared Mother's Day, Anna actually filed a lawsuit to stop a Mother's Day celebration that she felt had become too commercialized. Something that Anna had done as a way to show her gratitude and love for her mother soon became an obligation to others.
My mother will be 90 years old this November. She birthed 12 children, raised 11, and has buried one of those 11. She's called Virgie by many of her offspring, Grandma Cherry by 41 grandchildren and by too-numerous-to-count great grandchildren, and this month will become a great-great grandma. It's fun to say to her, "Happy Mother's Day. I love you."
Paul's mother will be 89 on Tuesday. Yesterday he and his sister and brother took Grandma West to their favorite hamburger place and celebrated Mother's Day and her birthday with other friends and relatives who came. They had a good time.
One day in Sunday School a few years ago, the teacher asked the class if they thought Mother's Day was a good thing to have or was it just a commercialized holiday so merchants could make money. This question made several people angry that it would have even been asked. The answers were varied and interesting and on both sides. It was thought provoking, and I've always thought back to that question when Mother's Day rolls around.
I'm a Mother and have already received Mother's Day gifts and cards. I think I celebrate my motherhood more by being glad my children survived my bumbling parenting and have all become responsible adults to be proud of, rather than being glad my children remembered me on this day.
I'm very glad that we've had another year to enjoy our Moms being with us. Today is a great day to rejoice and be glad.
Have a good one!
MB
