The Best Mother's Day Gift...That You Can Give Your Family!

Maybe you’re thinking, “Hey this is about me. It’s my day. Why should I be giving them a gift?”

We honor Moms.

I was reflecting on the fact that after years of pastoring, Emerson realized that on Mother’s Day he used to affirm the mothers while on Father’s Day he exhorted the men.

So I decided to reverse it.

I know there will be much honor given to women this Mother’s Day, but what if we as Moms took this special day and asked what we could give to the fam?

Maybe you’re saying, “What? I give and give and give! Why can’t I just receive for one day?”

And I hope you do receive lots of love this Mother’s Day! I hope many of you will get cards, flowers, and maybe even a nice brunch out. And I hope that these gifts are given out of a true desire of your loved ones to celebrate you.

I didn’t like Emerson and I didn’t like my kids.

But maybe some of you are like I was as a busy Mom. One day Emerson said, “Sarah I know you love me, but I don’t think you like me.” It felt like a knife in the gut.

But he was right. I didn’t like him and I didn’t like the three kids God had given us.

Upon reflection, I was reminded that we didn’t get married because I said, “I hate you and you hate me so let’s get married.” Who gets married saying that? Not anyone!!

I was unfriendly in my home.

We decided to marry because we were first friends. But I had become unfriendly in our home. I was complaining about every shoe from the front to the back door, every candy wrapper, every crumb, every wet towel left wherever. I was trying to change everyone to be like me. Because I thought if they did it my way we would all be happy!

No one was happy.

But no one was happy - not even me! This became a challenge to me to regroup; to re-frame my thinking, to be the friend that Emerson had married, and to be friendly in my home like I am outside of my home.

I know how easy it is to let fatigue and the burdens inside and outside the family weigh us down. But why is it we can control our friendliness when with our friends or complete strangers, but become downright unfriendly in our home?

Moms are called to be friendly.

Titus 2:4 says that we are to love our husbands and children. This word love is phileo which is a friendship love. Perhaps we as women are commanded to “phileo” our husbands and children because we become unfriendly in the home.

This week in preparation for Mother’s Day, why not give your family the gift of friendliness? Make a conscious effort to be the friendly person your husband married and let it spill over to your children. This can be as simple as smiling more often, greeting them with a more pleasant tone instead of a list of instructions, or just softening those facial expressions.

Give them the best Mother’s Day gift and a reason to celebrate…a friendlier YOU!

From my heart,

Sarah