Gratitude Day 629

Acts 20:35 – In everything I have shown you that, by working hard, we must help the weak. In this way we remember the Lord Jesus’ words: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Hubby Rick calls them “Hallmark Holidays.”

You know. The holidays that may or may not be a holiday but are considered one because then lots of people buy cards and send them to someone special?

Yep, he puts Mother’s Day in this category.

Don’t get me wrong. When his Mom was alive, he made sure to honor her on Mother’s Day. Sometimes, he’d get her a corsage to wear to church. Or take her to lunch, on Mother’s Day or a day near it. One time, Rick invited his Mom to lunch. It was going to be just the two of them. Rick’s Dad was rather put out when he wasn’t invited to join the party.

Unless you are living under a rock here in the United States, you probably are aware that this Sunday is Mother’s Day.

I’ve been thinking about Mother’s Day for a couple weeks now. Honestly, it’s sometimes a day that I don’t look forward to. My Mom has been gone for several years now. I don’t have children. There won’t be breakfast in bed or handmade cards at my house.

And it’s really OK. Seriously.

Instead, I’ve been mindful about how I can honor and remember those women who I appreciate in my life. Rather than expecting someone to think of me, why not shower someone else with a little love? We tell others that it is more blessed to give than receive … so will we practice what we preach?

This was the approach I’ve taken this week.

I wrapped little boxes for my sisters and mailed them early in the week so they would arrive before the weekend. I made a batch of our famous Deaton cut-out cookies and decorated them for spring. My 90-year-old Aunt Beverly enjoys them. I carefully bubble-wrapped a box of beautifully decorated cookies and send them to Denver this week. If the US postal service comes through, they will arrive today.

Yesterday, I delivered a hanging basket to a dear friend who often has been like a Mom to me. When I got out of the car at her house with the flower basket, she knew exactly why I was dropping the flowers off. It’s a little tradition that I have carried out for several years now.

Then, I picked up carryout lunches from a little Mexican restaurant and took them to another dear friend’s house. Both fully vaccinated, we decided it was OK for me to bring lunch to her house. Unfortunately, one of her grandsons passed away a few weeks ago. She made cups of my favorite peach tea and we had a nice visit. When I was ready to leave, my friend wanted to give me money for lunch. I simply told her, “Happy Mother’s Day.”

My heart was full yesterday afternoon. I had connected with the women who I really wanted to share a little something with in honor of Mother’s Day. Well, except my 89-year-old neighbor Kathleen. She LOVES the Deaton cut-out cookies. I have a box of them in the freezer ready to take to her tomorrow for our regular Saturday visit. None of these little things would be considered a “big” thing. But then again, I’m convinced that the little things ARE the big things in life. And this is really how we should live our lives.

I’m not sure if any of these little random acts of kindness makes a lick of difference to these ladies. This isn’t the point. The point is that I have been determined to express my love, care and appreciation to a few women this week rather than being disappointed that I don’t have a Mom or kids to celebrate Mother’s Day with. Rather than turning it inward, I challenged myself to turn outward and share my blessings with those around me.

Then, one more little thing happened. I’d stopped to pick up some groceries on my way home. Near the check-out counters, there were buckets and buckets of pre-packaged flowers for customers to pick-up for Mother’s Day. There were different kinds of bunches and different price points. I saw buckets of tulips and they simply made me smile.

Leaving my cart “in line,” I walked over by the flowers and drank in their beautiful colors and smells. I tried to stay out of the way of a couple who were picking through the flowers, determining what bunch they would buy. This is when I heard a tiny little voice in my head, “Buy the flowers, Dianne. Just buy them.”

I LOVE fresh flowers in the house. After we remodeled some of our current 105-year-old house, I made the decision to always have fresh flowers or a green plant on the island in the kitchen. There’s just something about walking into the kitchen and being greeted by a smiley bunch of flowers. As crazy as this sounds, seeing flowers shortly after I enter the house just makes me feel good. And so, I often have a vase of whatever flowers I picked up at the grocery store or from the neighborhood flower shop.

I haven’t had fresh flowers for a week or two. I just hadn’t been to the store. But yesterday? I listened to that little voice in my head. I bought a bouquet of red tulips. For no reason. Just because.  

I’m not calling them Mother’s Day flowers. I’m calling them cheery flowers. Put-a-smile-on-my-face flowers. A little bit of sunshine flowers. Anything that reminds me that I am a blessed woman. I have had many, many women whose fingerprints are pressed into my very being. They have gifted me so much over the years. And sometimes, we really must remind them that we appreciate all that they have done for us.

Maybe you aren’t able to pick-up someone’s favorite lunch and stop by for a visit. Or a woman that you care about deeply lives too far to drop by with a beautiful hanging basket. It’s OK. The little acknowledgement does not HAVE to arrive by Sunday. And in all honestly, a real-life phone call might be the most appreciated gift of all. Or some other tiny little way to remember them in the next few days. Or just buy the little bunch of tulips and give them to someone. Anyone.

Maybe this Mother’s Day won’t be exactly as you would like. Or prefer. It’s really OK if you let it be OK. I hope that you will embrace finding a way to share a special moment or two with someone you care about this weekend. Decide that YOU look forward to blessing someone else more so than hoping someone will remember you.

Whether Mother’s Day is what you consider a Hallmark holiday or not, it really doesn’t matter. This is a great opportunity to celebrate someone else. I pray you embrace this opportunity.

For so many opportunities to bless others in giving, I am grateful.

Blessings –

Dianne

When a holiday comes along and we’re not sure what to do, we can become discouraged. May we see there is an alternative: a choice to give to others rather than expecting someone to remember us. I pray we embrace this attitude in our daily lives. Amen.

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