Today marks the 110th Mother’s Day since President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation officially designating the second Sunday of May as Mother’s Day. According to a multitude of credible websites, including Good Housekeeping and Pioneer Woman, a woman named Anna Jarvis campaigned tirelessly for years for our politicians to make Mother’s Day official. Jarvis did so in honor of her own mother and her deep appreciation of Mothers everywhere. Jarvis herself never married or had kids.
The commercialization of Mother’s Day happened in short order, even before Jarvis’ death. Jarvis expressed disappointment over this outcome. I personally do not think this is such a bad thing if one looks at it on a microlevel. Locally owned restaurants, flower shops, gift shops, etc. enjoy a surge each year in revenue. This is a good thing. Moreover, personally I do not think that most people feel pressure to go and spend money on their mothers. I believe people want to spoil Mom, and Mother’s Day gives them the opportunity to do so.
What I do think we should consider today and lift up in prayer is the complex emotions the day holds for many of us. In light of this, I decided to write a prayer this morning.
Dear Father,
Today, I pray for all of the children in the world that do not have a mommy to make a card for. May these children feel loved and cared for on this day and every day.
I pray for those old and young who lost their mothers this past year and feel an incredible absence as they awake this morning to their first Mother’s Day without their mother. I pray that the grief in their hearts will be filled with happy memories, not sorrow, or regrets.
I pray for those that so desperately want to be mothers, that have not yet been blessed with their own little bundles of joy. I pray that they may become mothers in the upcoming year or discover that your will for them is not as they currently long for it to be.
I pray for the mothers that are struggling to care for their children. May they gain the inner strength and means to carry on. May our society embrace and help struggling mothers everywhere, rather than passing judgement on their shortcomings.
I pray for those that never became mothers and are beyond their years of that being a possibility. I pray that no shortsighted individual says anything to make them feel less valued today or any day.
I pray for the mothers that are watching their children spread their wings and venture out into the world and could not be with some or all of their children today. I pray that these mothers know how deeply loved they are by their children.
I pray for the mothers that feel a sense of loneliness or isolation as perhaps today is just an ordinary day of chores or caring for children, while our social media pages are bombarded with pictures of fancy food, flowers, and families celebrating together.
I pray for those of that lost our mothers many years ago, and still break down in tears at some point every Mother’s Day. May we embrace the beautiful memories of our mother’s lives, rather than the sorrow of their deaths.
I pray for those with broken relationships with their mothers for whatever the reason. May love mend these broken bonds.
I pray for the women that never got the title of mother, yet they devote their lives to the wellbeing of children in the form teachers, nurses, therapists, stepmothers, mentors, and ministry. May these women know how deeply they are appreciated.
I pray for those that are working today, rather than getting to spend their day with their children or own mothers. May those working today be treated with kindness and appreciation.
I pray for women everywhere, whether this be a beautiful special day for them or a difficult day or a mixture of both. I pray for all to have a sense of inner peace today, and I hope that each of us spreads a bit of joy to those that we interact with today.
Amen
Beautiful prayer