Mother’s Day. What a wonderful day to celebrate mothers, right!? When I think of Mother’s Day I look forward to getting a stack full of cards and drawings and cute ‘about mom’ questionnaires that my kids make for me. It is a day when my kids tell me how much they love me a little extra and my husband reminds me that this house could not function without me 😉

I also celebrate my own mother on this day and thank her for all of her sacrifices and unconditional love. BUT this day is not so warm and fuzzy for all moms and we need to remember the brokenhearted on this day, too.

Women who long to have handprints all over their windows and a little voice call them mommy, but are having a hard time having a baby may hurt a little more on this day when they look around at their peers celebrating with their new baby. On the other hand, women who have just had their first baby will celebrate this holiday like never before! Moms who have had a tough year with toddlers or teenagers or every stage in between may need a little encouragement on this day that these stages will pass and they will be okay.

There are other moms who have had a wonderful year full of family support and children on the honor roll and they will want to share their happiness that overflows their full heart. Some mothers have a wonderful marriage and are spoiled rotten as they should be on their day, while other moms are facing a future as a single mom and are struggling to think of the days and months ahead.

My husband and I are so blessed that both of our mothers are alive and healthy, but for some this holiday may be the first without their mom and this day may be a hard reminder of the empty place in their heart. We are also blessed to have had loving mothers who raised us, but some people do not have good memories of their mothers. This holiday may bring back painful memories.

There are moms who are filling roles of ‘mom’ to children who are not biologically theirs and although this a a beautiful relationship it can be complicated and this holiday may be tough for the women and children in those homes.

On Mother’s Day it is so easy to focus on our own experiences with our mother or from being a mother ourselves that it is easy to overlook the people who sit quietly and hurt on this day.

As we open the cards and kiss our children on Mother’s Day may we remember to check in on a few people who are probably having a tough time and let them know that we are thinking of them. Let’s pray that they find peace and comfort in their heart and grow closer to God through their hard times.

That may make the difference between having a hard day verses one that has a glimmer of hope for their future.

Until next time,