A More Intentional Mother’s Day

As we head into Mother’s Day this year, I find myself contemplative. Growing up, Mother’s Day was marked by intentionality and celebration. I remember making macaroni necklaces, pottery concoctions and handmade cards. A favorite was the coupon book where I had activities and areas of service broken out for my mom to choose to use at will.

However, as I’ve gotten older, Mother’s Day seems to have become more routine. I often get my mom similar gifts and celebrate her with expected activities. Somewhere along the way, the heart that met me in my younger years has gotten lost.

So, I find myself entering this Mother’s Day more contemplative. How can I recapture the joy, creativity and intentionality of my youth this year as I celebrate my mom? How can I recapture a heart to show her that I see her, that I know her, and that I love her?

This year, I am marking this Mother’s Day with a theme of intentionality. What does my mom really love and treasure? How is she uniquely loved? How has she loved our family well? How many stories from her life am I lacking and need to know so I can love and know her better?

My hope is to make this Mother’s Day once again creative and fun. To make Mother’s Day once again intentional around the celebration of how much I love her and see her—truly see her. I want to be intentional about unfolding who my mom is and drawing closer to her.

I realize some of you may be reading this with a heavy heart or struggling as we head into another Mother’s Day. For many of you, this holiday can be heart-breaking. It can remind you of love lost, love unseen or love unreceived. I want to assure you that you are seen, you’re loved, and we’re here for you.

The key is to not run from the contemplation—to not run from being known, being seen, or being loved whether you are on the celebration side or the heartache side of things this Mother’s Day. For those who see this holiday as a day of celebration, let it remind you to intentionally celebrate. Do not let another year roll by with the token, but instead press into the intentional.

And for those whose Mother’s Day is marked by heartache, my encouragement is to not shun this holiday, but intentionally allow it to draw your heart closer to God. Bring those hurts to the Lord, so that this Mother’s Day, He can be with you in your heartache. Invite Him into the depths of your heart and heartache so that He can be present with you in it all, and you can be known, seen and loved this Mother’s Day right where you are. For in Christ, all things can be redeemed. And that too, in time, can become something to celebrate.

So, let’s make this Mother’s Day one filled with intentionality. Let’s not let another Mother’s Day simply pass us by, but rather draw our hearts toward our moms and toward God—to draw our hearts deeper.