Mormon Life - Mother's Day tag

Love Her Mother

Fri, 11 May 2012 07:58:00 -0600

source: lds.org

Mormon Life says: You might need a tissue for this beautiful Mormon Messages video.

Favorite Primary songs about Mom have long history

Thu, 10 May 2012 13:13:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Sunday is Mother’s Day, and in most wards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a chorus of Primary children will sing to honor mothers in sacrament meeting.

Diane Maciel, the Primary music director in a Spanish Fork, Utah, ward, let the children in her Primary choose which song from the “Children’s Songbook” they wanted to sing. After singing through several with the children, Maciel said “I Often Go Walking” and “Mother, Tell Me the Story” came out on top.

These and at least five other songs found in the LDS “Children’s Songbook” have been sung on Mother’s Day for many years. Here are some things you might not know about those songs.

Mom, all flowers remind me of you

Thu, 10 May 2012 08:58:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Not long ago my 4-year-old daughter came running inside with an infinitesimal first blossom of the season. In her chubby fingers, she delicately protected a thread-size stem bearing three tiny white petals presumably from some noxious weed.

“A flower for you mommy!” she exclaimed.

I stopped everything to admire her treasure and carefully placed it in my collection of her daily gifts of colorful rocks, “beautiful” wood chips and dried autumn leaves.

All winter long when I pick her up from preschool, she exuberantly empties her pocket to offer another uniquely designed wood chip from the playground symbolizing her thoughts of me while we’re apart for two hours.

{Lifestyle} Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:09:00 -0600

by Ashley Evanson
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: You still have three days to buy or make your mother a gift--don't forget!

Every year I'm in a panic Saturday night before Mother's Day because I've procastinated getting her a present yet again. This year I'm thinking about it three days ahead of time--a new record! I usually like to combine a store-bought gift with something homemade or a type of service. I found these beautiful items and clever ideas that would make great Mother's Day presents and thought I'd share. What do you like to get your mom?

Photo from Anthropologie

Farmer's Market Baskets, $14

Photo from Deseret Book

Life Lessons from Mothers of Faith, $23.99

Photo from Amazon.com

Skirted Cake Stand, $25.96

Photo from Laura Winslow Photography

Printable Mom Survery

Photo from Deseret Book

Forget Me Not, $13.49

Photo from How About Orange

DIY Bunting Flag Card (of course, minus "Happy Birthday")

Photo from Deseret Book

Marble Christus Statue, $59.99

Photo from House of Earnest

DIY Painted Wooden Spoons

Photo from Make and Takes

Bookmark for Mom

Photo from The 36th Avenue

DIY Cupcake Kit (plus 24 more DIY crafts)

Mother's Day Tribute - "She Put the Music in Me" by Calee Reed

Wed, 09 May 2012 11:41:00 -0600

source: youtube.com

Mormon Life says: Beautiful video. Grab a tissue. Hooray for good women and mothers!

Motherhood, single moms and a talented musician on 'Mormon Times TV'

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:15:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

When my husband and I were newly married, I taught a class of 16- to 18-year-old Laurel young women in my ward that stole my heart from the get-go. They became some of my dearest friends while we were together. We laughed at the crazy moments, cried over their disappointments and trials, and celebrated their achievements — together. When they were ready to graduate, they gave me a framed group picture of themselves — all dressed up — and it’s something I’ve cherished for over 20 years. The best part is those bonds and relationships continue to this day.

This Sunday on our special Mothers’ Day edition of "Mormon Times TV," you’ll see how the image of motherhood takes many forms. We’ll introduce you to a woman whose loving influence deeply affected a similar group of young women, now young mothers themselves.

Mother's Day meals made easy

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:07:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Men may feel pressure after they realize they are responsible for making all three meals for Mother’s Day. But dads need not fear. Below are some fool-proof slow-cooker recipes from Karen Petersen's “365 Days of Slow-Cooking” (Covenant Communications, $25.99) that will take the stress off of creating great meals for the women they love.

*****

Breakfast: Waffle and Sausage Breakfast

Primary general president reflects on her mother

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:02:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Editor's note: The following is an excerpt from the book "Life Lessons from Mothers of Faith," published by Covenant Communications.

The kitchen table was the spiritual center of my mother’s home, and when our family surrounded it, we drew from our mother’s faith. My mother, Mary Cannon Mix, did not preach to us. She simply lived her life so we could be taught. She did not demand our presence. Her warmth was an invitation. Her service to our family was not a burden — it was the air she breathed. She was and is not perfect. She is real.

How do I know this? I observed her while I was growing up, and I still observe her today in her 92nd year. Much of the time with my mother was spent within the walls of our family home. It is a humble home, but to her it is a castle, because it can compare to the sacredness of the temple. Each member of our family feels it when we walk through the front door. The Spirit draws us to her, and then we gather at the kitchen table.

2012 LDS Primary Mother's Day Gift Idea

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:09:00 -0600

source: sofiasprimaryideas.blogspot.com

This is an activity for primary children to do with their "special lady". I've said it before, but I'll say it again. I don't think kids should ever feel bad on mother's day if they don't have a mother.

Latter-day Saints celebrate motherhood

Sun, 08 May 2011 09:45:00 -0600

source: Newsroom.lds.org

This Sunday, 8 May 2011, marks Mother’s Day in the United States. Since the beginning of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its leaders have spoken clearly about the significant role of motherhood and the important influence of mothers in instilling Christ-like attributes in their children. Here are just a few of those quotes:

“One cannot forget mother and remember God. One cannot remember mother and forget God. Why? Because these two sacred persons, God and mother, partners in creation, in love, in sacrifice, in service, are as one.”

Thomas S. Monson, “Behold Thy Mother,” April 1998 Ensign

Vai's View: A salute to mothers

Fri, 06 May 2011 11:14:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Editor's note: This is the third in a series looking back on Vai Sikahema's career in the NFL.

It has become almost a right of passage for professional athletes to reward their parents, especially Mom, with a mansion after signing that first big contract.

I wasn't in that position, even after the Cardinals ripped up my rookie contract and rewarded me with a new multi-year deal that included a bigger signing bonus than the one I was given as a 10th-rounder. NFL contracts aren't guaranteed except for the signing bonuses, so I still had to play to earn the salaries in my contract.

After two consecutive Pro Bowl appearances in my first two years in the NFL, I had as much job security as one could hope for in a league often known among players as "Not For Long." So when the Cardinals moved to Arizona, I had to carefully manage what I'd be able to do to help my parents financially, without jeopardizing our own precarious nest egg. Our second child, another boy we named Leland James and nicknamed LJ after my BYU teammate, punter Leland (Lee) Johnson, was born the summer we arrived in Arizona. Our little family was growing as my career was skyrocketing.

Weekend Craft: Mother’s Day Gift Wrap

Fri, 06 May 2011 00:10:00 -0600

by Oh My Crafts
source: MormonLife.com

Our moms do so much for us every day that it’s nice to remember them with something that we have put a little bit of ourselves into. This simple yet elegant wrapping paper with handmade ribbon and bows provides just the right touch.

Supplies Needed:

Basic Grey: Sweet Threads
Oh My Crafts: Bazzill coordinated cardstock
EK Success: Martha Stewart punches
Elizabeth Craft Designs: Glitter Ritz and Glitter Magnet
My Minds Eye: colored twine
Tombo: Mono Multi Liquid Glue
Tim Holtz: tiny attacher, tiny tags and tabs
Fiskars: trimmer
Provo Craft: Yu-du Paint
Reynolds: freezer paper
Craft supply: tissue paper
Iron: dry heat

(Use coupon code LDS10 to get 10% off supplies needed)

Wrapping Paper:
   1. Tear off a piece of freezer paper the size of tissue paper.
   2. Tightly crumple one sheet of tissue paper and then spread out flat.
   3. Heat iron on medium-high heat – absolutely no steam!
   4. On a heatproof surface, lay tissue paper on top of waxy side of freezer paper and iron. Keep iron moving slowly across the tissue paper until the wax starts to melt and adheres the tissue to the freezer paper. When the wax starts to melt, tiny wrinkles will appear.
   5. Set aside and let cool.
   6. Squeeze out some paint onto a paper plate or non-stick mat.
   7. Gently press stamp into paint and slide around in paint until thoroughly covered.
   8. Stamp onto tissue paper.
   9. Repeat until pattern is complete.
10. Paint washes off with warm water.

Paper Ribbon:
   1. Choose desired paper to go with wrapping paper. Punch entire sheet of paper to make bow and ribbon.
   2. With liquid glue, overlap edges about ½ inch in the middle and glue together, matching the design of the punch. Only glue what is needed for ribbon.

Bow One:
   1. Each length of bow will be determined by the size of the box being wrapped. For most bows, it will take between ½ and ⅔ of a strip. Save all remaining pieces.
   2. Make a round loop, and with the remaining piece, loop the strip over and back under the center loop. Staple together.
   3. Make another separate loop to match the other side and slip under the center loop and then staple.
   4. Use a complete strip and make 2 loops (the outer edges come together in the center), staple in the center.
   5. Place the top 3 loops over the 2 loops just made and staple in the center.
   6. Make ribbon as in step 2 above.
   7. Use the ribbon to “tie” the package and place bow in the center and glue down using a generous amount of glue. (See tip)

Bow Two:
   1. Punch an entire 12 x 12 sheet of paper to make a bow with multiple layers. There should be enough to make ribbons for tying around a small package.
   2. Separate 4 strips for the first layer of the bow. Loop the ends to the center and staple. Repeat with the other 3 strips. Then layer the first 2 strips in a cross and staple. Repeat with the next 2 strips and rotate just a little so that you have a perfect circle of loops.
   3. Make the next layer the same way, except use 4 smaller strips.
   4. For the center, use half as much ribbon as the middle layer and only 2 strips to make a ball that is glued in the center. (See tip)

Bow Three:
   1. Determine length of strip for bow by looping strip to make a circle.
   2. Cut 4 strips of punched design to the same length.
   3. Loop strip to make a circle and staple ends.
   4. Loop second strip over first circle, forming a cross.
   5. Continue looping each strip over the previous one and staple. Make sure the layers are spread out in a circle before stapling.
   5. Glue down in place. (See tip)

TIP: Use a pair of tweezers to hold the bow in place while the glue dries.

{Lifestyle} Photo Gallery: Mothers Rock!

Thu, 05 May 2011 00:04:00 -0600

by LDS Living readers
source: MormonLife.com

We asked you, our reader, to send us your favorite picture of your mom so we could feature it in this special Mother's Day photo gallery. We LOVE the pictures you sent in and are so happy to share your amazing moms and their stories with the world. Thank you, and happy Mother's Day!

Photo from Kate Ensign-Lewis, Sandy, Utah

"I love this picture of my mom as an almost-one-year-old. It's the perfect expression of what she still is: energetic, happy, and just a little crazy. The sideways tongue is my favorite--as if she just can't contain herself and has to reach out with everything she's got." ~Kate

Photo from Bradley Hayes, Provo, Utah.

"My Grandma was never afraid to try new things. The Sunglasses she is wearing are actually because she had just had cataracts surgery. I feel it adds to the rockin granny look." ~ Brad

Photo from Bradley Hayes, Provo, Utah.

"I like this photo because it reminds me that my Mom was once young and full of dreams, eagerness, and excitement. She hasn't changed." ~Brad

Jean. Photo from Shauna, West Jordan, Utah.

"Thanks so much for letting us share!" ~Shauna

Photo from Darrell, Herriman, Utah.

"This is a picture of my Mom and me at our favorite camping location." ~Darrell

Paula and Debbie. Photo from Jessica Woodruff, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

"A photo of my mothers. My mother died when I was two years old, and I was raised from that point on by her two older sisters Paula and Debbie." ~Jessica

Debbie Parker. Photo from Emily Horn, Monterey, Tennessee.

"A picture of my Momma and me that she took while I was practicing driving." ~Emily

Sheri Pectol. Photo from Cindi Bauer, Layton, Utah.

"My mother is Sheri Pectol of Heber, Utah and is the mother of 9, grandmother of 25. I like this picture because it shows that she still gets right out there with us on outings and excursions and vacations, even though it is not very easy for her to do so due to her diabetes. Here she is hiking in Goblin Valley State Park, Utah. She is amazingly warm, understanding, funny, smart, and filled with wisdom, courage and love. Best mom we could have ever asked for!" ~Cindi

Amanda Turley. Photo from Craig Turley, Logan, Utah.

"My wife's first Mother's Day." ~Craig

DeeAnn Jensen. Photo from Amanda Turley, Logan, Utah.

Susan Turley. Photo from Amanda Turley, Logan, Utah.

"She is the best mother-in-law someone could have. She does so much for us each and every day. She is a wonderful grandmother to our 6-month-old daughter. She is an inspiration to me as a mother." ~Amanda

Photo from Carolyn Z. Cheney, Sugar Land, Texas.

"After leaving home, my mother went back to school and finished her degree! What an honor for her to be a college graduate! She has always loved education--always learning something. Through many hours of labor, she sacrificed her time to teach her children. I was so pleased when she was able to go back to school and finish her education. My sister Connie and my mother were roommates one summer at BYU! Great job, Mom!" ~Carolyn

Photo from Laurie Lou, Lake Oswego, Oregon.

"This is my mother Joyce Nadine McMahan and my father Ronald A. Bremer in the hospital the day I was born 2/2/71 in Bountiful, Utah. So tender and sweet. I just love it." ~Laurie Lou

Dorothy. Photo from Barbara, Mountain Green, Utah.

"My mother and Eli, her great-grandson, trying to comb her hair for her." ~Barbara

Cula Farnsworth. Photo from Jennifer Jessop, Mission Viejo, California.

"Comic relief is sometimes all you can do to get over sadness. This picture was taken last week at my daddy’s burial service. In the picture is my fabulous mother and my three sisters, who are also wonderful mothers."

Joy Diane Jones. Photo from Ashley Jones, Draper, Utah.

Judith Jan. Photo from Daisie Dance, Rochester, MI.

"My dad took this picture of my mom when they were newly married and he was taking a photography class. I love how he captured her youth and beauty!" ~Daisie

Celebrate Mother's Day: No Kids Required!

Tue, 03 May 2011 00:04:00 -0600

by Kerstin Daynes
source: MormonLife.com

Even if you don’t have children of your own, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Redirect your thoughts. Consider Mother’s Day as a celebration of your own mother, rather than a celebration of your own “motherly” status. Although it sometimes takes all my strength to redirect my thoughts, I have found the emotions to be not as intense when I am thinking of and celebrating my mom.

Consider how you are a mother. According to dictionary.com, the verb form of “mother” is “to acknowledge oneself the author of, to give origin or rise to, to care for or protect like a mother.” What are you the author of? What and whom do you care for or protect? What have you created? Who have you influenced? Each answer makes you a mother.

Reach out to someone else you know who is dealing with infertility. You know how difficult it is, so why not reach out and make the experience better for someone else? Send flowers, send a note or an e-mail, call, or visit; do something that will help your friend know that someone is aware of her.

Plant flowers. Mother’s Day is when the cold of spring frosts are behind us and when the life within a plant will flourish. Plan to plant some flowers or a new bush or tree in your yard as a symbol of life and your ability to nurture and nourish.

Celebrate your family as it is. Spend time with your spouse. Do something fun. Do something that can be counted as your yearly tradition for Mother’s or Father’s Day. We all need another excuse to celebrate and to do something extraordinary.

Prepare by organizing a get together of friends with similar struggles. Share ideas about where you will find your strength. Commit to helping each other endure the roller coaster of emotion around these difficult holidays. Do something fun that can get your mind off of what is happening around you.

Mothers Matter

Tue, 03 May 2011 00:02:00 -0600

by Steve Mikita
source: MormonLife.com

My life would be lived in a wheelchair. That was an irreversible reality. The doctors envisioned a life full of hopelessness, despair, and frustration—and a life that wouldn’t be all that long.

All seemed lost. No one gave me a chance; well, almost no one.

In spite of this distressing news that my future would be tragically brief, my first memory is not the realization that I would never stand or walk as a result of my nerve disease, Spinal Muscular Atrophy. It is not being left alone in a cold, dreary hospital or doctor’s examining room and listening to a grim diagnosis from a unemotional doctor. Instead, my first memory is being showered by my mother’s kisses and hearing her affirmations of “I love you, and I am blessed that you were sent to me.” From the outset, I felt loved, appreciated, nurtured, adored, and protected by her. At such an early age I did not know much, but I did know I was absolutely safe in my mother’s arms. I was loved. Nothing else really mattered.

A Healing Love

No one should ever underestimate the profound power of a mother’s love. Not ever.

I am eternally grateful for the priceless gift of a mother’s love. Without her constant love, I would never have come to know God’s love. Without her at my side during trial after trial, I would not have approached my life with as much optimism, resolve, and resilience as I have. My mother taught me critical lessons about adversity, endurance, and faith. She taught me about bravery and determination in the face of overwhelming odds. She could not teach me how to walk or run. Rather, she taught me how to pray without kneeling. And what it takes to climb a mountain each and every day. It takes grit and faith and the love of someone cheering you on and telling you, “You can make it! I know you can. You will not fail. I will not let you.”

Mothers matter. No one can dispute that fact. They teach us about love, life, and ourselves. My mother taught me to believe there is purpose in trials. She helped me to interpret both the good times and the bad. Mothers do that.

Life does not comprise only victories and triumphs. We meet challenges, trials, and setbacks along the way. Mother and I laughed together and cried together. My mother made up for that which I lacked. Her love filled the gaps. Her love—not my muscles—was my strength. She was the difference that the doctors never saw. She was always right there to hold my hand and to kneel at my bedside. She was the answer to my life’s unknowable questions. Isn’t it interesting to note that a mother’s love never appears in any definition or prognosis of a chronic disease? But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist in their grateful children’s hearts and make a remarkable difference in their children’s lives and attitudes about their afflictions.

Mother was the one who lifted me out of my crib, dressed me, fed me, and nurtured me every day. But unlike most mothers, my mother continued this same routine—day after day, night after night—for the first 18 years of my life! She was the first person who greeted me in the morning, and the last person who told me goodnight. What is even more staggering to consider is that she would also turn me over from one side to another three or four times each and every night. She never had a single uninterrupted night’s sleep for two decades!

What is absolutely amazing is that she did it all without registering a single complaint. What stamina! What commitment! What a mother! She did it gladly and cheerfully. Simply put, I was her son and she was my mother. That was enough reason for her.

Every Mother

All mothers make a difference in the lives of their children, not just mine. Mothers are indispensable to the lives, choices, development, and faith of their children. They guide us through the rough paths and help us define who we are and what we can become. Mothers remember what their children have gone through. They remember what their children have done. They remember what they have said. They remember what they needed and when they needed it. Mothers simply remember. They serve, sacrifice, and serve some more. They overflow with energy, dedication, and, most importantly, love. They pick us up when we fall and lift us to safe and higher ground. They only want the best for their kids and they will do anything to make sure we are happy and successful.

Mothers play a unique role in God’s plan. God blesses us with mothers to teach, love, and nurture us through the difficult experiences of our lives. God enlists mothers to help His children learn about Him and to rely on Him. In this way, they are His ministering angels.

I came to understand that my life could be successfully lived without strong muscles. It could not have been lived without my remarkable mother.

So how can you and I ever repay our mothers? There is no price for a mother’s everlasting love. What we can offer is the same kind of committed love and sacrifice to others which our mothers gave to us. We owe them no less. We can honor them by loving others as they loved us. That gift of love that she gave us you and Ist can now share.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I love you. I sit in awe of you!

*To learn more about Steve Mikita's book I Sit All Amazed: The Extraordinary Power of a Mother's Love, click here.

Why Don’t Moms Like Mother’s Day?

Tue, 03 May 2011 00:02:00 -0600

by DeAnne Flynn
source: MormonLife.com

As I sat watching women shop for gifts at a spring art show near my home, I decided to use my social statistics skills from college to take a little unofficial poll, the results of which have inspired some important things to consider while preparing for Mother’s Day this year.

I briefly surveyed one hundred women, ages 20 to 65, and simply asked them a seemingly uncomplicated question: “How do you feel about Mother’s Day?” Remarkably, 72% of the women polled expressed negative feelings about this annual event. (Read LDS Living's Facebook discussion on this very topic.)

Their reasons for disliking Mother’s Day varied, but the facial expressions these women used when describing their feelings were surprisingly similar. I observed plenty of grumpy grimaces with furrowed brows, and forced smiles with rolled-back eyes, as almost three-quarters of the women I surveyed expressed unenthusiastic feelings about observing the upcoming holiday.

“It’s a hard day for me, quite frankly,” one woman shared, “because I have to do all of the work. I cook, I entertain, and I try to celebrate my own mother and mother-in-law, but I usually end up feeling exhausted on the very day that I should be given a break.” Ironically, several other women said they typically dread Mother’s Day because it’s a sad reminder that their own mothers are no longer around to dote upon.

Sheri Robison from Salt Lake candidly acknowledged, “When I was single, Mother’s Day reminded me of all the things I wanted, but didn’t have. People tried to lump me into a group where I didn’t feel like I belonged, and it always made me feel uncomfortable.”

“Uncomfortable” was a word I heard repeatedly while conducting this survey. In fact, more than half of the women I interviewed expressed apprehension about standing to receive the traditional Mother’s Day potted begonia or long stemmed rose at church. And nearly all of these women mentioned feeling more discouraged than inspired after hearing fantastic stories and poems from the pulpit about mothers who “never spoke a cross word” or who “never missed a baseball game.”

“No mom thinks they have it all figured out, or that they’re doing it well,” said Shauna Hoj, a Holladay mother of four. My own mother fit squarely into this category while I was growing up. I remember sitting next to her in church, passing along a steady stream of tissues as she quietly wept through all of those “I had a glorious and perfect mother” talks. At that particular time in her life, my mom was a single parent and her family was certainly not what she had ever envisioned it to be.

Undoubtedly, it is a rare woman who thinks her life has actually become what she had once anticipated, or that she is actually doing “enough” for her family day to day. All too many women mistakenly believe that their efforts must be grand to be great, and that small means insignificant.

I have wrestled with similar feelings myself while mothering my own seven children. But, over the years, my family has helped me to realize that it hasn’t been the big things I’ve said or done, it has generally been the little things that have made the largest difference in their lives--those outwardly insignificant things we moms so often taken for granted. Like helping our loved ones begin a brand new day with warm, fluffy pancakes in the early morning hours, or providing clean, soft pillows for them to sleep on at night. I call these small efforts “mother’s mites,” and I believe they are the very things every self-sacrificing caregiver should be honored for offering this season.

So, this Mother’s Day, consider using these simple ideas to help show the women you revere just how important they are:

1. Plan Ahead. Instead of going shopping the day (or the night) before Mother’s Day, think of ways to show some much-appreciated attention in advance. Make a list of needed supplies. Assign tasks to various family members. And make it a stress-free, memorable day for everyone involved.

2. Be Aware. Take some time to reflect upon the many ways your wife, mother, grandmother, or nurturer shows her love for you and your family. Write your thoughts down. Try to become more aware of the little things she does that make a large difference in your life.

3. Get Specific. Tell her what you’ve noticed. Detail the things you’ve seen her do and say that you appreciate. Instead of writing generalities on a Mother’s Day card, make your comments specific and personal. She’ll love hearing about the meaningful memories and moments you’ve observed.

4. Give Her a Break. If there’s one thing women truly appreciate, it’s a helping hand. Better yet, it’s ten helping hands! So let the women you love take the day off. Plan, purchase, and prepare the Mother’s Day meals. And, most importantly, CLEAN UP the mess afterward.

Making this Mother’s Day a genuine “holiday” for the nurturing women in your life is easy when you simply focus on little, thoughtful gestures. After all, it’s usually the smallest efforts that matter most.

Visit MothersMite.com for more ways to celebrate and affirm those who mother.

(DeAnne Flynn is the author of The Mother’s Mite: Why Even Our Smallest Efforts Matter and The Time-Starved Family: Helping Overloaded Families Focus on What Matters Most from Deseret Book. She is also a “Time Out for Women” presenter and the mother of seven.)

www.deanneflynn.com

{Lifestyle} Call for Photos: Mothers

Mon, 02 May 2011 12:09:00 -0600

by Ashley Evanson
source: MormonLife.com

LDS Living wants to honor all of the moms out there! Everyone has “the best mom in the world,” and we want to show them some love.

Send us your favorite picture of your mother (or a significant woman in your life) and we’ll feature it in our Thursday newsletter as part of our “Mothers Rock!” photo gallery.

Send photos to blogs@ldsliving.com by Wednesday, May 4 with your name, place of residence, and your mother’s name.

Ex-traor-di-nar-y

Sun, 01 May 2011 00:00:00 -0600

by Hilary Weeks
source: MormonLife.com

Ex-traor-di-nar-y

[ik-strawr-dn-er-ee]

1. Beyond what is usual, ordinary or established.
2. Noteworthy, remarkable.

I was having a really tough day. Well, to tell you the truth, it had been a really hard week.

Fine . . . if I must fully divulge, I had been struggling for several months. There. I said it. Fortunately the feeling of discouragement was about to be lifted right in the middle of an ordinary afternoon.

My family was visiting Zion Ponderosa in Southern Utah—one of my favorite places on the planet. I had about an hour to myself, so I took an iPod and went out on the deck hoping to connect with Heavenly Father as I listened to music and marveled at the beauty of the trees, mountains, clouds, skyline—everything He created. I like being in nature. I can feel Him. I can feel His love. I can hear a little more clearly and see a little more deeply. It helps me reconnect with who I am and who He wants me to be.

I was sitting in a chair with my feet up on the railing of the deck, listening to “You Give.” I closed my eyes for a few minutes and when I opened them I saw the prettiest little rainbow. It had appeared during the 30 seconds I had closed my eyes and reopened them. It lasted for maybe two or three minutes, and then it was gone.

I love moments like that—moments that feel like they are sent just for us. Moments when we know Heavenly Father is near. Aware. Close.

I’d like to think that rainbow was made just for me.

After the time spent listening to music and praying and thinking . . . I felt good. I was glad I had taken the time and opportunity to be in a place where Heaven could find me.

Finding Extraordinary
Extraordinary moments can happen in the middle of ordinary days. They can. They do. Sometimes remarkable things (an answer, a hug from a child, inspiration) go completely unnoticed. Sometimes remarkable things (an answer, a hug from a child, inspiration) are life-changing.

Several years ago, I was on a mother-daughter dinner date with Calli, who was nine at the time. Through a mouthful of macaroni and cheese, Calli giggled as she recounted a game of freeze tag she played during recess that day.

Then it hit me . . .

I will spend eternity knowing Calli as an adult. But tonight, right here, right now, and for the next few precious years, I have the rare privilege of knowing her as a child.

What a gift to experience the children in our lives as children! For a brief moment during the journey of mortality, we get to watch them laugh, learn, experience, and grow.

Yes, in the middle of an ordinary day, I found an extraordinary moment.

Making Extraordinary
Recently I conducted an experiment. For 30 days during my morning prayers, I asked Heavenly Father what was most important for me to accomplish that day. After my prayer, I would listen and wait to allow the Spirit to speak to me about what was most important to do that day. Usually it was a prompting of only one thing. He didn’t send a long list of things to do—just one, maybe two.

One morning I felt prompted to write my 9-year-old daughter Meg a note telling her how much I loved her. After dinner, I finally got around to writing the note. I left it on her bed while she was taking a bath. After getting out of the bath and getting into her pajamas, she came downstairs where I was. She was crying—really crying. I asked her what was wrong. Meg told me that she had been feeling very lonely and had just been upstairs praying for Heavenly Father to help her to feel loved. She went into her room and found my note. She could barely get the words out while she was telling the story. I was grateful to know what was most important that day.

On another morning, I felt prompted to send an e-mail to a friend who is dealing with breast cancer. I hadn’t communicated with her for a while and I felt like she could use a word of encouragement and wanted her to know that someone was thinking about her. The next day she e-mailed back and said, “How did you know it was my birthday?!” I didn’t know, but Heavenly Father did.

The key to experiencing remarkable and noteworthy experiences is to recognize them! A rainbow. An inspired thought. A note. Extraordinary moments can happen while doing the dishes, driving carpool, making PB&Js, folding the laundry, wiping ketchup off a little chubby cheek or...over a dinner of macaroni & cheese.

They can.

They do.

Watch and see.

My Mom, My Gym Suit, and Love

Tue, 27 May 2003 08:45:00 -0600

by Marianne Jennings
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Holding up the crisp white gym suit to my mother, she took one look and declared, "I don't embroider." But by the next morning, she had transformed my solar white PE clothes into the symbol of an example I carry inside of me.

For seventh-grade gym class in 1965, we paid $7.00 for a white one-piece knee length jumpsuit with an elastic waist. When a very proper physical education teacher wearing a skirt, cardigan, and nurse's shoes handed us our gym suits, we knew she meant business. The suits would be bleached to remain white. They would be starched to remain crisp. And they would be ironed to appear neat. All laudable goals for clothing you'll sweat and play crab soccer in.

There was one more thing. Our names had to be on our gym suits-but they couldn't be inked with a laundry marker. Our names had to be embroidered.

I took my gym suit and the teacher's demands home to mother. She responded as I would respond to such a demand today, "I don't embroider. Your gym teacher will just have to live with it."

In junior high, peer pressure is a funny thing. Being laughed at by your friends for non-conformity is a disgrace exceeded only by having your parents appear with you in public. I whined about the need for my embroidered name. I added the usual, "you've ruined my life," to the embroidery fiasco. I stomped to my room to prepare for the next day's humiliation.

The next morning, I awoke to find the white symbol of tackiness bleached, starched and embroidered, lying on my dresser. I touched the cursive, red letters-"Marianne Moody." I thought my antihumiliation prayers to the Clearasil gods had been answered with a shoemaker-and-elves kind of magic.

I bounded down the stairs to show my mother. She was busy making breakfast for four children. On the kitchen counter were red embroidery thread, a book of instructions, a needle and several pieces of fabric showing an experimental "M" and "a." I instantly knew that I was looking at my elf. She only said, "I didn't know what color you wanted, so I picked red since red and white are your school colors."

I knew she probably hadn't slept. She made this sacrifice simply to hone a skill she'd use for only one night, allowing me to avoid humiliation at the hands of my peers.

Even as a shallow 12-year-old, I understood the embroidered gym suit was red-letter proof of her feelings for me. We exchanged a hug and I thanked her. But I never again spoke of the red embroidery until now.

Each Mother's Day, I worry. I worry about parenting. I worry about my children. I worry about me as a mother.

And I wonder. I wonder what my mother did that taught me the qualities of empathy, honesty and work. I wonder how my mother planted in me the desire to always return to her home and visit. I wonder how my mother makes home feel so good.

I question whether I need to buy another book about children and self-esteem. I ask if I should attend a class or seminar teaching how to be a fun parent.

Each Mother's Day, I want answers. I want to know I'm doing the right things.

As I look back on that morning of lettered surprise, I realize the chore of that embroidery is symbolic of what makes a good mother. I can see it in my children. My oldest thanks me for getting up early on Iowa Test days to fry bacon. My toddler hugs me when I pick him up at preschool for a very simple reason. "Mommy, you remembered the lettuce on my sandwich," he explains.

They never say, "Remember the day you spent $200 on me?" or "I'm so happy we have a new car." They only remember their tiny needs that were important to their mother.

A good mother is selfless. Sleep is not an issue when a child is in need--whether that need is physical or emotional. And that selflessness tells a child of love.

My mother's one-night stand with the crafts helped give me self-esteem. She put everything aside to prevent what was-to me-an impending catastrophe. It was an act of bonding-an insurmountable obstacle had been overcome together. It was an act of service. It was an act of love. It was a lesson in priorities.

In these days of Might Morphin' Power Rangers and birthday parties with pizza tokens, it remains a lesson that love is shown in non-materialistic ways.

My gym suit is a symbol of motherhood to me. My only wish this Mother's Day is that someday, somewhere; there is a task, teacher or equally challenging craft waiting for me and my children to share.

I still have the white gym suit. There's no way it would fit in the hips (it didn't in seventh grade). But I still take it out and touch those red letters-the letters of a novice embroiderer. They're thick, and a mass of knotted thread is hidden inside the gym suit.

As I touch those letters, I can see that exuberant morning once again. I can feel my mother's hug. When she is gone, those letters will be her legacy. On dark days, they'll remind me I am loved. Letters of red thread still touch my heart and soul.

Mommy Knows Best

Tue, 27 May 2003 08:22:00 -0600

by Colleen Down
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: I recently saw a T-shirt that read, "My mother is a travel agent—she specializes in guilt trips." Don’t we all? We mothers make such good travel agents because we’ve been on so many of those trips ourselves.

Every morning offers dozens of reasons to feel guilty. I feel guilty when I get up because Martha Stewart wouldn’t want me to leave the bed—the focal point of the room—unmade. I quickly brush my teeth and run out the door to get my child to school. We miss the bus—again.

I feel guilty because he yelled “shotgun,” and wants to make the five-minute ride to school sitting in the front seat where the air bag is primed to go off at any moment. I feel guilty because he’ll have to tell the office lady why he’s late—again.

Then I run home, hop in the shower, and lather up with Suave instead of Paul Mitchell shampoo. I feel guilty because my hair dresser said Suave will make my hair fall out. I grab a leftover chocolate chip cookie and a banana for breakfast, and feel guilty for not thinking of my cholesterol and eating oatmeal. I throw clothes in the dryer, including the sweater that yells, “Line Dry Only.” Paying a few bills, I feel guilty for using return labels from the Cancer Society (I never sent a donation).

I flip on the television and watch an exercise guru tell me not to bother folding my laundry, but enroll in a kick boxing class instead! Commercials remind me the washcloth in the kitchen sink is a prime carrier of bubonic plague, and if I don’t start buying antibacterial soap we’re all going to die.

The TV asks if I’ve taken my calcium supplement, as an old lady in a rocking char gazes at the sunset—or was that the Viagra commercial? More experts remind me I’m overdue for a pap smear, a mammogram and an oil change. It’s not even lunchtime and already I’m feeling totally inadequate.

The afternoon brings notes from teachers reminding me my child is behind in spelling and his lunch account is overdrawn.

Neighbors phone to ask if I know that my child just rode down the street without her bicycle helmet. A computer calls to tell me I have three library books overdue. I get dinner on and realize one of he basic food groups, or whatever it is we’re now supposed to measure dinner by, is missing. I do my best helping with homework while wondering why I never kept up on algebraic equations. I send my children to bed feeling guilty for not spending time reading to each of them.

Finally, I crawl under the covers and begin drifting off to sleep, remembering that experts say my electric blanket sends out harmful electromagnetic waves. Oh well, if my hair falls out I won’t have to worry about using that cheap shampoo anymore.

Surrounded By Experts

We live in a world of experts. Madison Avenue uses the opinion of “experts” to feed our guilt and empty our wallets. In no area are we more prone to trust experts than that of childcare. Thankfully, Bill Cosby reminds us these child-care experts are usually people who have no children.

Surrounded by so many experts, it’s no wonder we forget who the real expert is. We are our child’s number-one advocate, and cannot turn this responsibility over to anyone else. While the school, church, and parks and recreation department can make our job easier, it’s not their job to raise our kids.

Each mother is the only person in the world who knows her own child. Like sonar, we recognize our own child’s cry on a playground full of children. We know which blanket our child needs when not feeling well. We know when our children are truly sick—and when they want to stay home because they didn’t finish their homework.

We must trust our instincts and not be so easily swayed by the advice of experts. An education team once evaluated my son, Andy. Sitting around a large conference table with a dozen psychologists, therapists and teachers, I was totally intimidated—until I saw the humor of the situation.

Here were people—who’d each spent no more than 30 minutes with my son—handing me reams of reports. Naturally, they contained no practical information—like why he insisted on flushing Barbie dolls down the toilet. I never saw any of these people again, but for a small moment they had me convinced they knew what was best.

While we need to learn from those who work with our children, mothers are among the very few people in our children’s lives who’re there for the long haul. Babysitters come and go. Teachers, Scout leaders, coaches, dance teachers, and neighbors all impact our children’s lives—and then move on.

Changing Advice

One reason to be skeptical of experts' advice is that it often changes with every generation. When my first child was born in the 1980s, everything was au natural. Steve and I faithfully took a pillow to our weekly Lamaze class. We spent two hours learning to visualize ourselves on the beach and breathe deeply. Sixteen years later, those breathing exercises actually came in handy while I was teaching that baby to drive!

I kept my baby in my hospital room, sure that If anyone else were to offer her a bottle our mother/child bond would be broken for life. A decade later I was still having babies, but had moved to the medicated mode. The anesthesiologist replaced my Lamaze instructor, and I let a nurse give my baby a little sugar water so I could get some sleep.

The changes through my baby-bearing years can be seen in the diaper hall of fame. I began with cloth diapers that had to be rinsed in the toilet. I then progressed to the first Pampers that fastened with diaper pins. Lacking elastic leg bands, they made babies veritable time bombs waiting to explode. I now use ultra-modern, Velcro-fastened diapers. The alphabet printed on them teaches my baby to read as he’s being changed.

The challenge parents face is knowing which ideas are passing fads, and which are timeless principles. In the 1920s, behaviorist John Watson warned mothers to never hug and kiss their children. After reading Watson’s theories, I finally understood why grandmother kept insisting I’d spoil my new born daughter if I held her too much. This was the “expert” advice she’d heard as a young mother.

I wonder what advice I’m now following my children will someday laugh at. Worse, will my children need a therapist to recover from expert advice I’ve chose to follow? Not if my child-raising is principle-based.

Listen to Your Heart

True principles of love, discipline, humor and respect never change, no matter what the magazines say. They’re timeless. If we’re well grounded in these principles, we’re generally safe when we follow our hearts. Deep down inside, we usually know what to do—but sometimes we must listen to our hearts. We sometimes need to pull our minds over to the side of the road and let our hearts tell us which way to go. We can’t leave our brains by the roadside, but we should allow our hearts to lead us and let our minds follow.

The day I graduated from college, I was six months pregnant with my second child. I’d dreamed of graduation day all my life. It was a tangible goal I’d finally reached. As we sat around the table that night, my dad asked me about my future plans. What kind of career would I have? Had I sent off job applications? What was I going to do with that every expensive diploma now held tightly in my hand? He was shocked when I said, “I’m going to stay home.”

“Colleen, think this through,” he said. “Your husband hasn’t finished school and soon you’ll have another mouth to feed.”

I couldn’t find words to explain the feelings of my heart. I only knew I had a beautiful little girl who had changed my life. Soon I would have a new baby to love and nurture. My heart had already decided my new career was to be at home. My mind would just have to work out the details later. Would money be tights? Of course! I used cloth diapers on my first three children, we had dings on our credit report, we shared on car—and I’ve had cabin fever since I left school. Do I have any regrets? No, not one!

Children need Mom to be the most important person in their life. It’s time to set aside inadequacies and trust our instincts as we fight the battles ahead. At the end of the day we must feel less guilt—and more confidence and passion. We have God-given intuition and knowledge to do the job well. Occasionally we need to place a waffle with a scoop of ice cream in front of our children for dinner. Then smile and say, “Mommy knows best.”