The month of May holds a holiday called Mother’s Day in countries all over the world. It is a time to honor and show gratitude to mothers for all their hard work, and is celebrated in many ways. Spending special family time, giving mom a gift, letting mom have the “day off” to herself, taking mom out to eat, and letting mom spend time with friends are some of the most popular.
[quote type=”center”]Comfort thy mother and endeavor to do what is conducive to the happiness of her heart.[/quote]
-Abdu’l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha v1, p. 73
Here we are going to list five creative ways to celebrate Mother’s Day with a spiritual twist. They will encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity Mother’s Day affords to boost your own spiritual energy and find renewal in your role as a mother. They are listed in order of simplicity: the most simple first, and the more involved last.
1. Special Family Time: Request Mother’s Day family prayers.
Ask your family to plan (or plan yourself) some special family prayers. Whether they are held in the morning or night, add something a little different such as lighting a candle, displaying some flowers from the garden, or including a few more quotations or songs than usual.
Be sure you cherish this time. Forget about the next meal you have to cook, the laundry needing to go on the line, or the car to be washed. Focus fully on your children, watch their sweet faces and savor the moments your family spends in communion with God.
If you want some help choosing quotations for the day, download a short devotional program on the subject of families here.
2. A Gift For Yourself: Ask for (or buy yourself) a gift which will nourish your soul.
Depending on your financial situation, you may not set aside money for yourself very often. Tell your husband that you rather him not buy you flowers or chocolates, but a book or CD which will inspire you throughout the year instead.
If you don’t have time to go out and search for something, consider shopping online. Take a few minutes to find something that will inspire you. A few of our favorite items can be found at the bottom of this page (Children of the Kingdom would be at the top of this list – find our interview with author Daun Miller here).
3. Time on Your Own: Spend a few hours by yourself to meditate and reflect.
Personal time is a luxury many mothers of young children go without. Ask your husband, extended family, or close friends to watch your children for two or three hours so you can spend some time in prayer and meditation. Check out this post to read a step-by-step plan of how you might like to spend this time, in order to relax your mind and replenish your soul.
Or if you haven’t already filled out our Dream and Scheme booklet, take an hour or two to do so. This booklet will help you think about your life goals and hopefully give you some direction for reflection and inspiration.
4. A Special Meal: Have a meal-in fundraiser.
Not having to cook or prepare a meal is a gift many mothers would appreciate, and going out to eat is usually the first way families achieve this. With the Baha’i Funds in such great need (and the new Temple Fund announced in the Ridvan letter so exciting!) consider having a “meal-in” and donating the money that would have been used eating out to the Fund. This way you can have a lovely meal but also give precious money to a most worthy cause. There are several ways to go about this:
Ask your family to prepare a meal, without your help. Have them surprise you with the menu. Make sure you are out of the house or in a separate room when they are preparing, so no one is tempted to get you in on the process! Have them invite you to the meal only when it’s ready on the (already set) table.- Ask your husband to purchase frozen meals for everyone, and organize them being heated and set on the table for dinner. Your child(ren) may even like to play waiter, cook, and/or cleaner.
- Invite another Baha’i family (or a few) over for a morning tea or a dessert party. Whether you want to buy or make a dish to contribute is up to you. Request everyone to bring a plate of finger foods which does not require utensils (and are also less messy to clean up after). Play some music and enjoy fellowship together. Request dads and children to be in charge of all clean up – clearing tables, doing the dishes, tidying after guests, and vacuuming. If the weather is suitable, have the “party” on the lawn or at a park picnic-style, to reduce clean up and enjoy the outdoors.
Donate the money saved from having your “meal-in” to the Baha’i Fund, earmarked as you choose.
5. Time with Friends: Host a Mother’s Devotional.
Arrange a few hours during a morning, afternoon, or evening to get together with some other mothers at a time you can be child-free. Split up duties for having a Mother’s Devotional together. For example, one mom may want to host the event, another prepare some refreshments, another select some readings and music, and another be in charge of cleaning up. Start with prayers and some inspirational readings, and then spend some time on meaningful conversation. You may like to use our Mother Moments Game for this purpose.
Enjoy the time of connection with other mothers focused on celebrating motherhood and spiritual rejuvenation.
What other ideas do you have for having a spiritually uplifting Mother’s Day?
