What You Can Ask on This Mother’s Day
By Blythe Daniel and Helen McIntosh
We tease our children about “asking 20 questions” and here it is Mother’s Day and what a great time for them to ask you questions.
What would it be like for you to guide your children or grandchildren in coming to you this Mother’s Day with their curious thoughts and questions?
Questions can be powerful motivators for young children and adult children to get to show you their love and to learn something about you they don’t know.
Some of these could include:
What was it like when you were born? Where were you born? Where all have you lived?
Can we draw a family tree? I want to know about my grandparents and great grandparents.
When you were growing up, what was hard for you?
What would you do again if you could?
What do you like best about being a mom?
As a mother-daughter team, we love to encourage families to talk to each other even if things aren’t going great between you. To start the conversation and sometimes just even by saying, “I know we haven’t had some good days lately, but can we start again?”
This is a great time to have conversations that can start to bridge the gaps between you. Isaiah 58:12 (NIV) shows us that we can be the ones to repair whatever has taken place in our family or our family line just as Isaiah preached to the Israelites who experienced such devastation. He said: “Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”
Do you know what your loved one probably longs to hear? Words of affirmation, or what we like to call word gifts.
Because word gifts are something anyone can give at anytime, think of a word gift that you can write out and give to your mom (or ask your children if they would be willing to do this for you). What is a word that describes mom? Can you have children write out the word, color and decorate it?
We believe that this Mother’s Day can be a way to start or continue healing between hearts when we genuinely can affirm the other with not just our words, but God’s words as well. If you aren’t sure what to say, ask God to give you a word picture that he wants you to see for your mom. It may be that he wants to first give you something for you to take in and another word for your mom. Be listening to what all he not just for your mom, but for you as well. He longs to be the one who affirms us and helps us remember that He is never too far away to help us love each other through his power and strength.
God bless you and your families this Mother’s Day!
For a full book of word gifts and to celebrate the mom in your life, click here for I Love You, Mom! Cherished Word Gifts from My Heart to Yours. Written by the mother-daughter duo Blythe Daniel and Helen McIntosh, this book/devotional offers beautiful sentiments to share with your mother, grandmother or mother figure in your life.
