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Mother’s Day | A Social ShareIt

May 11, 2013 By Laura 2 Comments

 One night a week or two ago (have I told you how bad I am with time frames, yet?, lol) . . . Michael and I were having a casual conversation. So very casual in fact, that we were both in the bathroom, getting ready for bed, come to think of it.  Anyway, I don’t remember (either) exactly what the conversation was originally about, but it was on the topic of Mother’s Day being around the bend.  And the course of that conversation led me to state how “Mother’s Day was a way bigger deal to me, than my birthday”.

 For some reason, that statement seemed to get Michael’s attention in such a way, that it got my attention, because it got his, so much.  It was the surprise in his voice, and the tone of his sudden and very real curiosity, of how he said, “It does? WHY?!”.
Like he really didn’t get how Mother’s Day could trump my birthday. Which, to me, was just silly to wonder. I couldn’t believe I had to explain that.
But it was such an easy explanation.  And so the answer flowed like honey, from my heart and soul:

 


“Mother’s Day means more to me than my birthday.  Because while my birthday is a celebration of the day I was born, Mother’s Day, to me, feels like a celebration of the reason why.”

And then, after I said it so matter of factly, and maybe because it was late and I was tired, all of the power behind the sincerity of those words, that came so easily from the most sacred part of my heart, hit me.  So I actually had to go into the other room for a minute, to just have a a little quiet cry with myself.
It was not a sad cry.  It was a cry that just came from that overwhelming sense of love in the sincerity of the words I had just spoken, and knowing how truly blessed I am, with my children.
Truly. 

I know we all are.  All of us who are mothers, however we came to be one, and to whatever children God placed in our care.
We are all blessed to have this role, whether we know it or not. I know many really do.
I know I really do. 

Someday, maybe I will share with you all the story of my children, and how God really did grant me their earthly lives, in a very special understanding between me and Him. Especially with the triplets; and the part their big sister played in their lives before we were even expecting them.  It’s a quite deep and emotional story; so much so that it would take a lot for me to tell it all. And I know it would be a long post, and an emotional event to type.  It’s another reason I’ve yet to tell it. But I can tell you this; Despite the hopeless odds and statistics, in one situation after another from the moment we learned of their conception, through the weeks following their birth, our trio are still here on earth because God heard my daily, sometimes hour-long prayers, from the 6+ month bed-rest I was prescribed to. He is the Ultimate Physician. Scientific odds and statistics are completely irrelevant, where His hand is involved. These children I have, are all here on His Creation of this earth, because it was HIS will for them to be.
And for as long as He intends them to be, He has named me; their mother.

Blessed, am I.

He gave them to me to care for, and raise, according to His will. As He did any mother who has been given a child or children, in any way they’ve been given to them. There are days I feel so very unworthy of His trust. But there are never days I don’t know what a gift it is. And so I count these 4 blessings daily, and do the best I can, with all of the love and gratitude I have, to fulfill my promises and His trust in me.  I know there are days He is more pleased with me, than others. I know there are days much easier, for me, than others.
But if I pay attention, there are also days I feel Him right beside me; and the power of my role spills from a place beyond my comprehension.
We parents, we are not alone in this sometimes daunting, but always rewarding, task. Our Heavenly Father; the Father of us all, is with us every step of the way.

The journey that led to the day I held my first child in my arms, and the next chapters that led to our trio coming into this world, has shown me a conviction, of which no one can convince me otherwise: 

Motherhood, is meant to be a vocation.

And it is surely mine.

Blessed, am I.
Blessed are you, mothers.

Happy Mother’s Day.

******

On Facebook, you can share this creation, if you feel the same about “Motherhood”, or any other ShareIts we have so far, from our Facebook Page’s ‘Social ShareIt’ Album.
On Pinterest, you can repin from our ‘House Of Joyful Noise Social ShareIts’ Board, or you’re welcome to just pin it right from this post.

Let us know what you think of this new ‘Social ShareIt’ below, and thanks so much for swinging by!

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Filed Under: Celebrations, Crafts & Creations, House Of Joyful Noise 'Social ShareIts', Into the Light; The Series, Parenting, Photography, The Big Picture Tagged With: House-Of-Joyful-Noise-Social-ShareIts, Mother's Day, photography, Quotes

My Mother’s Day in Photos

May 11, 2009 By Laura 4 Comments

strawberries-grapes-arrangement

french-toast

banana-bread

catholic-steeple

kids-homemade-cards

mine

pulling-teeth

shrimp-scampi

flowers

yellow-flower

flowcard

We hope you had a lovely Mother’s Day too!

Please share with us a little about your special day!

Edited to Add:  It occurred to me, that not all husbands /children/families, may be thoughtful on such days as these.  Not every family does things the same way, either. So with that being said, I would just like to say that I hope & pray every one of you mothers felt the love and honor from your loved ones, on this Mother’s Day.  If your day was less than you hoped, know that you truly are worthy of all you wished it was, in your heart.

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Filed Under: Celebrations, The Big Picture Tagged With: celebrations, family, Mother's Day, ourhouseofjoyfulnoise.com

For All Mothers…

May 9, 2009 By Laura 2 Comments

for mothers

~A MOTHER’S LOVE~

A Mother’s love is something
that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendored miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God’s tender guiding hand.

~Helen Steiner Rice~

 

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Filed Under: Celebrations, Holidays, The Big Picture Tagged With: a-mothers-love-Helen-Steiner-Rice, Mother's Day, mothers-poem

Mother’s Day and Pentecost Sunday

May 12, 2008 By Laura 1 Comment

Sunday was a day full of celebration (and surprises for me).   In our continued family efforts to live out the Liturgical Year, and being both Mother’s Day and Pentecost Sunday, we had a few enjoyable things on our agenda that we had planned.  It was also an end to our 50 Days of Easter celebrations.

My husband and kids had gotten up early, but I was sleeping in. That is, until all 4 of my kids came jumping on my bed announcing (seemingly extra-loud when you were sleeping…) that it was time to get up.  I stumbled out of my room to to this glorious sight:

flowers-cards

Wow! It’s just beautiful, and still putting a smile on my face.  But the cards really touched me. The sweet messages written inside all of them had me choking back the tears. I love the heart put into all of them, so expressive of their individual personalities. Even my husband’s.  Below was my very favorite flower in the bunch, until this morning when a stargaze lily bloomed wide open, and now-well…I’m kind of torn.

close up of flowers

A big breakfast was made me for as well:  coffee (the best part for me), stuffed french toast and 12 Fruit Salad! (below) This is a Pentecost salad and is symbolic of the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit:  Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Modesty, Self-control, and Chastity.  Not as easy to come up with 12 ripe fruits we thought!  (Come to think of it, maybe that was symbolic too. lol) But we managed.

Catholic Pentecost Sunday 12 fruit salad

After breakfast we went to mass, which was nice as always.  {A} voluntarily alter served, as she does most every Sunday, because it means so much to her. The presiding priest was Fr. Bob who the kids have really come to love, so that worked out nice, and we stayed a bit after to chat with him.

The night before the kids made 7  flames out of card stock, and labeled them with the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit, for our table for Pentecost Sunday. Didn’t they do a nice job?

Catholic Pentecost Sunday kids activities 7 gifts flames

We also had a Pentecost Cake.  I actually came across the idea online, and loved all of the symbolism it entailed.  My kids love cake of course, but my husband REALLY, really loves cake.  And I have to admit — in the end, he made every bit of it. He is amazingly creative anyway-with any project he gets involved in. And he easily gets involved with a lot–he just gets sucked right in and can hardly help himself. (You should see the Easter eggs he has made over the years–just amazing. But I digress.)

So let me share with you the symbolism of this Pentecost Cake:  It’s a white cake with white frosting to represent the purity of the Holy Spirit.  The ‘butter cream’ frosting we all wanted wasn’t as white as we were hoping it would be, but close enough, and also too late. : )   The cake had 12 whole strawberries around it  that again, represented the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit (mentioned above), and the 7 heart-shaped strawberries for the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Knowledge, Counsel, Fortitude, Understanding, Piety, and Fear of the Lord. The center candle represents Christ our Light.  The 12 smaller candles represent the 12 Apostles, and the flames of course, are the tongues of fire.

It not only came out beautiful, but it was absolutely delicious!

Pentecost Sunday cake

Pentecost Sunday cake

The kids supplied ‘the rushing wind’ and blew out the candles.

kids and Pentecost Sunday cake

kids and Pentecost Sunday cake

 

So that was our Sunday in a nutshell.   It was just another good day of getting a little more in touch with our faith, and celebrating as a family, which we are really good at, if I do say so myself.  My husband and I were talking about how enjoyable it has been trying to live the Liturgical Year in a more involved way, with the kids.  Much of what the kids are learning as we go here, WE, the parents, are truly really learning about as well.  Though we both have always been Catholic, we have realized how much we paid such little attention to through the years. Taking the time to really study each liturgical day and season more, and celebrate them together as a family, is an amazing experience. It brings such appreciation, fascination, and a great deal more respect, to it all. It grows your faith, and well, ‘rekindles the fire’.  Just like the prayer I’m reminded of:

“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.  And kindle in us the fire of your Love.”

I think doing these things does call forth the Holy Spirit.  That must be what we feel inside, and what makes us just want to do more and more of this stuff.  It’s a good feeling-that just feels right.

But now for some Ordinary Time. Which just sounds……..restful.

Filed Under: Baking, Celebrations, Faith, Faith/ Catholic, Recipes, The Big Picture Tagged With: Catholic, Catholic-blog, Catholic-blogs, celebrating-Catholic-Liturgical-Year, Mother's Day, Pentecost-Sunday, Pentecost-Sunday-cake, Pentecost-Sunday-Catholic-kids-7-gifts-of-the-Holy-Spirit, Pentecost-Sunday-ideas

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