Moms! Be Intentional This Mother's Day by Catherine Hickem LCSW
Do you remember your first Mother’s Day? If you are like me, I recall all the details surrounding it. Having been infertile, it was a day I never thought I would celebrate. Yet, on that special day in 1985, I was overwhelmed by my blessings. As I sat in church listening to my pastor-husband deliver the Mother’s Day sermon, I wept with joy. My 9-month-old adopted son Taylor was in the church nursery, I was three-and-a-half months pregnant, and my precious mother sat next to me. I could not have been more elated and grateful.
That special day happened 26 years ago, and much has happened since that time. I am much wiser, much grayer, and even more grateful than I was on that fateful holiday. It went by all too quickly, and yet the journey has taught me more about my faith and the character of God than any other relationship.
Being a mother is so much bigger than what I do with the children. It is the arena by which I learn about who I am, how I feel, where I am stuck, and how I live out my faith in God. Motherhood has been my greatest invitation to grow, reflect, and change. In order to be the type of mom I wanted to be, I had to take the time to become intentional, something that doesn’t happen by accident.
In a few days, we will celebrate Mother’s Day. In addition to celebrating it in your traditional way, wouldn’t it be great if you used this day as an opportunity to step back, reflect, and focus on your motherhood with a renewed sense of purpose? By taking this opportunity to listen to God and examine your relationship with each child, you will be better equipped to know your children better and strengthen your relationship with them.
To be regret free as a result of being purposeful on Mother’s Day, here are a few tips that will make your day and your motherhood more meaningful for the next year:
- Begin with a prayer. This seems simple but too often it is the last thing we do. Ask God to give you a teachable heart and give you the eyes to see the things He shows you. Give yourself some time to be still and listen. Remember, God is not going to give you gems of insight if you are not at a place to appreciate them.
- Get a notebook and put the name of each child at the top of a page. Identify the highlights of your relationship this last year under each child’s name.
- Next, identify what it is that you learned about your child as well as yourself in the last year. Be honest as you do this. All relationships have challenging moments, but that is normal. The most important issue is to make sure you are learning and communicating with your child as well as God.
- Make a goal for this next year that you want to accomplish with each child. Then pray and ask God to guide you step by step so you will be all He created you to be.
I pray you will be blessed in a unique and more powerful way this year as you take your motherhood to a whole new level.
What do you remember about your first Mother's Day?
Catherine Hickem, L.C.S.W., is the author of the new book Regret Free Parenting: Raise Good Kids and Know You're Doing It Right (March 2011, Thomas Nelson) and is a licensed psychotherapist with three decades of experience. Hickem is a motherhood expert who has made it her life's mission to equip moms for every facet of raising exceptional children. Author, speaker, coach, and counselor, she founded Intentional Moms, a national not-for-profit organization that provides information, support, and insights on motherhood. Hickem lives in Delray Beach, Florida with her husband Neil. They have two adult children. To read Catherine's blog visit www.intentionalmoms.com.
Mother/baby photo used with permission of Flickr Creative Commons. Click on photo for source.
