A Day of Gratitude

We all have special women in our lives

Proverbs 31:10

Who can find a capable wife? Her value far exceeds the finest jewels.

While this verse is specifically attributed to a wife, I believe it can equally be applied to mothers. Rewritten as:

Who can find a capable MOTHER? Her value far exceeds the finest jewels.

Whether you are a wife, a single mom, a grandmother, an aunt, a sister, or a female friend who has impacted the lives of children, your value exceeds the finest jewels.

As a tribute to all the women who are Celebrating the Day set aside in your honor -

• Thank you for training your children in the way they should go so when they are old, they will not part depart from their training (Proverbs 22:6)

• Thank you for all the baskets of clothes you have folded, all the dishes you have cleaned, and all the bags of groceries you have put away.

• Thank you for all the meals you prepared that were hungrily devoured or left uneaten on a picky eater’s plate.  

• Thank you for helping construct all those science projects you really didn’t understand either.

• Thank you for every snotty nose you wiped, every skinned knee you bandaged, every sleepless night you sat at the bedside during fevers, or worse.  

• Thank you for wiping all the tears caused by the “mean girls” and for all the pep talks given to rebuild confidence after the disappointment of not making the cut on the ball team.

• Thank you for every sporting event or music recital you patiently sat through, even endured.

• Thank you for being patient through the many hundred hours of practice required to learn to play and then perfect a musical instrument.

• Thank you for the thousands of prayers for health, protection, and direction for each child as they grew and navigated the landmines of Earth School.

• Thank you for all of this…and more.

Thank you for all you have done, all you are doing, and all you will do.

Feel the love from those who are showering you will respect, fun, and love.  You’ve earned every minute of it.

Today’s Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for all the special women in our lives, whether they are our physical mothers or have been surrogates. We all have mother-like friends who have been there for us when we needed love, kindness, and a shoulder to lean on.

Some of us may not have had a warm, nurturing relationship with the “mother” who raised us. Today, we hold them up with love and forgiveness.

Some of us may have had a warm, nurturing mother who has passed on. Today, we hold their memories with love and happiness in our hearts, even if we long for their presence.

Some of us may have the good fortune to still have our mother, our dear friend, with us. Today, we will love, honor, and thank them for the good and bad days we’ve shared over the years.

For all the women in our lives who have contributed to our personal growth, especially if they have enhanced our walk with You, we hold them in our hearts with love. Amen.