Ok, guys, this is your official reminder that Sunday is Mother’s Day. I’m sure you’ve gotten all your plans straight to make this Mother’s Day the best your wife or mom has ever experienced, right?
It’s cool to think as Jesus was in his last moments of suffering on the cross, his mother was on his mind.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ’Woman, behold, your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ’Behold, your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
John 19:26-27
I know we all want to do what we can to honor the mothers in our lives, so just in case you still need ideas, here are a few for celebrating your mom, your wife, and other mother figures in your life.
Honoring Your Mom
They say love is spelled T-I-M-E. If possible, it’s great to be with your mom on Mother’s Day. But if you can’t be with mom physically on Mother’s Day, here’s a list of 4 Practical Ways to Honor Your Parents, and I think Mom would appreciate any of these.
Helping Your Kids Honor Your Wife
We got some great practical tips straight from the ladies’ mouths on some of the best and worst gifts they received for Mother’s Day.
On the short list of gifts to avoid from our survey Men, What’s the Worst Gift You’ve Ever Given Your Wife? were things like a police scanner, a variety of yard tools or kitchen appliances, and my favorite, an anti-freeze recovery kit. Many ladies said their least favorite gift was getting nothing at all – that’s an easy one to avoid!
Some of the top gifts ladies mentioned they enjoyed in the survey Ladies, What is the Most Memorable Mother’s Day Gift You’ve Received? come down to simple ideas that give them the day off from some of their usual responsibilities, such as preparing the meals for the day, taking over housework and yard work. Family time and homemade gifts also made the top of the list of favorites. Only one mom mentioned sky diving, but who knows, maybe that’s something to consider if you are adventurous!
You can check out the complete lists in our surveys here: 1 Quick Question – Noble Warriors.
Pro Tip: If you are not great in the kitchen, don’t worry. You can pick up a variety of prepared foods from the deli like Chicken Salad – it’s Ukrop’s brand around Richmond, White House Rolls or croissants (yeah, not typically a guy thing to buy), and a bag salad at most any grocery store in the area. Throw something simple on the grill for dinner.
Or check out this recipe for Chicken Soup from author and friend, Jay Payleitner! You can also listen to him talk about Practical Ways for Loving Your Wife on an episode of Focus on the Family Broadcast.
Most importantly, let your wife know ahead of time that she will not have to worry about the details of the meal so she can truly enjoy the day off.
Honoring Mother Figures
I also like to think of ways to honor mother figures in our lives. Many of us have had influential women in our lives who have played that role in some way. She may be someone who doesn’t have kids who live close by, or maybe she does, but you would like to celebrate her as well.
One of our sons and his friend have a special mother figure in their lives through the church. They decided to make her a cake one year to show they were thinking of her. I think it’s hard for a teen to understand the significance of what a gesture like that means to an adult who has been intentionally investing in them, but she sure appreciated it.
Recently I was back home in Suffolk for a speaking engagement and ran into a guy I grew up with. I had asked him to say hello to his mom, who had been our den mother for cub scouts and was involved with other organizations we were in. It’s been many years, but he remarked how appreciative and glad she was to know that I thought of her.
Guys, I hope you make Mother’s Day special for all the moms in your life this Sunday. They surely deserve it for taking care of us the way they do daily. And I hope these tips help make it just a little easier!