Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is fast approaching. Actually, it’s this weekend here in the United States. Let me give you a brief history of Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day started in the 1800s with an Appalachian women’s event organizer named Ann Reeves Jarvis. She was concerned about sanitary conditions and especially contaminated milk; therefore, Jarvis created something called “Mother’s Day Work Clubs“ to teach other moms how to care for their children and keep them healthy.

After the Civil War, Ann created an event called “Mother’s Friendship Day Picnics.” The goal of those picnics was to unite those who were still identifying as Union or Confederate loyalists across West Virginia. She wanted everyone to come together and get along. It was Anna, Ann’s daughter who actually created what we today identify as Mother’s Day.

In order to celebrate her mother, Anna organized an event on May 10, 1908, at a church in Ann’s hometown of Grafton, West Virginia. She also helped organize events on the same day in Philadelphia and other cities.
Anna Jarvis continued the efforts each year until a growing number of cities across the nation observed the date. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially designated the second Sunday of every May as the Mother’s Day holiday. Jarvis would later denounce the holiday’s commercialization and spent the latter part of her life trying to remove it from the calendar.

While researching the history of Mother’s Day in the United States I found some very interesting information. Did you know?

• We can trace the Mother’s Day tradition back to the ancient Greeks and Romans who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele
• In Thailand, for example, Mother’s Day is always celebrated in August on the birthday of the current queen, Sirikit.
• In Ethiopia, families gather each fall to sing songs and eat a large feast as part of Antrosht, a multi-day celebration honoring motherhood.
• Early Christians celebrated a festival on the fourth Sunday of Lent in honor of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ.
• In England, the holiday was expanded to include all mothers. It was then called Mothering Sunday.
• Mother’s Day is the most popular day of the year for dining out. The American Restaurant Association says 75 million Americans will dine out this year for Mother’s Day.
• One year of a mom’s work at home is worth $59,862.

What does the Word of God tell us about mothers? Proverbs 6:20 admonishes us ‘not to forsake the wise counsel of our mothers’. Proverbs 23:22 says, “Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.” Proverbs 31:28 tells us, “Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired); Her husband also, and he praises her.” Mothers are very special to God, so Mothers, enjoy your special day.

Don’t forget to check out my Resources and Specials for Mother’s Day gifts. Happy Mother’s Day.