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<\/a><\/p>\nMother\u2019s Day is coming! This will be my twelfth Mother\u2019s Day. Usually, my Mother\u2019s Days look like, the family gives me cards (the kids are always hand-made, TC\u2019s are always from papyrus, my favorite card store), we go to church, I get a carnation, we go out for lunch. Sometimes, if I\u2019ve dropped enough hints, my husband will \u201csurprise\u201d me that one thing I\u2019ve been putting off buying but wouldn\u2019t voluntarily spend money on. I think this is a common flaw with Mamas, we\u2019re so used to giving that when we\u2019re invited to receive we strain and buck against the yoke of love.<\/p>\n
Today, I want to look back over the best gifts I\u2019ve ever received that created shalom, a sense of peace and harmony in my soul. They all have expressed self-less love, healing words, or thoughtful care of me in the throes of mothering. Isn\u2019t this what Mother\u2019s Day gifts should do? Shouldn\u2019t they return the love, care, and comfort we pour out the other 364 days?\u00a0 I think so.<\/p>\n
So here are my top ten gifts of Shalom for Mama.<\/p>\n
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\u00a0<\/p>\n 1:\u00a0Breakfast in Bed<\/strong>:<\/p>\n This is a Mother\u2019s Day staple, but it\u2019s a beautiful statement of shalom.\u00a0 When my family brings be breakfast in bed,\u00a0 it feels like and invitation to rest and receive nourishment from my family. Here\u2019s a wonderful list at Spoonful<\/a> of fifteen recipes you can make with the kids while mama catches up on her sleep.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 2: Punjammies from the International Princess Project.<\/strong> <\/a><\/p>\n I\u2019ve mentioned these here before. I\u2019ve had these PJs for five months now and they are still my favorite pair. They are beautiful after many, many washes. The fit is wonderful, which keeps me comfortable and every time I wear them I know they\u2019ve helped create shalom for women rescued from modern-day slavery in India.\u00a0 Last week,\u00a0 I wore the Freedom T-shirt with the motto, \u201cMade With Hope In India By Freeset\u2122 for International Princess\u2122 Project.\u201d on the back to Starbucks to write.\u00a0 Just when I was hitting a groove with my words, an Indian woman walked up to me and asked, \u201cExcuse me, can you tell me about your shirt?\u201d Usually I\u2019d be annoyed by the interruption, but I was so excited to share my new favorite product. I took her to the website to show her all the work they do for women coming out of and trying to find life after living so long in the darkness of the sex trade. <\/a>She was so impressed she said she would check out the site and buy something. So, this Mother\u2019s Day, why not honor Mama\u2019s heart selflessly care for your family, by supporting the International Princess Project and the way they care for hurting women?<\/em><\/p>\n 3:\u00a0 Jewelry from \u201cWhisperedtruths\u201d Etsy site<\/strong>.<\/a><\/p>\n We,\u00a0 Mamas whisper truths into our babies ears\u2019 every day. \u201cYou are loved, my dear\u201d, \u201cYou can do better, be braver honey, make smarter choices\u201d, \u201cJesus loves you\u201d, \u201cMama loves you\u201d, and so many more. Countless times, I\u2019ve pulled a child into the crook of my arm simply to tell them something real, true, and honest. \u201cYou will know the truth and the truth will set you free.\u201d<\/a>\u00a0 This gift is actually on my wish list, but several of my story sisters have shared them on facebook and they\u2019ve all mentioned how powerful it is to wear their shalom. 4:\u00a0 Pay for a class she wants to take for personal growth.<\/strong><\/p>\n So much of motherhood, is pouring, pouring, pouring, pouring. We\u2019re constantly taking in new ideas to then pass them on to our babies. Before I became a Mama, I could care less about sneaking purees into my kiddo\u2019s meals, but now I\u2019m scanning the baby food aisle, saving coupons, and super fooding mac and cheese with cauliflower baby food. God made us to be more than learned mamas. He knew we\u2019d be mamas, yes, but he also gave us passions and interests. God gave us connections with his creative heart, just because he longs to share something deep and powerful with us. One year my husband gave me a writing class, a blog design, and a nudge to start writing.\u00a0 And the rest is history :).\u00a0\u00a0 So why don\u2019t you invite your that special mama to sit down with a catalog from your local community college or adult education center and offer to pay for one class. She will be a more well-rounded, settled Mama when she has freedom to live her passion.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 5: In that same vein, take her out for coffee and just ask her, \u201cWhat are you passionate about?\u201d or \u201cWhat makes you come alive\u201d and then listen.<\/strong><\/p>\n Afterwards, pray for God to open doors for her and if you feel so inclined, write your prayer down on pretty paper and send it. That way she can always go back and remember for one afternoon someone cared enough to pour into her. I have a friend who has made it her own goal to ask me this every so often. It\u2019s a wonderful reminder that God wants to use all of me\u2014not just the Mama part. 7:\u00a0 Send Mom, \u201cSurprised by Motherhood\u201d by Lisa-Job Baker <\/a>and\/or print, mount, and frame one of these lovely printable quotes to decorate her home.<\/strong><\/p>\n This is along the same lines speaking words of shalom, wholeness and healing over Mama. Lisa-Jo\u2019s book is a Mama\u2019s coming of age tale. As a South-African woman-child, who lost her mother at eighteen Lisa-Jo vowed to never have children, yet Jesus in his great patience and wisdom walked beside her towards a man who loved her something fierce and next to her in a new role (one of many she filled) of \u201cMama\u201d where He could show her the Father\u2019s ferocious love for his daughter. Lisa-Jo\u2019s words are poetic, oftentimes heartbreaking, always Shalom soaked. The truth in her story made me whole.\u00a0 While listening to her read, healing occurred in the deep places where my own hurts around motherhood hid behind lies.\u00a0\u00a0 Seriously, I think I fell in love with both Jesus and my family anew after listening to, \u201cSurprised by Motherhood\u201d.\u00a0 If you decide to give the printable only (which is free), may I suggest you give a donation in the name of your intended Mama towards Lisa-Jo\u2019s fundraiser<\/a> to provide a welcoming center and kitchen for the Maubane Community Center in South Africa? You can give on the widget at Lisa-Jo\u2019s pure charity site.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 8: Stand by your mom by helping her find shalom during the rough of motherhood by sending her,\u00a0 \u201cOpen When\u201d Letters.<\/strong><\/p>\n This one is my favorite gift to give friends going through tough times. This Mother\u2019s Day, why not sit down and write a few cards for mom to open at certain times. You can write full on letters, have each one of her children write a letter for a certain circumstance, or simply put scriptures in each, \u201cOpen When\u201d. Here are some suggested times mom may need to be encouraged and could use an \u201cOpen When\u201d card:<\/em><\/p>\n \u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 open when you\u2019re hiding in the bathroom from the kids<\/em><\/p>\n \u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 open when you need to be reminded how much we love you<\/em><\/p>\n \u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 open when you need to know God sees you<\/em><\/p>\n \u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 open when you wonder, \u201cshould I be doing something more with my life?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 open when you need to laugh (kids jokes are always wonderful here)<\/em><\/p>\n \u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 open when you need a hug (seriously, have the kids do this one, maybe take pictures of them with their arms wide open, or them holding sign that say, \u201cwe love you mom\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 open when you need a break (maybe include a gift card to her favorite coffee shop and instruct her to redeem it to dad or a friend so that she can take advantage of it properly).<\/em><\/p>\n There\u2019s so many more\u2026why don\u2019t you post in the comments what type of \u201copen when\u201d card you would so love?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 9: Myquillyn Smith\u2019s \u201cThe Nesting Place: It Doesn\u2019t Have to Be Perfect to be Beautiful\u201d.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/a><\/p>\n I\u2019ve only known of Myquillyn Smith for a little less than a year when I joined her \u201c31 days\u201d link up. Then I heard her on Tsh Oxenreider\u2019s \u201cThe Art of Simple\u201d <\/a>podcast where\u00a0 Myquilllyn\u2019s, known as \u201cThe Nester\u201d<\/em>,\u00a0 passionately encouraged us to love our and beautify our homes without the HGTV perfection pressure I think stifles our God-given creativity. I know that too many times I look around my apartment and think, \u201cBleh!\u201d or I shy away from a home project because, \u201cI\u2019m not that girl\u201d. Since listening to the podcast, I\u2019m inspired to our little public housing apartment into a place of peace and rest for my family. I just ordered my copy so maybe a review will be coming soon, but I\u2019m excited to share my thoughts and maybe future projects inspired by this book. I love resources that empower me to be creative, content, and confident\u2014the \u201cNesting Place\u201d<\/a> has been such a resource and this book would be a wonderful gift of shalom in the home for your Mama.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 10: Give her a day alone in the home.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Last Friday, my husband had a pastor\u2019s meeting in Connecticut, the kiddos had school (of course) and since I cleared my schedule as much as possible when the death cold set in, I had nothing planned for Friday. It was glorious. I\u2019m always tidying up the home for my family. I wash dishes so that we have something to eat on, I wash clothes so that the babies do no run a muck naked, I dust because allergies are the worst and we enjoy uncomplicated breathing. I do so much to keep up my home, but it always feels like chaos. I think the messiness of mamahood is expected, but I also think we need space to enjoy our homes in the still, quiet, emptiness of a day laid bare without chores or company. I think we as mamas need to learn hear the creak of the stairs and observe the way the light shines just brilliantly through the kitchen window at 11:38. I think we need a few hours of stillness in the house we\u2019re so used to scurrying around. I needed to know that my home was a safe place for me too. Not just for my kids. Not just for my husband. Me too. I needed to find the healing nooks of my home. Maybe your busy mama needs that too. Maybe she needs freedom to just be home. I\u2019m in a season where my kids are in school most of the day, but my husband works from home, so Friday was a special gift. If the Mama you want to bless has kids in school most of the day, bless her by picking up the children after school for her and giving her until dinner to just be home. If she\u2019s the mama of toddlers, take them away for the day. You can get so creative with this one. Maybe send her flowers and her favorite meal delivered so she can have both beauty and nourishment. Maybe email her a home blessing prayer that she can walk through and pray, connecting with her house and her Savior. Maybe you can make a little basket of her favorite crafting tools, leave it on her doorstep with a note that says, \u201cmake something lovely today.\u201d There\u2019s so many ways\u2026but the biggest is to help create that opportunity by arranging childcare and\/or taking her babies for a bit.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
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