What Every Mom Wants For Mother’s Day
She may ask for flowers, candy, or jewels, but I have been a mom for over 44 years, and I KNOW what every mom wants for Mother’s Day–TIME!
It’s said that time is the most valuable asset we have and our most precious resource. Yet the Bible tells us our time is like a vapor or the morning fog. It’s only here for a little time, and then it’s gone.
No one has enough time, especially busy moms. We are always running low on it, running out of it, or running late because of it. So, give your Mother what she wants this year for Mom’s Day –TIME.
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Time Alone
Although I’m sure all women need more time, busy moms have difficulty finding alone time.
When I was a young mother with several children around, my time was consumed all day with hugging, holding, talking, playing, disciplining, teaching, loving, crying, fighting, learning, wrestling, giggling, etc. If I got time to myself, it was bathroom time. I had a hard-no-compromise rule that when I was in the bathroom, I would not answer. That didn’t always stave off the occasional knock or question, but I answered without compromising the rule “I’m in the bathroom.”
But of course, that was never enough time. I had nine kids, and it took 44 years to raise them all. Time alone was my greatest desire. It’s still pretty high on the list.
9 Nifty Things for Moms to do Alone
Do you know a busy mom? Maybe she has a house full of kids, or maybe she only has two or three, but she’s the family chauffeur. Or perhaps she desires time alone because she likes spending time with herself. Are you a busy woman that is looking for some ideas to “escape” the real world for a moment?
I’ve listed nine ideas for that busy woman you may know (or maybe you are her) to get some much-needed alone time.
- take a drive in the country and turn up the music
- sit at a coffee shop and read a novel
- take a walk by yourself, and don’t forget to appreciate God’s wonderland
- send the family out to the movies while you stay home and watch your movie, you know, the one that makes you cry out loud or laugh out loud
- get a sitter and go shopping; not for groceries, but for fun
- have Dad (or someone) take the kids to the park while you take a nap
- go into your bedroom and write a letter to someone you haven’t seen for a while, or color a picture (don’t let anyone tell you are too old to enjoy creating)
- get a hobby that only you are involved in: plants, cross-stitch, pottery, painting; get something that takes you away from the home
- take a long, luxurious bubble bath and listen to a book on Audible
Time with Family
Not all Mothers want time alone for Mom’s Day. My Mom is at a time in her life where most of her time is spent alone. My Dad passed away a few years ago, and most of her family (brother and sisters) live over two hours away from her.
Although she may not be seeking a constant companion, she does enjoy seeing us kids and the grandkids. She is fortunate to have great-grandkids that come to visit her, too.
We’ve been very fortunate because she has made family a priority. Mom has been the bond that keeps our family together. She has hosted numerous family reunions for her and my Dad’s side of the family. And although she does like her alone time, she enjoys seeing people once in awhile.
Do you know an elderly parent that needs some time with family? I mean, you don’t have to be related. But think about someone you could bless by spending time with them.
And if you are struggling to think of someone close, it would be a shame for us not to remember our elderly in assisted living or nursing homes. Unfortunately, because this is 2022 and we are still suffering from the panic of the pandemic, visiting the elderly is forbidden in a lot of places, but maybe for these unfortunate folk, we can still show them we care.
Some ideas would be to drop off goodies or send cards, flowers, or balloons.
5 Fun Things to do with Elderly Parents
- Take them out to eat, I mean, who doesn’t love date night!
- Have a game night with them; play board games or cards
- Pamper them–take them out to get their nails done or their hair cut. (fun fact: my Dad would never get his hair cut in March because he said he would have a headache all year long if he did) 🙂
- Do they have a hobby or want to start one? Do it with them.
- Listen to them talk about their past. History is hidden away in the memories of our aging seniors. Discover it before it is too late.
Time with God
Whether you are a mom looking for alone time or needing some family time, we all desire to spend time with God. But how do we do that in such a busy, upside-down world?
How to Spend Time with God Every day
There’s a prayer I’ve seen on the internet that says:
“Dear God, So far today, I’ve done alright. I haven’t gossiped or lost my temper; I haven’t been grumpy, nasty, or selfish. But in a few minutes, I will be getting out of bed, and I’m really going to need Your help!”
How funny, right? But praying is the #1 way to spend time with God every day. God is everywhere all the time. He literally hears every time we speak to Him.
However, this world is crazy busy, and our attention as women is pulled into numerous different directions. So how do we find time alone with God with our busy schedules? Here are some things I do.
- Pray before getting out of bed.
- Pray in bed as I fall asleep.
- Have a daily reading plan on my phone, so I can read anywhere at any time (there’s an app for that). 🙂
- I listen to podcasts or sermons and teachings on YouTube when I’m doing busywork.
- Are you trying to memorize Scripture? Write the passage on a notecard and carry it with you. How many times do you sit in a car waiting?
- Find a book or Bible on audible and listen to it throughout the day.
- Do you have a baby that you are nursing or rocking? Read your Bible out loud to them. They don’t know what you are reading, but they are comforted by your voice.
- Listen to worship music when you are getting ready for work or driving.
Our time with God does not have to be sitting down every day to read our Bible and take notes or outline a book of the Bible. And you don’t have to spend an hour in prayer to walk righteously before the Lord.
Our time with God is as special and unique as each of us.
Spending time with God is essential to our growing faith-walk, but don’t beat yourself up if you think you aren’t doing enough. Look for ways that you can find time in your busy schedule and spend it the way you want to:
- time alone
- time with family
- time with God
One last prayer before I close, I found this on the internet, too.
“Now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray the Lord my shape to keep.
Please no wrinkles, please no bags,
Please lift my bum before it sags!
Please no age spots, please no gray
And as for my belly, please take it away.
Please keep me healthy, please keep me young.
And thank you, Lord, for all You’ve done!
Cindra thank you so much for these blogs. You really open your heart to give us these tools to become more like Jesus and less like ourselves. I really enjoyed this and it feeds my soul and makes me aware of what’s going in my mind.
God Bless you & your family??
Time alone is a great gift, I let my mother just watch television last night. I still write her poetry, do housework, sometimes the gifts that don’t cost anything are the most valuable.