Being the Primary Chorister, you have to be there to lead all of the children to sing to their mothers during sacrament meeting as the anticipated special music. Additionally, I planned a Singing Time that revolved around celebrating and highlighting a few of the children's moms, involving guessing who the "Mystery Mom" was with a few clues about her and then singing her specified favorite Primary Song. As you can probably imagine, these kinds of M-Day activities are without a doubt difficult for me to do. But I try to throw myself into doing these good things. I do them for the children. And also because those mothers that were highlighted are also WOMEN that I love, and they deserve to be recognized and celebrated. But none-the-less, being in charge of it and making plans for it leading up to the big M-Day is hard. I thought I could do it. I'd made plans, expected it of myself, and determined to do it...
... until the Friday before M-Day when I sat down to finalize everything ...
... I broke down ...
... and I knew I couldn't do it.
... I just couldn't be strong this year.
And I decided that I shouldn't constantly expect that of myself. I shouldn't allow myself to be tortured needlessly. I decided that instead of enduring and being tough like I always do, I was going to escape for once. I was going to get away and do something for me. Not for anyone else. I was going to do something to soothe my aching heart rather than torture it some more.
So I called around and got a Sub for my Primary Chorister duties.
I packed my bags.
And we hit. the. road.
to the BEACH!
:D
We stayed for 2 days, both Saturday and Sunday, both days at the beach, and hitting up our favorite seafood restaurant, Fiddler's Crabhouse on the Riverwalk in Savannah, on the way back.
It. Was. AWESOME.
It was just what I needed.
I normally wouldn't do something like this on a Sunday and have spent my life trying as best as I can to always be in my church meetings and keep the Sabbath Day Holy in the ways that I feel would please Heavenly Father. But this time it was the exception rather than the rule that was right. I felt Him pushing me to do this. I felt His loving approval and encouragement knowing what I needed more than I knew what I needed. I felt Him letting me know that it was OK to not always be tough and strong and that I was not expected to run faster than I had strength even though I was giving it all I had. I felt Him letting me know that it was one Sunday that I could claim for myself. It was His Mother's Day GIFT to me. Because in His eyes, I AM a Mother. With all my Mothering Heart!
So I went and I enjoyed the peace and beauty of His creations as my own personal celebration of and RELIEF from Mother's Day. And as we drove back home into the beautiful sunset along I-16, I thought to myself, "Why didn't I do this sooner?! I should have done this a long time ago!" And it may just become a tradition. I guess we'll see.
///
On Monday morning after getting back home from the beach, I had a few little Mother's Day remembrance surprises dropped off at my door ... I wish I had taken pictures of the actual evidence ... Jen Reed brought a vase of flowers and a lovely handmade card from her and the rest of the Primary Presidency ... and then Becky Everton (who subbed for me) dropped off a vase of flowers and a HUGE card she had made and helped all of the Primary children to sign during Singing time just for ME!! On the inside it said, "All flowers remind me of you" which is a classic Primary Mother's Day song. :) It brought tears to my eyes!! I had missed these kids! And I was so humbled that she and they would think of me on Mother's Day. I wanted to document their faces along with the names I had on the card. So I brought it to church with me today and took these pictures of them holding the card. I LOVE these children and count them as my own! 50+ kids! ...and most people only have a few. ;P
♥ BEST Mother's Day EVER! ♥
Good. for. you. Happy Mother's Day.
ReplyDeleteThanks girl! :D I hope yours was FANTASTIC!
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