Today is that sacred moment each year when mothers everywhere feel just a little bit more appreciated for all the hard work they do all year long. Dads, you have a unique opportunity to spend the entire day speaking loving, appreciative things over your wife that will refresh her heart and encourage her spirit.
Just don’t screw it up like I did.
Last year, I got into a massive blowup argument with my wife on Mother’s Day. We were driving home from Oklahoma, having spent a day wishing a friend a very happy surprise birthday. We carpooled both ways with some close friends. On the ride home, something was said that surprised and embarrassed me. It struck a nerve that goes back 15 years – an emotional wound I’d never been healed from.
Not only did Heather not receive the loving words and actions that would have made her feel appreciated and valued. Quite the opposite. She felt de-valued. Even worse, I misread the situation and got very embarrassed and very angry very quickly. She wasn’t at all prepared to deal with that.
Choose Your Battles MORE Wisely
My Dad spoke some wisdom to me on my wedding day. His primary concern was that we not waste time fighting over things we’d look back and find inconsequential. He told me that the vast majority of arguments were unimportant and could be consciously avoided. That fostering a peaceful, harmonious atmosphere is much more important than proving you’re right.
There will undoubtedly come at least one opportunity for conflict on EVERY important day. Let’s choose to honor our wives. Let’s insist on maintaining loving harmony especially on this day. Failure to do so indicates a lack of consideration.
I thank God for my wife, and one small way I honor her is by fostering an atmosphere of peace. Letting nothing come between us. Because we are one. I married her because I want to spend the rest of my life with her. Then along the way she bore two of the sweetest children ever. Now she has perhaps the most sacred role a human being can have. She nurtures and protects and cares for our children.
Most of our adult lives can be traced back to what we learned about ourselves, our parents, and the world from birth to five years old. Let’s be intentional today and honor the women who wield such amazing world-changing power.
God bless the mothers!