Mother's Day Talk

[StrawberryFields]

My daughter is giving a Mother's Day Talk and I am looking for idea's of poems, stories etc. Does anyone have any great idea's? Doesn't the Bishop know it would be me planning the talk? Sheeesh J/K it doesn't matter always happy to help.

Thanks and Happy Mother's Day to all the Mother's!

[Outshined]

My daughter is giving a talk tomorrow too! She's old enought to know what she wants to say (almost 15), so I just let her write it and then sat with her and helped her fill it out some.

Have hubby sit with her and help her put down what she wants to say; it's better if you don't hear it until tomorrow.

[begood2]

SF,

In my ward one year on Mother's Day the Bishop was talking about an experience that he and his wife had one year in Japan.

I don't remember all of the details, but it was some kind of exchange program and they were staying with a Japanese host family.

It was Mother's Day and the LDS couple were going to be driven to a LDS church by the host family.

In church that day the speaker gave a talk about the unselfish love and sacrifice that mothers give to their families.

The speaker then passed out paper and pens to the church members and told them to write down at least one thing that they were thankful to their mothers/mothers of their children for. They were then to hand the paper to her.

The Bishop took a few minutes and wrote out some things that he was thankful for and handed it to his wife. She read it and smiled.They looked over at the Japanese host family and saw that the husband was still holding a blank paper.

After a bit the Japanese husband finally wrote something down and handed it to his wife. As his wife read the note tears could be seen on her face.

Before the LDS family left their (non-LDS) host family they were told that they were both happy that they had accompanied the LDS couple to church that Mother's Day for they had both learned something special.

In the 25 years that the Japanese family had been married, the husband had never told his wife how thankful he was to her for the things that she had done for him and their children until that day in the LDS church.

It had not occurred to him that this admission to her was important or necessary until he saw how shocked and overcome with joy she was at finally seeing and hearing it.

[begood2]

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for all of the blessings that you have bestowed upon us!

I want to especially thank you for giving us "Mothers", for they can truly transform a family into a wonderful thing.

Their unselfish love and sacrifice to their families is truly awesome.

I pray that we let them know how truly important that they are to us, not just on Mother's Day, but as often as we can.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

ps. Happy Mother's Day!

[StrawberryFields]

Thank you Outshined for your reply. You are indeed an excellent father and husband. :)

I did try what you suggested with my hubby (even before you suggested it) and he said "No way will you unload that on me" My Daughter and I almost have it completed. Our church doesn't start for about 5 hours.

[StrawberryFields]

BeGood2, thank you for sharing that beautiful story and prayer. I have a neighbor who is Japanese and she has expressed to me that it is difficult in their culture to share feelings. She found this especially hard on her when she knew her father was dying of cancer but she still respected his wishes. After her father passed away I think she may have regretted not breaking that barrier. She did not let the Japanese culture interfere with her mother after her father was gone and they became very close.

[StrawberryFields]

I found this through my research and liked it... :)

<span style='font-family:Optima'><span style='color:blue'>Why are you crying, a young boy asked his Mom?

"Because I'm a woman," she told him.

"I don't understand," he said.

His Mom just hugged him and said,

"And you never will, but that's O.K.".......

Later the little boy asked his father,

"Why does Mom seem to cry for no reason?".

"All women cry for no reason," was all his Dad could say......

The little boy grew up and became a man,

still wondering why women cry.

Finally he put in a call to God and when God got back to him, he asked "God, why do women cry so easily?"

GOD answered......

"When I made woman,

I decided she had to be special.

I made her shoulders

strong enough to carry

the weight of the world, yet,

made her arms gentle enough to give comfort...

I gave her the inner strength

to endure childbirth

and the rejection

that many times will come

even from her own children.

I gave her a hardness

that allows her

to keep going and take care

of her family and friends,

even when everyone else gives up, through sickness and fatigue without

complaining....

I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all

circumstances. Even when her child has hurt her badly....

She has the very special power to make a child's boo-boo feel better and

to quell a teenager's anxieties and fears....

I gave her strength to care for her husband, despite faults

and I fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart....

I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but

sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him

unfalteringly....

For all of this hard work,

I also gave her a tear to shed.

It is hers to use

whenever needed and !

it is her only weakness....

When you see her cry,

tell her how much you love her, and all she does for everyone, and even though

she may still cry, you will have made her heart feel good</span>.</span>

[pushka]

That's beautiful Strawberry...thanks :)

[Outshined]

My daughter's talk went very well, if a bit brief. I set the alarm early and left the wife in bed, then I went in and made her breakfast; eggs, toast and bacon like she likes it. Then I got the kids up and we took Mom breakfast in bed with her Mother's Day cards.

Church went well, my daughter did her thing and got a good response; I got the comment that she has her dad's wit, which made me feel good. We had a light lunch afterward and I started getting ready for dinner, with the kids setting the table and such.

My wife was barred from the kitchen all day and forbidden from touching any cooking utensils. I made the Mother's Day dinner she requested; honey barbecued steak on the grill, mashed potatoes (I cheated on those and used the Betty Crocker four-cheese because my wife loves them), salad and a loaf of homemade bread. We ate out on the deck, and it was great. 80 degrees and sunny. The kids and I cleaned up, and my wife took a snooze under the tree in the swing. All in all, I think she had a pretty good Mother's Day.

[StrawberryFields]

Outshined~

I would have to say that you were not outshined today! May I ask where you got your most excellent training from? Have you always been so kind and caring with your wife? Did you learn from example? Did your wife help you along the way?

My daughter talk went great as well. I gave her several ideas for talks and she wanted to make it funny so we went that way. My daughter is known for her humor so anything serious wouldn't feel right to her. She also made me a beautiful mother's bracelet in Young Women's a few weeks before.

I am happy that your wife had a nice day :) Mine was the best it has been for two years (two years ago I lost my mom, she was 63).

[begood2]

Outshined,

When SF said, "that you were an excellent father and husband", I think that she hit the nail on the head.

After reading your post about "Mother's Day" activities in your home I would have to say that chivalry is alive and well there.

What a great way to show your wife, and at the same time, teach your children, how much she means to you through your actions of selfless gallantry.! :)

Awesome example for us all too!