We belong to a church where some men and women measure a woman by her marriage status or her fertility. They then make comments in their talks, in a meeting which is supposed to be devoted to the teachings of the savior. It is no wonder that single and childless women stay home! Celebrate your mom at home and teach only the gospel at Church!
PaulaMay 9, 2019
Perhaps the Saviour was also allowed to communicate with his Heavenly Mother during mortality as He was with His Father. Either way, His lessons on love have outlasted all the foolishness spoken in 2,000 years.
KendraMay 9, 2019
Shall I share what not to do? Do not go on your husband's Facebook page and tell his friends and family how he failed you by not wishing you a Happy Mother's Day and then invite everyone's opinion as to who is correct. This was the tactic of a woman in my ward whose well-known husband has not had anyone post on his page in the year since. And yes, they are still together, but she is much younger and very pretty so I guess men will tolerate any humiliation if the wife is attractive enough.Happy Mother's Day to all the sane women I know. Your children need you. So do your husbands.
Connie HarrisMay 9, 2019
VERY great article! I've despised M-Day for 50 years, but this gives a wonderful perspective in many scenarios....
Thanks!
LisaMay 9, 2019
Loved the way you turned the problem upside down.
I attended an LDS conference once where the speaker, a veterinarian, told about calling a staff member aside when she was being viciously berated by a client. He privately told her to add $20 to the woman's bill for services, then after the woman left, he handed the staff member $20 and told her to use it to take herself to dinner.
I must say, I have adopted that tactic myself with clients who were out of control. Three hours extra charged whenever someone went on a rant. It completely changed my ability to tolerate the verbal abuse. (And let go of fantasies about keying their car door.)
I personally hate Mother's Day. Too sentimental by far. I feel sugar shock coming on during the talks in church. I don't want a flower just for being a woman. Thus day is for morhers, not women in general, despite what Sheri Dew said.
I hate the comparisons between mothers and daughter-in-laws about who the man owes the most to, his mother or the mother of his children. I find it appalling when the daughter-in-law displays her newly gifted jewelry and has her husband hand his mother another photo of the grandchildren as her Mother's Day gift. Amazing how people can be so blind. Obviously, they did not read enough Jane Austen when they were young or they lack the ability to read the faces of everyone else in the room.
Making vomit gestures during the meeting is probably a bridge too far so I will skip church on that day. I will indulge myself with chocolates because I know I am worth it, as a daughter of two heavenly parents, one a mother, one a father, and two earthly parents, one male, one female, all honored and loved.
Shirley GriffinMay 9, 2019
You're so wise, Joni. Mother's Day should be a time when we celebrate Motherhood, the opportunity to nurture others and appreciate those who nurture us. I love what you say about the Savior and his references to nurturing like a mother. I wish we knew more about His mother and grandmother.
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Susan CombsMay 9, 2019
We belong to a church where some men and women measure a woman by her marriage status or her fertility. They then make comments in their talks, in a meeting which is supposed to be devoted to the teachings of the savior. It is no wonder that single and childless women stay home! Celebrate your mom at home and teach only the gospel at Church!
PaulaMay 9, 2019
Perhaps the Saviour was also allowed to communicate with his Heavenly Mother during mortality as He was with His Father. Either way, His lessons on love have outlasted all the foolishness spoken in 2,000 years.
KendraMay 9, 2019
Shall I share what not to do? Do not go on your husband's Facebook page and tell his friends and family how he failed you by not wishing you a Happy Mother's Day and then invite everyone's opinion as to who is correct. This was the tactic of a woman in my ward whose well-known husband has not had anyone post on his page in the year since. And yes, they are still together, but she is much younger and very pretty so I guess men will tolerate any humiliation if the wife is attractive enough.Happy Mother's Day to all the sane women I know. Your children need you. So do your husbands.
Connie HarrisMay 9, 2019
VERY great article! I've despised M-Day for 50 years, but this gives a wonderful perspective in many scenarios.... Thanks!
LisaMay 9, 2019
Loved the way you turned the problem upside down. I attended an LDS conference once where the speaker, a veterinarian, told about calling a staff member aside when she was being viciously berated by a client. He privately told her to add $20 to the woman's bill for services, then after the woman left, he handed the staff member $20 and told her to use it to take herself to dinner. I must say, I have adopted that tactic myself with clients who were out of control. Three hours extra charged whenever someone went on a rant. It completely changed my ability to tolerate the verbal abuse. (And let go of fantasies about keying their car door.) I personally hate Mother's Day. Too sentimental by far. I feel sugar shock coming on during the talks in church. I don't want a flower just for being a woman. Thus day is for morhers, not women in general, despite what Sheri Dew said. I hate the comparisons between mothers and daughter-in-laws about who the man owes the most to, his mother or the mother of his children. I find it appalling when the daughter-in-law displays her newly gifted jewelry and has her husband hand his mother another photo of the grandchildren as her Mother's Day gift. Amazing how people can be so blind. Obviously, they did not read enough Jane Austen when they were young or they lack the ability to read the faces of everyone else in the room. Making vomit gestures during the meeting is probably a bridge too far so I will skip church on that day. I will indulge myself with chocolates because I know I am worth it, as a daughter of two heavenly parents, one a mother, one a father, and two earthly parents, one male, one female, all honored and loved.
Shirley GriffinMay 9, 2019
You're so wise, Joni. Mother's Day should be a time when we celebrate Motherhood, the opportunity to nurture others and appreciate those who nurture us. I love what you say about the Savior and his references to nurturing like a mother. I wish we knew more about His mother and grandmother.
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