Guest Post – Mother’s Day by Nickie Roland

Recently, I decided to ask a few important people in my life to write guest posts for my blog. Nickie Roland, the author of this week’s post, bravely accepted the invitation. Since this is Nickie’s first time writing for a blog, feel free to leave her some encouraging words in the comments. I am sure she would love the positive feedback. Happy reading!

A few weeks ago, Crystal asked me to be a guest blogger on her blog. I gladly accepted, despite being a little nervous. My name is Nickie Roland. I am married to a wonderful man named David, and I we have 4 beautiful girls, ages 3, 5, 8, and 13. I run an in-home daycare, so I can be at home with my girls. I really enjoy crafting, sewing, talking, friend time, and above all else our heavenly father. Thank you Crystal for allowing me to express myself on your blog, and thank you to your readers.

Today is my 35^th birthday, Cinco de Mayo. I was missing my mother a lot yesterday and couldn’t figure out why. I then realized that Mother’s Day is coming up in a few days, May 8th. Today, I seemed a extra emotional about it. I asked myself “why is this year different?” Most Mother’s Days pass without much thought or feelings.

Let me share a little backstory. My mother passed away, while giving birth to my youngest sister, 19 years ago this past March. There have been many times in the last 19 years where I felt like I was missing out on something because I didn’t have a mother to talk to, to go shopping with, or to call up when I needed a babysitter. However, God has always put people in my life to “love on me” in all of those capacities and in different seasons of my life. So why is this year a little harder than others? As I was praying and asking God for guidance and direction on how to deal with my current feelings, I felt him lead me to a question.

What is Mother’s Day?

Is it a day for my kids to celebrate and pamper me? Is it a day for me to be sad, while remembering my mom and what I am missing? Is it a day to remember and celebrate who my mom was? Is it a day to hide away by myself and relax? Is it a day to celebrate who I am and who God is calling me to be as a mother? Is it a day to celebrate my grandma and other mother figures in my life? Is it a day to celebrate my friends that are mothers? What about the friends that do not have kids yet and in society are not considered mother?

The common threads throughout my questions are celebration and honor. The actual definition of Mother’s Day is “the second Sunday in May appointed for the honoring of mothers.” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mother’s%20day) The definition of a mother is “a female parent, a woman in authority, maternal tenderness or affection.” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mother)

So, I am choosing to honor my mother this Mother’s Day by honoring the other mothers God has placed in my life for “such a time as this”. The mothers can have small children or older children; they can have children that they care for that are not biologically theirs. They are mothers that cannot have children at all, but treat my kids, or kids in their own life, as their own. They are mothers that are younger than me, older than me, or the same age. I want to honor them. Being a mother is hard, and although most days I wonder if I am doing it right, it is so rewarding. I want each of them to know that they are noticed, loved, and appreciated. Even though I did not have my biological mother to help me the last 19 years, I am very thankful that God placed other mothers in my life to help me along the way.

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers!

Here is my question for you. What does Mother’s Day mean to you?