From Catholic Moms Group:
Thank you, Mama!
Written by Dorothy Pilarski
Are you tired?
Christmas is a busy time. Often pulled between different families, different traditions, different religious convictions, different Crosses and different joys. As mothers, we often bear the brunt of the Christmas season. Sometimes it can be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. Someone forgot something, got the recipe wrong.
Interacting with family and friends that don’t take their faith seriously, or have no Christian faith at all —
Christmas can be JOYFUL. It can be a lot of hard work, just being at home, having everyone at home and away from work!
Strolling through Instagram, I came across a post that asked moms if they got thanked for all the hard work they do in their truly heroic efforts to make Christmas magical for their children, for their families. I can’t remember exactly what it said, (sometimes I am scrolling way too fast) or who posted it. It quickly touched my heart and then poof, it was gone!
It inspired me, to write something similar and to thank you!
Mama, do you ever feel under appreciated or taken for granted? This one’s for you!
Thank you Mama!
Mama, thank you for sweeping and wiping down those kitchen counters at least 101 different times over the last few days. Thank you for your cooking, cleaning and yes, even screaming. We can feel your passion, we know you care. Thank you for all the work that went into rallying up the troops to get that Christmas tree up and decorated. Or maybe you decorated it yourself? Sometimes it takes a while to get us going, but you never give up on us! Thank you for shopping, often months in advance, to find a gift to bring a smile to the faces of not only us, your children, (and dad) but Godchildren, nieces and nephews, brother-in-laws and aunts. Thank you for finding those perfect Christmas napkins, getting that Christmas breakfast was ready and served with special touches. Thank you for those Santa hats! Thank you for picking up table cloths, shirts and dresses from the dry cleaners. Thank you for staying up late to wrap gifts. Thank you for getting up early to make sure Santa got his cookies! Thank you for baking, (or finding that perfect bakery) and sharing your talents with your parish, your neighbours and friends. Thank you for making sure the floors were washed and making sure that your children pitched in. Thank you for getting all of us to Mass, tho you yourself were oh so tired. Thank you for getting us something new to wear for Christmas! Mom, don’t worry, It doesn’t matter that we didn’t have matching pjs! Thank you for sending out Christmas cards and displaying the ones we get throughout the house. Thank you for doing the laundry and making sure that you yourself had a touch of makeup, something new to wear and a splash of makeup. Thank you Mama for showing us the importance of family, by spending time with those you don’t always agree with. Thank you for kneeling down and praying night time prayers with us your children. We know you gave us every last ounce of energy you had. Thank you for tidying up 101 times a day, organizing the gifts, putting away Christmas bags that can be used next year. Thank you for the decorations that grace our home, we know you have bought them over years, with hopes of creating a warm and inviting home. Thank you for the Nativity and teaching us the true meaning of Christmas, thank for for the Advent wreath. Don’t worry about not lighting the candles each night, or praying those Advent wreath prayers perfectly (or at all). Mama, we see that fire of love for us sparkling in your eyes! Mama, I know that there are probably a thousand and one other things you’ve done, one’s that I don’t see, but please know God sees! Right Mama? That’s what you always tell us!
And, “Yes, Mama, I will pray for you, just as you taught me to, because prayers of little children go straight to heaven!”
“Right Mama? That’s what you always tell us!
***