Coronavirus? Quarantine? No handmade gifts from school or church? No cute pictures at church of everyone dressed up? This is going to be a Mother’s Day like no other. But this year let’s make it our mission to find joy in the midst of it all!
My picture from Mother’s Day last year is one of my favorites ever. Our women’t ministry at church had designed a cute, springy photo background where moms and their kids could get their pictures taken. Knowing that my son James (with level 3 autism) might not enjoy posing for a picture and smiling on Sunday morning in a lobby full of people, we got all dressed up on Saturday night and walked over to the church to take a picture with me and my boys. We took a couple dozen (like we always do), and I got one I especially loved. I loved it so much, I actually printed it and put in in a frame (instead of just leaving it on the camera roll on my phone).
I can’t remember what else we did last year, but I’m sure we talked to my mother-in-law on the phone and spent time with my mom, who lives close. I probably had whatever I wanted for lunch and said thank you for my gifts.
But this year is going to be a lot different! No church, no hanging out with my mom, no cute photo spot. I went ahead and ordered a gift or two for myself, knowing that it’s hard to remember a holiday is coming up when you aren’t even sure what day of the week it is most of the time. We could get takeout for lunch, but the plans will be up to me for sure (hopefully my older son will at least help with the dishes). And on top of everything else, my husband is having surgery on Thursday, so he’ll still be recovering on Mother’s Day.
All of this could make me a little sad. If thinking about how you’ll be spending Mother’s Day makes you sad, that’s understandable and expected!
But what if we prepared our minds and our hearts now for what’s to come on Sunday so we’re able to focus on the joyful moments that we might miss otherwise?
Source: Special Needs Parenting- Key Ministry
