Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948) first suggested the national observance of an annual day honoring all mothers because she had loved her own mother so dearly. At a memorial service for her mother on May 10, 1908, Miss Jarvis gave a carnation (her mother’s favorite flower) to each person who attended. Within the next few years, the idea of a day to honor mothers gained popularity, and Mother’s Day was observed in a number of large cities in the U.S.
On May 9, 1914, by an act of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. He established the day as a time for “public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.” By then it had become customary to wear white carnations to honor departed mothers and red to honor the living, a custom that continues to this day.
“Honor thy father and thy mother.”
If there is a history of bitterness, abuse, or grudges between you and a parent, it may seem impossible to honor someone who has hurt you so deeply.
Love for a hurtful parent doesn’t come from our own abilities. You need to honor your parents not because you think they deserve it, but because God asked you to. By doing so, you honor God by keeping His commandments.
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