Sharing a few heartfelt ideas to celebrate and honor the incredible women who’ve shaped our lives.

1. Write a Heartfelt Letter: Pour your gratitude onto paper and express just how much she means to you. A letter is a timeless keepsake she'll treasure forever. I still read a letter my boys gave me about 5 years ago.

2. Create a Family Photo Book: Gather those digital photos stored on your phone and use services like Shutterfly to design a photo book she’ll cherish. Add captions or stories to make each picture come alive. My mother who also insists that she does not want a gift, is being gifted a photo book this year.

3. Gift a Journal: Offer her a journal where she can record her thoughts, dreams, and cherished memories, encouraging her to create her own collection of stories. Mothers don’t always share their lived lessons with their children. If she chooses to write and share, it can be a treasured gift for all her children.

4. Plants Last Longer: Why not offer both flowers and a plant? She can enjoy the beauty of a bouquet today and nurture a plant that will remind her of your love for years to come.

5. Dinner Delivered (or Cooked): Sponsor dinner from her favorite restaurant every Friday in May. If budget is a concern, offer to cook a family meal once a week for a month. This is the gift that keeps on giving, especially for moms of young children.

6. Provide Real Stress Relief: By all means, offer a spa certificate but beyond the spa, offer practical help. Bring your toolbox or arrange for a handyman to tackle that list of small repairs she always wishes were done. As I draft this, I am thinking how wonderful it would be to have someone fix or replace that pesky garage remote!

7. Gift Cards that Get Used: Be thoughtful about gift cards. Give her one for something she actually enjoys, like Starbucks if she’s a coffee fan. While mom may think it impractical to stop at Starbucks every morning, if she had a gift card, away goes the gilt. It’s not about what's trendy, but what will truly brighten her day.

8. Ask About Her Wishes: Simply ask her, "If you were granted three wishes, what would they be?" She might surprise you with heartfelt and meaningful requests, anything from a month without having to ask anyone to help with the dishes to a bucket list trip to Italy.

9. Speak Her Love Language: Tailor your gesture to her love language. If it's quality time, set up a monthly date with her. If it’s acts of service, complete a special project each month.

10. Personal Playlist: Curate a playlist of songs that evoke happy memories for her or reflect her journey. Music has a special way of reaching the heart. I have a “good vibes” playlist that I love to play on stressful days.

    If you would like to hear my story, I shared a message of thanksgiving to my 2 mothers, titled Mother’s Day: Strength of a Single Mother.

    I hope these ideas spark inspiration.

Community Notes:

• This community is more than a Sunday Newsletter. NOTES is where I post during the week. This week, I shared a personal testimony of how a random stranger blessed me with the gift of prayer.

• You will find books, collaboration opportunities, and our Growing into Greatness community news on my website. www.janetautherine.com.

  
  

  Have a blessed and amazing week! Janet