Thursday, May 9, 2013

The origins of Mother's Day

I'm repeating my post from last year. I wish you a gentle weekend. ((hugs)) emily

This was written by Kara Jones. Click over to FaveCraftsBlog to read her whole post click here. You can visit Kara's blogs MotherHenna.com and Kota:Knowing Ourselves Through Art



...They were handing out fliers sharing the writing of Julia Ward Howe, first published in 1870 as a protest against the carnage and violence of the Civil War. This was a protest led by women whose sons had died! Bereaved mothers started this tradition of Mothers Day! In the beginning, this was a day of protest, an expression of horrified grief from bereaved mothers who were parted from their sons!! Wow. Okay. That’s a different spin.

So what did Julia have to say back in 1870? You read and see for yourself:

Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts, whether our baptism be that of water or of fears!

Say firmly: “We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.

We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs. From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says “Disarm, Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice.”

Blood does not wipe our dishonor nor violence indicate possession. As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.

Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby the great human family can live in peace, each bearing after their own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God.

In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a general congress of women without limit of nationality may be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient and at the earliest period consistent with its objects, to promote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the great and general interests of peace.

Julia Ward Howe
Boston
1870


Mothers Day came as an answer to Julia’s proclamation. It started as a ceremony of bereavement and then as a movement for peace and action to stop the senseless deaths of children everywhere. Our society can commercialize all they want. Because in my heart of hearts I know the real meaning of this day came from pain, loss, and grief — the same things I am prone to feel on any given Mothers Day. And from now on, when people urge me to celebrate the day, I tell them this:

I’ll celebrate with you if you will first mourn with me. It is the combination of the two that lends itself to the true meaning of Mothers Day!

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

**GABRIEL'S GIVEAWAY- ENTER NOW**

This week I'm surrounding myself with comfort food and comfort friends. I thought it suitable that Gabriel's Giveaway include both. I have met so many amazing people I would never have met if I had not had Gabriel. Three of my favorite ladies have donated items for today's giveaway:



Alicia, from Magnabilities, is donating a custom set for us- insert/pendant/chain. Magnabilities is the 'hottest new trend in jewelry- interchangable magnets!" Thanks so much, Alicia!





Stephanie Cole, from Sweet Pea Project has donated a copy of her book, Still. Click here for more information on Stephanie, her book, and her beautiful Sweet Pea Project in honor of her daughter, Madeline. Thank you, Stephanie!




 Kara Jones, from Mother Henna has donated a Grief: Finding Our Way home workshop. You can get all the details on this fantastic tool HERE.










And then there's me. I'm donating a Ribbon's gift card from my Stepping Stones 2 Health and Healing site. Ribbons is a gift card that allows the recipient to go online and choose their own gift.

Maybe you will choose the Energy Pack, the Artistry Make Up Kit, The Smart Girl's Vitamins, the Legacy of Clean Cleaning Supplies, or some Delicious Nutrilite Snack bars. All useful, all awesome.

I love these products and can not wait for you to try them- you will love them, too. In particular I love the Nutrilite weight loss stuff- I lost 30 pounds last year! Email me if you'd like more info aboutthat  (nick wilberg at hotmail dot com)









OK, here's how it will work.

Do a random act of kindness for someone this weekend. Pay for the person in back of you in the drive thru. Leave a crazy big tip when you go out to dinner. Write a little note and leave it on a windshield. Something unexpected, something fun.

 Then come back and leave a comment below. That's it! I will need to know how to get ahold of you in the event you win, so send me an email with your email and snail mail address. (nick wilberg at hotmail dot com)

One entry per person. You can enter from now through Sunday night (midnight) and winners will be picked and announced on Monday.

 GOOD LUCK!

Monday, May 6, 2013

Stepping Stones to Awesome

What do I want to do this year? My original 2013 resolutions/bucket list from January 1 looks like this: 1. Hike Seneca Greenway Trail (20 miles) 2. Work on family history 3. Do a juice cleanse 4. Go to a raw restaurant 5. Go on an overnight backpacking trip 6. Brand my business 7. Lose 10 pounds 8. Pay off Credit Cards 9. Daily prayer 10. Order scrapbooks for 2012, 2011 11. Try capsule dressing for 1 month 12. Date night once a month Here is my updated list as of February 8 (and still now, May 7) 1. Pay off debt (make more, spend less, be thrifty with what I have) 2. Be healthy/Be strong (eat healthily, avoid sugar, exercise) 3. Strengthen my relationship with my husband (date night 1/month, smile more!, make the house a place he wants to come home to) 4. Be a better mom (patience, be present with my kids, set up some systems to help maintain house, etc) 5. Live more simply (get rid of clothes I don't wear, finish loose ends that have been bugging me) Several times a day I try to stop and ask myself: Is this activity helping me 1. Be a better me? 2. Be a better wife and mother? 3. Pay off my debt? If not, I'm trying to stop what I'm doing and get back on track. This mostly means I need to: stop re-reading romance novels and go do something (ANYTHING) else turn off the TV step away from the computer Also, the other thing I noticed is when I look at what my NEXT STEP for these original goals is, it is to PUT IT ON MY CALENDAR. If I do not schedule it I will not do it. It is as simple as that.

Kintsukuroi

I had never heard of this before; I do feel Gabriel's death shattered me, and left me broken. As the pieces were put together I waited to be back 'to normal' but after a long while I realized I had a 'new normal.' Not worse than before; different. I like this idea that they do not try to restore the broken pottery to its original condition, nor do they trash it as being worthless. They accept the fact as part of its history and they incorporate it. More beautiful. Yes.

I'm not sure where this graphic came from but if anyone knows let me know so I can give credit.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Wowza, what a week! Starting with International Bereaved Mother's Day today, Gabriel's date on Friday, and then Mother's Day as the end cap. This week I give myself permission to do what I need to get through it. And I think that may include a few trips to the frozen yogurt place.

And, I think we need a GIVEAWAY! Don't you?

Will announce the prizes and how to enter to win on WEDNESDAY.

One prize will be a custom insert sponsored by Alicia.Magnabilities.com especially for us!

Other prizes TBA. 




International Bereaved Mother's Day