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Mother's Day Gifts She'll Love
May, 2013 - Issue #103
Motherhood Traditions
by Mandie Czarnecki

Since I was a young girl, my mom has celebrated Mother's Day by picking out a new, vibrant and colorful rosebush to plant in her garden. At one point, we had over 40 rose bushes blooming between both front and back yards! Each beautifully-fragrant bush represented something special to her: a season of joy, overcoming difficult challenges or letting go of grief. Somehow these roses offered a sense of hope, closure and peace.

Although she doesn't live in the same home where those roses were carefully planted and gently groomed, it is a tradition that lives on in her new home. I'm happy to admit that it carries on in my home as well. In fact, my husband knows that there is nothing that warms my heart more than fresh-cut roses sitting on my kitchen table. He used to pick them only for me but now we have two precious daughters who share in the joy.

I often reflect on other traditions my mother valued that I now have a deep appreciation for, such as dinner around the table as a family, encouraging my 4 -year-old daughter that she can do anything she sets her mind to, hiring someone to clean the house every once in a while (A good tip for any woman!) and pouring into others in need of love and friendship. She has taught me not to take anything for granted and to live an abundant life - not a perfect one.

I am sure many of you reading this have your own stories about what your mom has passed down to you. This Mother's Day, let's honor those simple traditions that bring such joy and the women who introduced us to those treasures. What kind of rosebush will you pick out this year?
Mandie is the worship pastor at Real Life Church. In addition to her work there, she has independently recorded and released seven solo albums in the last 17 years. Mandie produced and arranged many of her songs on her albums and has taken great delight in producing the songs of other up-and-coming artists. Mandie is an accomplished songwriter, with several of her songs winning notable awards. She can be seen most weekends at Real Life Church. 775-2041 www.reallifechurch.org
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