One year ago on April 12th, my Mother’s journey
here on earth ended and her new life in paradise began. Such a painful event
for us turned out to be a beautiful beginning for her in another place. It
seems there is no other way to honor her memory than to make an effort to
remember the love that lived within her, and spread it to others. Mom loved to
laugh and to do kind things for others. This is why it’s so appropriate to do a
little of just that on the anniversary of her going home.
Below is a list of 12 kind things to do on the weekend of
April 12th in memory of Mom.
Would you do one, two, or even more?
If so, please let us know what you did or plan to do so we can be
encouraged her legacy is continuing on.
- Leave a piece of paper with a written joke in a pair of pants at a clothing store. The one thing Mom enjoyed more than laughing was to make others laugh.
- Take flowers to a local nursing home and request the bouquet be delivered to someone who doesn’t have many visitors. Mom spent many days visiting her parents in the nursing home and had a heart for those there that seemed lonely.
- Leave an encouraging note on a car parked at the hospital. Mom and her loved ones spent many long days at the hospital feeling very discouraged by circumstances.
- If you haven’t already, sign up to be an organ donor. This could have been a lifesaving gift for Mom, had there not been a shortage of donors at the time she was so desperately sick and in need of one. Sign up now and be a lifesaving gift for someone else one day.
- Leave a gift of cookies or another treat for a service worker in your area (garbage removal, policemen, firemen, snow removal crews, postal worker, etc). Mom was known for baking cookies and taking cans of Coke to the snow plow crews as they drove by in the storms.
- Put a gift card in a cookbook at the bookstore. Mom LOVED cookbooks.
- Take a box of dog treats to your local Humane Society. Mom’s “Best Birthday Present Ever” was a rescue dog she and Dad adopted. Lily (the adopted dog) was a true friend to Mom especially when she became homebound and very sick.
- Donate a children’s Bible to your church and request it to be given to a child that would want or need it. Mom loved Vacation Bible School each summer at her church. While cleaning out her closet, after she died, we found all her name tags she saved from each year of teaching and helping at VBS. There were many.
- Donate to a non-profit organization that helps children in poor countries. Mom had a fear of flying, but found ways to help those in need overseas without having to board a plane.
- Leave an encouraging note on a dressing room mirror. Great memories were made on shopping trips with my mom, sister, and grandmother.
- Do something silly with a friend, take a picture, and put it in an album or frame. Mom and her best friend used to dress up in crazy costumes each year and ride a double bike in the local parade. They had a blast, made people laugh, and made special memories.
- Make a meal for someone in need. Mom made many meals for those who were sick or in need. She, my sister, and I spent a day making food and filling my grandparent’s freezer with meals. Mom made me take pictures of everything and everyone that day. Seemed silly then, but now I’m glad she had me take the pictures.
