“I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day. I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it. We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did.”
One Mother’s Day about 23 years ago, when all these little dudes looked like this—my sister and I had a brilliant idea. We lined most of our kids up by the hearth at mom’s house and had them sing. Oh, my did they sing! To my memory, they sang every Mother’s Day song ever written but ended with mom’s favorite–“I Often Go Walking.”
“I often go walking in meadows of clover, And I gather armfuls of blossoms of blue. I gather the blossoms the whole meadow over, Dear Mother, all flowers remind me of you.
Oh Mother, I give you my love with each flower To give forth sweet fragrance a whole lifetime through For if I love blossoms and meadows and walking, I learn how to love them, dear Mother, from you.” –Phyllis Luch
At the end, all these little sweethearts handed her a tiny flower. It was beautiful and the best part about it was that…she cried. That always meant it was the perfect Mother’s Day gift.
I’ve been thinking of a line from a childhood song, that goes, “…dear Mother, all flowers remind me of you.” It’s been humming around in my head all day. Since my mom’s been gone for 10 years, it felt right and good to create something simple and pretty to remind me of her.
These simple little paper flowers did the trick. It may just make you feel good too–if you are a mom…or had a mom…or knew a mom–to make your very own little bouquet for the table. Especially if your sky is still trying to decide between sun and snow–like ours is. We need flowers I tell you!
Supplies needed:
1 inch paper strips–I used magazine covers because they were heavier than regular paper and shiny too.
Pipe cleaners
Random buttons
Small hole punch
Fold a pipe cleaner in half–like this.
Poke a button onto the pipe cleaner…
and slide it all the way to the top of the fold.
Loop a paper strip just like this…
and punch a small hole right through all three layers.
Now slide the paper loop onto the pipe cleaner and scoot it all the way up to the top.
Keep adding more and more loops until you love the way it looks—five or six were good for me, but go crazy if you like.
When you are finished adding “petals” slide another button up to the under side of the flower and twist the pipe cleaner to secure the button in place.
You now have the power to go forth and beautify the whole planet…or at least your corner of it! I’m expecting big things.
“World peace, though a lofty goal, is but an outgrowth of the personal peace each individual seeks to attain. I refer not to the peace promoted by man, but peace as promised of God. I speak of peace in our homes, peace in our hearts, even peace in our lives. Peace after the way of man is perishable. Peace after the manner of God will prevail.”
If you cannot remember believing in God or if you have ceased to believe or if you believe but without real conviction, I invite you to seek a testimony of God now. Do not be afraid of ridicule. The strength and peace that come from knowing God and having the comforting companionship of His Spirit will make your efforts eternally worthwhile.”
