A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....05-11 TO 13-07...Mother's Day Weekend. at the Finest ^

May 11, 2007 | DollyCali

[DollyCali]

The earliest Mother's Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday". Celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter*), "Mothering Sunday" honored the mothers of England.

During this time many of the England's poor worked as servants for the wealthy. As most jobs were located far from their homes, the servants would live at the houses of their employers. On Mothering Sunday the servants would have the day off and were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch.

As Christianity spread throughout Europe the celebration changed to honor the "Mother Church" - the spiritual power that gave them life and protected them from harm. Over time the church festival blended with the Mothering Sunday celebration. People began honoring their mothers as well as the church.

In the United States Mother's Day was first suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe (who wrote the words to the Battle hymn of the Republic) as a day dedicated to peace. Ms. Howe would hold organized Mother's Day meetings in Boston, Mass ever year.

In 1907 Ana Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia to celebrate Mother's Day on the second anniversary of her mother's death, the 2nd Sunday of May. By the next year Mother's Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia.

Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessman, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. It was successful as by 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.

While many countries of the world celebrate their own Mother's Day at different times throughout the year, there are some countries such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium which also celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.

Her Life Was Not as Glorious as Some

Her life was not as glorious as some,
Devoted to her children and their children,
Taken up by quiet tedium:
What's left when dreams are scattered to the wind.
She loved too well, perhaps, and fought too hard
To make a marriage work that wasn't right.
She was, of all bright loveliness, a shard
Struck off to bring our lives the gift of light.
There are those whose lives are shaped by love;
Whose pleasures, rich and full, are found in giving;
Who make our wild hearts bloom and passions move
Into measured fields made lush by living.
Without her all the gold's gone from the day;
She will be missed far more than we can say.

by Nicholas Gordon

Behold the Mother with Her Newborn Child

Behold the mother with her newborn child!
An icon of a hope that never dies.
Death may label all we cherish lies,
Yet this love lies too deep to be defiled.
We clear an inner field where fate has smiled,
Letting play the pleasures of surmise,
Holding back all contrary replies,
As though our thoughts might turn the winters mild.
Despite the well-known travesties of time,
Each time a child is born we dream anew,
For only thus our losses are regained.
Though we must share the destiny of slime,
No passion in our palette is more true
Than that which cradles innocence unstained.

by Nicholas Gordon

03-27-07 ~ Hall of Fame #19 ~ Final

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 05-07,08-07 Military Tribute 05-09-07 Warm Fuzzy Wednesday 05-10-07 JH2-For Democrats, New Challenge in Losing France

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

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TOPICS:

[DollyCali]

[dutchess]

Lovely. Thanks!!!!! (so do I get something for being first????)

[ConorMacNessa]

Happy Friday, Dolly - wearing red to support our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. Our Congess may not support them but we will never stop.

[DollyCali]

(sorry if you are getting multiple pings.. technical troubles here!)

[DollyCali]

a hug & kiss for perseverance? (VERY LATE THREAD) I am always missing you.. hope life is sweet (I know crazy & busy, but sweet!)

[MEG33]

Beautiful thread Dolly!

[DollyCali]

"Wear Red" Friday

You will soon see a lot of people wearing Red on Fridays. Here's why..... The Americans, who support our troops, are the silent majority. We are not "organized" to reflect who we are, or to reflect what our opinions are. Many Americans, like yourself, and all their friends, simply want to recognize that Americans support our troops. Our idea of showing our solidarity and support for our troops is starting Friday and continuing on each and every Friday, until this is over, that every red-blooded American who supports our young men and women, WEAR SOMETHING RED.

Word of mouth, press, TV -- let's see if we can make the United States, on any given Friday, a sea of red much like a home football game at a University. If every one of our memberships share this with other acquaintances, fellow workers, friends, and neighbors, I guarantee that it will not be long before the USA will be covered in RED - and make our troops know there are many people thinking of their well-being. You will feel better all day Friday when you wear Red! So let's get the word out and lead by example; wear RED on Fridays.

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS! WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE. FOR US, THEIR BLOOD RUNS RED!! GOD BLESS AMERICA.

I received this in my email June 10th, 2006 - the author is unknown.
I am wearing red today and every Friday ~ Billie

[MEG33]

~Good Morning To The Finest~
Wear Red On Friday To Support Our Troops

[DollyCali]

Thank you Meg.. running late & complications here. Must feed mom & pets & leave shortly.

FReepMail

[lysie]

Beautiful, Dolly. Thank you.

[stopem]

Thanks Dolly!

M-O-T-H-E-R

“M” is for the million things she gave me,
“O” means only that she’s growing old,
“T” is for the tears she shed to save me,
“H” is for her heart of purest gold;
“E” is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
“R” means right, and right she’ll always be,
Put them all together, they spell “MOTHER,”
A word that means the world to me.
—Howard Johnson (c. 1915)

Happy Mother’s and Grandmother’s day!!!

[ConorMacNessa]

Beautiful Pic, MEG! What kind of flower is that?

[Majie Purple]

Wow! That’s mighty pretty Meg!
Love the bold red black & gold combo!!!!

[Majie Purple]

Lovely Mother’s Day ping!

[DollyCali]

I think it is a geranium blossom.. but looks also a little like an impatiens.. the droopy bud makes me think it is a geranium

[MEG33]

Thank you!

It is a geranium..We just see them usually as a large many flowered round ball.

[ConorMacNessa]

Mother Machree

There’s a spot in my heart,
Which no colleen may own.
There’s a depth in my soul,
Never sounded or known;

There’s a place in my mem’ry,
My life, that you fill,
No other can take it,
No one ever will.

cho: Sure, I love the dear silver
That shines in your hair,
And the brow that’s all furrowed,
And wrinkled with care.
I kiss the dear fingers,
So toil-worn for me,
Oh, God bless you and keep you,
Mother Machree.

Ev’ry sorrow or care
In the dear days gone by,
Was made bright by the light
Of the smile in your eye,

Like a candle that’s set
In the window at night,
Your fond love has cheered me
And guided me right.

[Majie Purple]

I mean to just post the topper from Billie today...Will post dolls on other days... :O)

[Majie Purple]

"...Will post dolls on other days... :O)"

Uh same day each week I shoulda wrote other dates!

[Kitty Mittens]

Dear Dolly, your Thread is Lovely, and Dear Meg, your Pic is Absolutely Stunning. So Very Beautiful!

Prayers for a Safe and Blessed Weekend for All.

O God, in Mercy Bless us. (Ps.67:1)