Jimmy Carter Tribute

There has been a low groan of people being in dismay at the Evangelicals lifting up and comparing Donald Trump to heroic figures of the Christian Bible. There have been some people who openly state he is in the role of a SAVIOR for America.

While watching the Trump trials, no one is testifying to any "Christlike" qualities defendant Trump possesses. Quite the opposite. He behaves more like Judas Iscariot, ready and willing to turn on those in his close circle.

One defining thing about the Savior of the Bible is that he was a carpenter's son, and it is assumed he was also trained to be a carpenter like his father, Joseph.

There is every evidence from Scripture that, before He began His ministry, Jesus was employed as a carpenter. His earthly father, Joseph, was also a carpenter, which means that Jesus was likely His father’s apprentice. It is bizarre to think that God Incarnate was taught to build things by a human man, but it seems that in this, as in all other aspects of His earthly life, Jesus submitted Himself to the humility of being fully human (Philippians 2:6-8). People called Jesus a carpenter (Mark 6:3), and He was known as a carpenter’s son (Matthew 13:55). There is some evidence that the Greek word used for “carpenter” (tekton) could also be translated more broadly as “artisan,” “contractor,” or “handyman.” It is possible, therefore, that Jesus and Joseph were the sort of men you call when something needs to be fixed—be it made of wood, stone, or something else.

The MAGA right tend to believe they have all claims on Christianity and God. So, of course they also lay claims to knowing Jesus Christ and what is Christlike behavior. For THEM, Trump has their stamp of approval and is a champion for Christian beliefs. But there was a BETTER example of Christlike behavior by a president before there was a Donald Trump and that was Jimmy Carter.

Jimmy Carter served as president from Jan. 20, 1977, to Jan. 20, 1981.Significant foreign policy accomplishments of his administration included the Panama Canal treaties, the Camp David Accords, the treaty of peace between Egypt and Israel, the SALT II treaty with the Soviet Union, and the establishment of U.S. diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. He championed human rights throughout the world. In these accomplishments it is easy to see that PEACE, not divisiveness mattered to him. This is a major part of Christian doctrine. Romans 12:18 says, "If possible, as far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."

Trump does not offer peace.

On December 10, 2002, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2002 to Jimmy Carter “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”

Former President Jimmy Carter also exemplified a Christian mandate regarding LOVE. The Bible verse "Love your neighbor as yourself" appears in Leviticus 19:18, which is part of a list of laws about ethical relationships. The verse reads, "You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD". The New Testament of the Bible would establish this as the Golden Rule. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. “This is the first and great commandment. “And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” Once again, Carter demonstrated this in his presidency and lifetime.

In 1982, he became University Distinguished Professor at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and with Rosalynn Carter founded The Carter Center. The nonpartisan and nonprofit Center addresses national and international issues of public policy. Carter Center staff and associates have joined with President Carter in efforts to resolve conflict, promote democracy, protect human rights, and prevent disease and other afflictions.

President Carter and The Carter Center have engaged in conflict mediation in Ethiopia and Eritrea (1989), North Korea (1994), Liberia (1994), Haiti (1994), Bosnia (1994), Sudan (1995), the Great Lakes region of Africa (1995-96), Sudan and Uganda (1999), Venezuela (2002-2003), Nepal (2004-2008), Ecuador and Colombia (2008), the Middle East (2003-present), and Mali (2018-present).

Trump offers name calling, threatening, and bullying to those who are "OTHER" than himself, even our allies. 

Back to the simple life of Jesus Christ before he began his ministry. The Gospel of Luke (Luke 3:23) states that Jesus was "about 30 years of age" at the start of his ministry. A chronology of Jesus typically sets the date of the start of his ministry at around AD 27–29 and the end in the range AD 30–36. Jesus was a carpenter. Who else was a carpenter?

Every year since 1984, former US president Jimmy Carter has donated one week of his time – and his building skills – to Habitat for Humanity. Each year, he and his wife Rosalynn lead a major volunteer building event that attracts thousands of volunteers. Usually, the event takes place in the USA one year and overseas the next. In November 2009, the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project took place across sites in Thailand, southwestern China, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. This was the fourth time the former US president and his wife have built with Habitat for Humanity in Asia.

Speaking of his wife by his side as he did charitable work of carpentry, Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, at the time of her death, were married for more than 77 years. Of course, marriage is a sacred institution for Christians. And the Bible holds husbands to a high standard. 1 Peter 3:7 says, "Likewise husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered." 

As President Carter cared for his wife publicly, there was no doubt he respected women in general. From terms of endearment to openly praising and acknowledging how important his wife's contributions were to his life, we can see his heart.  

The former president proved he was a man ahead of his time when, as a smitten young Naval officer in the 1940s, he coined the acronym "ILYTG.""'I love you the goodest' When speaking to his wife. The monogram is inscribed on a compact he once gave his bride, the future first lady, that today is on display at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta.

“Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” the former president said in a statement. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”

Trump's treatment of his 3 wives and how he treats women, which have included criminal charges of rape, is far from Christlike.

If people are looking for an example of what it looks like to walk as a CHRISTIAN, then there is no better example than our carpenter president Jimmy Carter.

Outward actions expose the heart. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" appears in the New Testament in Mathew 6:21. It is clear to see from the life, former President Jimmy Carter lived, demonstrating through deeds where his heart was and what it was filled with. His concern, it seems, was not in gaining great wealth or fame. Matthew 6:19-21 says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also".

In living his life publicly, with care and concern for others, it is almost certain, instead of facing criminal charges for behaviors that leans to be viewed as criminal, Jimmy Carter, at the end of his long life will hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant" appears in Matthew 25:23. 

REST WELL PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER

Superstition For A Win

I finally decided it's time for me to lose weight. Oh, the horror thinking about when a good day is to begin. My grandmother's voice was bouncing around in my head, "Never start something new on a THURSDAY. It won't be successful." It was a Friday when I decided I should lose weight, but that decision was just the beginning thought. I was not quite ready to actively begin losing weight. Now I was thinking about the best day to start.

If you had a grandmother like mine, then you know there is a superstition for everything. Most times I never paid any attention to any of the superstitions that littered my up bringing, but they do pop up in my memory from time to time.

My grandmother had warnings for everything it seems. I found her superstitions odd and funny. She would warn, "Never sweep a person's feet or they will run away." I would think how that could have anything to do with making a person leave their home. But at one time, this had to be a real concern. I was told if I dropped a fork while eating to expect a male visitor. I dreaded when I dropped a fork or spoon. The list of superstitions about almost anything was unending from my grandmother's lips.

For people trying to make sense of sometimes senseless things, superstition filled the gap of not having ANY control. It allowed for an opportunity to have good luck or avoid bad luck if only in that moment of performing or not performing a task. SUPERSTITION was used as a tool or crutch for surviving life's curveballs. The best superstition were preemptive ones. They were done BEFORE trouble came.

I heard a clever saying in a movie, "Trouble doesn't send a warning." For those who believe superstitions, trouble DOES send a warning.

Back to me trying to find the best day to start my weight loss journey. I really want it to be a success and I'm willing to implement superstition regarding the days of the week. Now you are invited into the world of superstition with me as I try to find the RIGHT/BEST day to start losing weight.

The old people used to have superstition about the days of the week. They said that Tuesday was an unlucky day for a wedding and that Wednesday was a lucky day for one. Saturday is said to be an unlucky day for flitting (leaving). It is said that "Saturday's flit is a short sit". There is a rhyme about the days of the week. This is how it goes: Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday best day of all, Thursday for losses, Friday for crosses and Saturday worst day of all. 

Grandma was right! THURSDAY is a bad day to start something new.

Thursday is not all bad though. Superstition states that Thursday is the luckiest day of the week to move into a new home. It brings good luck to move on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. Sunday is the best day to move.

Followers of Islam try to avoid beginning any new enterprise on Wednesdays. For reasons long forgotten, Wednesday is seen as a bad day. Even today, many Muslims avoid even getting their hair cut on that day. And such important occasions as weddings are never scheduled for a Wednesday.

A familiar old rhyme preserves the old superstitions concerning the personalities of various children on various birthdays: "Monday's child is fair of face, Tuesday's child is full of grace, Wednesday's child is sour and sad, Thursday's child is merry and glad, Friday's child is loving and giving, Saturday's child must work for a living, But the child that is born on Sunday is blithe and bonny, good and gay."

Do you know which day of the week you were born? Me neither. I could be walking around sour and sad because I was born on Wednesday and not because I'm a Debby Downer. It seems a lot of people were born on a Saturday. If I had to choose, I would be a Monday child.

Whenever I decide to begin losing weight, I won't begin on a Thursday. There is too much evidence showing THURSDAY is not a lucky day and when it comes to losing weight, I'll take all the help I can get, including superstition regarding the days of the week.

There are so many more superstitions and YOU yourself may be using one just because your sweet elderly grandmother gave you her loving warning for you to do so. From the book "Kentucky Superstitions", by Daniel Lindsey Thomas, Lucy Blayney Thomas, I stumbled upon a few my granny used to say. Under normal circumstances, I don't pay any attention to superstitions. But desperate times calls for desperate measures.

Cutting Nails.

Monday for health.

Tuesday for wealth.

Wednesday for news.

Thursday for a new pair of shoes.

Friday for sorrow.

Saturday, see your beau tomorrow.

But you had better never been born than have your nails on Sunday shorn. (GRANDMA DEFINITELY WAS AGAINST CUTTING NAILS ON SUNDAY).

To cut the fingernails on Monday means health, on Tuesday wealth, Wednesday a letter. on Thursday something better, on Friday a wife, on Saturday long life, on Sunday means evil, for all of that week you will be ruled by the Devil.

To cut the nails on Monday will bring good luck.

If you cut your fingernails on Monday morning before breakfast, you will receive a present before the week is over.

It brings bad luck to cut the nails on Thursday.

If you cut your toenails on Friday, you will never have toothache..............Western Kentucky

If you cut your nails on Sunday, you will have a plague.

It brings good luck to have the nails pared on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. It brings, bad luck to have the nails pared on other days, especially Sunday.

Sunday

If you trim your nails on Sunday, someone will catch you with your clothes down before the end of the week.........................Mountains

You will have good luck if you are born on Sunday.

A person born on Sunday can talk to animals at midnight of old Christmas...........Mountains

It brings good luck to wear a new dress on Sunday...........................Western Kentucky

It brings bad luck to fish on Sunday.

Sewing

One will have to pick each stitch out with his nose that he sews on Sunday.

If you sew on Sunday, on Judgment Day or in hell you will have to take the stitches out with your nose.

It brings bad luck to use scissors or to sew on Sunday, unless you do not wear a thimble or unless you carry your work to a friend's house. Mountains

If you sew on Sunday, you will die on Monday.

It brings bad luck to iron on Sunday.

It is harmful to darn on Sunday, unless you cross your feet..........................Blue Grass

Journey/Visiting

It brings good luck to start on a journey on Sunday.

As goes Monday, so goes the week.

If you have company on Monday, you will have company every day in the week.

If you go visiting on Monday, you will go every day in the week.

Your whole week will be unlucky if you eat in a strange house on Monday.

If a man comes to your house the first thing on Monday morning, there will be good luck all that week.

If on Monday morning a woman comes to your house before a man, you will have bad luck all that week.

You will not have good luck that week if you start to work on Tuesday.................Mountains

It is unlucky to meet a left-handed person on Tuesday ..............................Mountains

Of course, there are several superstitions from other regions of the world not included because the list would be too extensive. We look to superstitions because we want good luck not bad luck. But we also know we cannot avoid every bad thing life is capable of throwing at us. 

If you have a favorite superstition your family or friends have told you to do or avoid, please share it with me, especially if it will help me on my weight loss journey which I began on a MONDAY.

 

The LOVE of Roses

So, you made it through Mother's Day I am assuming. You did your due diligence and picked mom a special gift which made her smile. WHAT A WONDERFUL CHILD YOU ARE.

No one was smiling more than florists filling thousands of bouquet orders of flowers on Mother's Day. And the number one flower people wanted to give mom was the ROSE. Roses are not just the go-to flower to give to your mother, it is the go-to flower for most gift giving to a loved one or person of interest. The rose spans many occasions of celebration. Oh, by the way, Kenya is smiling too. Commercial rose growing in Kenya goes back decades. The country is famous for its vibrantly colored blooms. Rich soil and an abundance of sunlight give Kenya’s roses their natural, distinctive hues. 

The flower which represents love has been loved for centuries. Napoleon wife Josephine Bonaparte loved roses. Between 1804 and 1814 Empress Josephine built her rose collection. It was to become the greatest and largest rose collection in the world, unsurpassed until the creation of Sangerhausen in Germany and L’Hay outside Paris, one century later. The collection was made up of about 250 species and varieties. By 1830 some 2500 different rose varieties would be available to Parisian rose lovers, all influenced by Josephine’s zeal for rose collecting. It was also the first time that anyone had had thought to create a garden with only one type of plant.   

I am a Master Gardener, and my great love is the rose. At last count I have 165 roses (not species). That is actually a small number of roses for a rose enthusiast. I am slowly becoming comfortable calling myself a Rosarian. I am a member of several Rose Lovers Facebook groups. I love roses and I am not alone. 

People love roses for their beauty, symbolism, cultural significance, exclusivity, and association with special occasions. Roses have been around for over 35 million years and are a staple in the wedding world. Red roses are associated with love, passion, and longing, and have been used in romantic gestures and rituals since ancient times.

People have been giving roses to each other since the 17th century as a way to express love. Roses are the favorite flower of Venus, the Greek goddess of love, and are often used to represent strong emotions. The Victorians also used bouquets of flowers to communicate feelings through a messaging system called "floriography," and roses became a symbol of romantic affection.

Various religions have long used roses as symbols of religious belief. In ancient Greece, the rose was a symbol of Aphrodite. It was also part of the Egyptian myth of Isis. More modern religions still use the rose symbolically. The rose is a repeated leitmotif of Judaism that symbolizes both Israel and royalty. Jewish people are also compared with roses in the Bible. After the rise of Christianity, the rose became heavily linked with the image of the Virgin Mary. Some Catholic sects place crowns made of roses on statues of the Virgin Mary during different religious holidays. Islam also incorporates these flowers into its symbology.

Whether you realized it or not, the color of rose you chose to buy and give to your loved one has meaning. Roses are filled with meaning and superstition. Me personally, have made it a point when I was in the dating arena to tell men who showed interest in me that I preferred NOT to be gifted roses. For me, receiving roses was an intimate thing and I wanted to steer clear of possibly sending the wrong signal to a man whom I had not yet declared MY love to. Plus, I wanted him to be a little more thoughtful about the flowers he bought me as a gift. Roses were such an easy go to. Roses did all of the work for him. 

Let's look at what the color of roses means first.

For example, blue roses symbolize mystery. This is not a naturally occurring color for roses but rose growers remain on a quest to create a true blue rose. There are several roses named as a blue rose such as the rose named Blue Girl, Blue Moon rose, Blue Nile, Carding Mill rose, Rainy Blue, Rhapsody in Blue, Suntory Blue Rose Applause, and Shocking Blue. Yellow roses are ideal to give away to friends.  In the past, the yellow rose was associated with jealousy or infidelity. Yellow roses used to stand for unfaithfulness, so giving a bouquet of yellow roses to your romantic partner would lead to fights and eventual break up. Nowadays, we see this rose as meaning strength, friendship and cherishing. 

Orange roses are for joy. Green roses represent strength and fertility. Oddly, there are several true green roses: Green Tea, Mayra’s Green, Jade, Super Green, Lemonade. I don't like green roses. Leaves are green. Why would I want a flower bloom to be green?

The symbolism of the elegant white rose is trust, innocence, purity, loyalty, respect, and also a fitting gift for a fresh start or a farewell. The white rose is also a symbol of remembrance. The white rose is very popular in the bridal bouquet and also suits farewell and memories. In addition, a bouquet of white roses is perfect for new business customers, for a housewarming party or of course the beginning of a new love.

Red roses are known worldwide as the symbol of love and romance. With red roses, you really give a feeling or emotion to someone else. So red roses are ideal to give to your partner on, for example, a wedding day, Valentine's Day or other special occasion. The rose has many options for giving red roses to someone. So, you have bouquets of 100 red roses for a very impressive gift, but you can also order your number of roses in a bouquet of, say, 33 red roses, for a birthday or wedding anniversary.

The message that the purple rose wants to send out is 'Love at first sight'. So, it's not that only red roses do well on Valentine's Day, also purple roses fit perfectly with the feeling of enchantment and desire.

Pink roses also have multiple meanings. For instance, you can use these roses if you are grateful to someone for something and they want to show their gratitude with these roses. Furthermore, pink roses also represent desire and are for thanksgiving. 

Now for a few superstitions regarding flowers in general and gifting them. Hopefully, you didn't break any superstitions on Mother's Day or at any other time when gifting flowers.

• Red and white: Some say that sending a combination of red and white flowers to someone who is sick can bring misfortune or even death.
• Odd numbers: Some say that giving someone an odd number of flowers is lucky, while even numbers are for the dead and may bring bad luck.
• White carnations: In Russia, white carnations are said to take away talent and good luck.
• Withered flowers: Some say that flowers that fade in the house bring good news, so you should keep them for a few days.
• Before a performance: Some say that it is bad luck to give flowers to someone before they go out to perform on stage, and instead you should wait until after.

It is said that roses are planted near someone’s grave to protect their soul from evil spirits. 

Seeing a white rose bloom in autumn signifies an early marriage. 

Throwing rose leaves into a fire is said to bring good luck.

Where roses are concerned, different cultures have different beliefs about giving roses. Most people view a rose as innocent and just a very pretty flower. In certain countries, you can run into awkward situations if you are not up on you understanding of roses.

In America, more often than any other flower, we hold the rose dear as the symbol of life and love and devotion, of beauty and eternity. For the love of man and woman, for the love of mankind and God, for the love of country, Americans who would speak the language of the heart do so with a rose. We see proofs of this everywhere.

In Hungary, roses are actually a popular funeral flower. While they still retain the classic rose symbolism of love and even romance in that context, they tend to represent one’s undying love for a lost friend, spouse, or relative – so they may not be the most appropriate gift for a first date in Budapest.

Roses are also funeral flowers in Mexico, but here it’s a matter of choosing the color carefully. Yellow roses symbolize death in traditional Mexican culture, so it’s not a good idea to show up for a date or a fiesta with a yellow bouquet. This is just one of many rules of thumb for giving roses in Mexico. If you’re giving red roses in Mexico, you’d better be serious! These beauties are loaded with meaning – two, in fact. In terms of romance, they profess grand, undying love. They also stir up superstitions of magic and spell casting. Purple roses symbolize witchcraft and casting spells too, so there are plenty of ways to infuse rose-giving with some high drama.

South Koreans take rose-giving in a different direction by making these lovely blooms a coming-of-age symbol. Every May, on Coming-of-Age Day, South Koreans have a giant party celebrating all the young people turning 20 that year, at which the birthday boys and girls (men and women?) exchange gifts, including bouquets of roses – typically red.

The Finnish have also adopted the rose as a symbol of appreciation between friends. In fact, every February 14, the Finnish swap the traditional Valentine’s Day for the more inclusive Friend’s Day, a custom that started in the 1980s and hasn’t gone anywhere since. In that spirit, the Finnish celebrate Friend’s Day by exchanging cards, candy, and pink roses.

In Catalonia, Saint George Day is celebrated with roses. Legend has it that St. George, your typical knight in shining armor, saved both a town and a princess by slaying a dragon who’d taken up residence nearby. When the dragon fell, roses sprang up from where its blood had spilled – and now every April 23, Catalonians give each other red roses to symbolize St. George’s valiance and sacrifice.

Cut flowers are traditionally for funerals in China. In this case, both yellow and white roses represent death. White, furthermore, symbolizes bad luck. Numbers are highly symbolic in Chinese culture, and influence flower-giving in many ways. The number 14, for example, means imminent death, so a bouquet of 14 roses would not be well received. But recently a modern-day fairy tale and a magical number gave red roses renewed significance in Chinese romantic culture.

Taiwan’s Valentine’s Day rose traditions take that symbolism to the next level. When V Day rolls around, rose bouquets are bought in specific numbers to send particular messages to crushes and loved ones. A single rose symbolizes one-and-only love. 11 roses are given to a “special someone.” 99 roses are given to someone you’ll love for eternity. 108 roses = “Will you marry me?”

 I know my love affair with roses will only deepen as time marches on. It would be difficult for me to say which color of rose is my favorite. I just love roses. Now that I am married, I enjoy receiving roses and my husband doesn't have to be concerned about the color he chooses. But for the rose gift giver, taking the time to understand the meaning behind the flower and color of the flower can score you big points or lead to big misunderstandings.

Mothers Are The "Great Teacher"

 With Mother's Day just around the corner, my thoughts began to turn to all of the things I do and have done for my children and family in general as a mother. I see all of the fuzzy feelings and tender-hearted commercials trying to tell children what the perfect gift for mom would be. But is there an appropriate gift to give the one who gives their all?

I thought about Jesus and how he laid his life down for humanity so they could have a shot at eternal life. The giving of himself so fully for others - others never met yet whom he was willing to die for. Moms are not up there with Jesus, but there is no other example of a person giving their all, including their life for someone they love, than a mother.

I must admit there are some terrible mothers out there. There is not a hallmark card for them though. It isn't an easy job. but, even with their imperfections; their children love them deeply. So, for me to say 'there are some terrible moms' would be too flippant, judgmental, and downright horrible. So, I will separate the less than perfect mom, my category, from criminal moms. 

I love listening to the commercials encouraging people to adopt. They target in on the fact that you do not have to be cool, a rocket scientist, or child psychologist to be a loving person willing to adopt a child needing to be loved.

I wanted to take the time to appreciate those who are in this institution of motherhood, adoptive mom. Raising a child with shared DNA is one thing, but choosing to raise a child with the same amount of love and dedication who does not share any familial connection, is epic. A mother's love knows no bounds.

Mothers are the TEACHERS of the world. They fill this position sometimes with little or no training. It is simpler to answer the question what a mother doesn't teach than what does she teach. Even for men who cannot tolerate being under the authority of a woman began their lives being under the authority of a woman, his mother. He was once shaped and molded by a woman.

Mothers do not have a standard checklist in which they tick off all of the things they successfully teach their children. Maybe it would help in child rearing if they did. But one teaching mothers have let slip by the wayside is teaching their sons and daughters HOW to be a spouse. This is evident with people looking for or in a relationship wanting to be a POWER COUPLE, forgetting what MARRIAGE is truly about. You may ask if it is an actual duty of a mother to teach her child how to be a spouse and the answer is YES.

Titus 2:1–5 in the Bible says, "You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God".

In this passage we see older women are supposed to carry themselves in a certain way and in turn teach younger women to do the same. In this teaching of how an older woman is supposed to live is the teaching of the younger woman how to be a wife and MOTHER (young men should be taught also how to be a husband and father).

I'm sure since there is wording regarding being SUBMISSIVE to the husband and doing housework, women prefer to not acknowledge this Bible passage. Whether the passage is embraced or not, being a spouse/mother is something that should be TAUGHT and not done by the seat of the pants. If children were being taught marriage and parenthood can be rewarding and what each is supposed to look like when healthy, then maybe today's nuclear family structure would not be threatened. We groom our children for careers and income but not how to be spouses and parents. Why should it be taught in the case of women? Because a mother becomes a GREAT TEACHER. It would seem it falls to the father to make sure the son learns how to be a husband and father but remember who the primary teacher in the home is. And sons definitely need to be taught how to be a good husband and father the entirety of their childhood.

Teachers in the American educational system state with just cause that they are underpaid for their work in teaching the future of America and underappreciated. Likewise, a mother, the FOREVER teacher is not comparably compensated for her work and her contribution to society is woefully underappreciated. 

Sometimes motherhood is a thankless position of late hours and few seeable benefits. But, upon reflection it turns out to be filled with benefits. Nothing can ever compare to that first whiff of innocence/newness I inhaled the first time I held each of my daughters for the first time. That was priceless. All of the funny faces they made at new discoveries made me smile. The laughter that tickled my ears at the simplest of things they found to be hilarious, and I had long ago taken for granted, made me smile. I have memories filled with smiles. If I were offered millions for my mother memories, I would turn it down. So, to all of the mothers out there; happy Mother's Day from me.

No matter what your mothering style is, preparing your child for marriage and parenthood or not, all that you do DO is invaluable. But of course, there is someone who did put a value on it.

According to ZipRecruiter, as of April 30, 2024, the average hourly pay for a stay-at-home mom in the United States is $16.32, and the average hourly pay for a housewife is $22.95. A 2019 survey from Salary.com estimated that the median annual salary for stay-at-home moms is $178,201, which includes traditional roles like housekeeper, dietitian, and day care teacher, as well as newer roles like network administrator, social media communications, and recreational therapist. Not too shabby, eh?

Heather Chrudimsky states that a stay-at-home moms perform many necessary duties, have important responsibilities that serve as the glue in a family/household that keeps it together and running smoothly. Their duties don't run on a 9 to 5 schedule and there is no punch out time. Below is her listing of a mother's duties.

10. Administrative assistant: run errands, answer the phone, pay bills, fill out paperwork, organize and schedule activities,
9. Chef: whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner. Cooking responsibilities are on the shoulders of the stay-at-home - all while taking care of the kids.
8. Tutor/teacher: Time to bring out the math, science, spelling, etc. skills back out. No matter what the age, homework help is a staple in a stay-at-home mom's day.
7. Chauffeur: Whether it's to school, choir, dance, sports practice, dentist, doctor, friend's house, park, grocery store, etc., stay-at-home moms spend just about as much time in their vehicle as a truck driver.
6. Daycare provider: Kiddos are obviously a stay-at-home mom's top priority. Making sure they are busy, safe and engaged is a constant.
5. Referee: Literally and figuratively. Children fight and it is the job of mom to make sure no one is hurt, and lessons are learned.
4. Doctor/nurse: Band-aids, ointment and mommy kisses - nothing cures a boo-boo better.
3. Psychiatrist: Whether is it helping little ones understand their growing emotions or healing a first broken heart - mom is always there to offer a shoulder to cry on and give advice of course.
2. Maid/homemaker: Just call them domestic divas - name the cleaning chore, stay-at-home moms have done it.
1. Family mascot/boss: Regardless of a family's makeup, moms are the family centerpiece, keeping the family together, making sure everything runs smoothly and keeping everyone happy.

Seems like mothers might need regular vacation time WITH PAY.

For children, whatever you decide to give your mother for Mother's Day; expensive or not, make sure you smother her with 'thank yous' and 'love yous' because this is music to a mother's ears.