Three Things I Will Do on Mother’s Day
Hi Friends,
Besides celebrating with my wife, Marika, and our daughters, Stephanie and Vanessa, and their families, I will do three things this Mother's day, 2023:
First, I will read, privately, but out loud, two poems about Mother’s Day in Best Loved Unity Poems, published by Unity School of Christianity in 1947. I will hold in mind and heart women who raised me to a higher place where love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things.
Second, I will also read and reflect on Eric Butterworth's 1975 Mother’s Day essay, The Wisdom To Believe the Heart, where he writes “Mother’s Day is a good time to herald the importance of the divine feminine... the need to explore and harness our inner depths. When the intellect is unified with the superconscious flow, there is a balance of the male and the female. Then only is there hope of creating a world order of peace and good will. One is simply not qualified for life in modern times without a sense of the transcendent, the free flow of understanding love, and the wisdom to believe the heart.”
Third, and most important, I will set an intention during the five weeks between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day to let go of painful, broken experiences that occurred long ago, and I will bless those who loved and cared for me before I became capable of loving and caring for myself. These five weeks will be for me A Season of Healing, and I will rely on Frank Giudici's program, Love Yourself Into Wholeness, for inspiration and encouragement.
I will do these things because I want to love myself totally and unconditionally and I also want to be a source of unconditional love to others. I can envision the five weeks between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day being A Season of Healing, for me and for my world. I will be grateful to hear from any of you who have the same desire and vision.
Mother’s Day, May 14, 2023
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Love Yourself Into Wholeness by Frank Giudici
“All problems, challenges, or whatever we may choose to call them, stem from this one basic problem—the inability to love ourselves totally and unconditionally.”
—Frank Giudici
If Frank Giudici's statement is true—and I believe it is—then it means that all our efforts in prayer, healing and prosperity are compensations, not demonstrations. Rather than demonstrating health and prosperity, we are compensating for the lack of something more basic—something that keeps us from being whole and prosperous. It means that we do not have problems, but rather that we have a single problem that lies at the root of all life issues—that issue being that we have not learned to love ourselves totally and unconditionally.
Further, Frank Guidici's statement implies that our everyday problems in life are not caused by our present conditions, but rather by a painful, broken experience that occurred early in life, most likely associated with one or both of our parents, or someone very significant in our life. It has reinforced for me the importance of bondedness—why those who bond seem to be free from many of life's challenges and why those who have not adequately learned to be loved find life is a struggle.
Let's assume Frank is right...
Then I propose that we set an intention—individually and as a movement—to heal the early childhood wounds that have taught us to not love ourselves fully and unconditionally.
And I propose that we do this between Mother's Day and Father's Day this year and every year. I propose that along side the season of Lent and the season of Advent—our two holy seasons—we establish a new season—a season of Healing—a season devoted to fully healing the "parent wound" that lies at the root of all life's problems.
We can begin by listening to Love Yourself Into Wholeness, a four-part series by Frank Giudici that encourages us to explore and identify aspects of ourselves for which we do not have total and unconditional love. Frank Giudici was a wise and wonderful man who helped many people with life issues.
Unity may be the best-equipped denomination to help culture heal the parent wound. That we have a theology of "mother-father" God and that our movement is equally open and responsive to feminine and masculine energy are things that can help many overcome a sense of shame and separation.
I hope these are a blessing for you.
Mother's Day 2017
When “Prayer Never Fails”, Fails — What Do You Do? by Joel Baehr
When "Prayer Never Fails", Fails is a powerful 48 minute message on breaking free from our internal story where blame is placed everywhere but where it needs to be placed.
Joel William Baehr, an ordained minister, began experiencing difficulty speaking in 1974. The symptoms of spastic dysphonia became progressively worse as time went on. Nothing he did seemed to be of help in his situation, including prayer. Both his own, and those of others.
In this dynamic two cassette program, you'll learn what Joel Baehr discovered. What action steps to take when prayer never fails, fails. You'll learn what you can do when you are experiencing adversity in your own life.
Mother's Day and Father's Day Affirmations from Daily Word®
| Year | Mothers | Fathers |
| 2020 | 05/10/2020 I honor all mothers and am grateful for their love.
I bless my mother and am grateful to her for the gift of nurturing love. Whether my mother is still with me or has passed on, her love still lives in my heart and her wisdom continues to inspire me. I am grateful for the many ways my mother has blessed me. I also feel deep appreciation and tender affection for all those who have blessed me with the selfless gift of motherly love. I would not be who I am without them. Through the living example of the mothers in my life, I pass along the blessings of a mother’s care and devotion as I embrace opportunities to share an affirming thought, an encouraging word, a smile, or a simple act of kindness. I honor my mother and all mothers as I share the love of God that never fails. 
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06/21/2020 I give thanks for all expressions of fatherly love.
My relationship with my father may have been positive and nurturing or difficult and challenging. He may have been a strong presence during my childhood, or he may have been absent. We may be part of each other’s lives today, we may be estranged, or he may have passed from earthly life. Whatever our circumstances, I bless my father and I see him enfolded in divine love. As I honor my father, I also honor all the father figures who have helped guide me along my path. Family members, teachers, neighbors, clergy, employers, and friends—I bless them as I recall all the ways each one, in a unique way, has modeled strength, guidance, wisdom, and patience. Their presence remains with me thanks to their gifts of fatherly love. 
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| 2016 | 05/08/2016 I bless and give thanks to all mothers everywhere. I praise their fortitude and commitment and applaud each one’s tireless, selfless devotion. I am in awe and admiration for the diverse, beautiful expressions of the sacred activity of motherhood throughout the world!
Reflecting on mothers, I take a moment to recognize that the glorious spirit of maternal love abides in me, no matter what my gender. I am grateful for my capacity for boundless patience and unconditional love as I support, protect, strengthen, and nurture others. Motherly devotion, found both within and all around me, enriches the world beyond measure. |
06/19/2016 Most of us aspire to live in a peaceful, loving world and to leave the world a better place for generations to come. Fathers, and those who spend time around children, have an influential role in making this happen.
I give thanks for the many paternal figures in my life — those who have helped guide me with encouraging words and actions. Whether these people are still in my life or have since moved on, I honor the role they played by mirroring it. I do so by mentoring and guiding those around me in kind, loving, and nurturing ways. I bless all fathers and those in similar roles — for strength of mind and peace of heart. May they always know and reflect the love of God in all that they think, say and do. |
| 2015 | 05/10/2015 Today I celebrate mothers everywhere—biological mothers, adoptive mothers, and my mother; women who are trailblazers, caregivers, mentors, and mothers to the masses. I celebrate Mother Nature in all her glory and the Divine Feminine as part of me. Motherly spiritual qualities contribute to peace, healing, and joy in the world and in my life. I take a moment to reflect on a time when I comforted a child. Perhaps I listened, hugged, or shared encouraging words. I call to mind memories of when I felt nurtured, held, or lifted up by someone else. The act of mothering is so important. I am grateful for feminine spiritual qualities enriching my life and the lives of family and friends. | 06/21/2015 Fathers teach by the way they live. They model love as they provide support, strength, wisdom, and guidance. My father may have taught me to work hard, be reliable, willing, and patient. Fathers continue to learn and grow throughout their lives, as we all do. Our relationship may be strong and loving, or it may have its ups and downs. I am grateful fathers do their best for their children. Whether my father lives or I hold his memory in my heart, today I honor him and pray for his well-being. I hold a vision of all fathers as models of faith and love—blessing their families for generations. |
| 2014 | 5/11/2014 A mother’s love is strong. It protects and comforts, nurtures and forgives. It is uplifting, supportive, and unconditional. A mother’s love begins before birth and continues without end. It is an expression of the Divine. Today I honor and appreciate my mother or anyone who may have filled the role of mother in my life. I bring to mind the wisdom she has shared, the stories she has told, and the mannerisms and characteristics that are uniquely hers. I am grateful for all she has given to our family. The greatest thank-you I can offer is to share with others the best of what my mother taught me. With gratitude, I bless and celebrate all mothers and the love they share. | 06/15/2014 As we express love to our family members, we are channels for the love of God. Today we love and honor our fathers and the father figures in our lives. Whether they are with us in person or spirit, we express our love and appreciation. We remember what these men have taught us, what they have shared, and what we have experienced with them. We hold them in prayer, knowing prayer is not limited by time or space. If for any reason we have felt alienated from our father, we allow the forgiving love of God to heal whatever may have kept us from understanding and loving each other. We let the love of God express through us. |
| 2013 | 5/12/2013 I bless mothers and all who give from their hearts to care for children. Love is essential for a child to thrive and grow, and today we celebrate and honor maternal love. With gratitude in my heart, I bring to mind my own mother or a motherly figure. I give thanks for the one who nurtured and guided me, stood by me through difficulties, shaped me into the person I am today. Connected by a love that transcends time, distance, and circumstance, we are one in the love of God, forever linked and blessed. Mothers of the world, may you be blessed knowing you are loved and appreciated. God is the source from which all love emanates, and you are an expression of God’s love as you tend to those in your care. | 5/16/2013 When we think about fathers, we may imagine the ideal father—someone who is always available; eager to guide, teach, and assist; encouraging and supportive. Today I acknowledge the good that my father provided for me, the lessons he taught me, and the love he gave me. No one does everything perfectly all the time. Each father does the best he can with the knowledge and experience he has. I know I am a work in progress as well, even as I vow to become the best person I can be. Being a father is a sacred role. Fathers have the responsibility to provide a strong foundation from which their children will flourish and grow. Today I thank and bless my father and fathers everywhere. |
| 2012 | 5/13/2012 Love is the most powerful force in the world. It unites us with one another, just as a mother’s love unites her with her children. A mother’s love is a demonstration of love’s most natural expression. Love fosters acceptance, compassion and forgiveness. It helps us see the highest and best in others. A mother’s place in our lives may be filled by our natural or adopted mother, or another who assumes that role. She provides us guidance, comforts our pain, nurtures our development, and helps us learn to stand on our own. As we have received love, so we give it. Through our innate power to love, we comfort and nurture others. Through our words and actions, we share the love we have received. And love continues. | 6/17/2012 In many nations, today is a day set aside to bless and celebrate our fathers. I take this opportunity to honor the strength, leadership, guidance and wisdom of my father and others who have mentored and supported me in my life. I am grateful for the strength and wisdom of fathers throughout the world who encourage and support their children. Strength and wisdom are spiritual attributes given to us by God. I give thanks for their highest and fullest expression. As I regard these divine qualities in others, I also develop them more fully within. As I honor and value the strong and wise parent or mentor, I commit to being a blessing and a good example to the children in my own life. |
| 2011 | 5/8/2011 We are all born out of the energy of Divine Love. Like a million tiny seeds blown across the earth, each of us takes root to grow into a unique expression of the one Love that created us. Whether the seed of my being landed on a soft fertile place or a rocky path, I was created out of Love and I am an expression of Love. I give thanks for the womb that gave me life and the love that supported my growth. My eyes are opened to see anew all the love I have received. Strong and gentle, liberating and supportive, love has nurtured my growth. Whether the mother who gave me these gifts of love is with me now or not, I send a blessing of loving gratitude to her today. | 6/19/2011 Expressing love toward each person in my family is one of the ways I demonstrate my love for God and recognize the spirit of God in my family members. Today I express my love for my father. If my father is living, I express my love and appreciation to him directly. I voice my feelings and let him know that he is loved. If my father has passed away, I bless him in prayer and honor his memory and spirit, which live in my heart. If for any reason I have been estranged from my father, I allow the forgiving love of God to ease and release any resentment that has kept us from understanding and loving each other. Today I let God's love express through me and I bless my father. |
| 2010 | 5/9/2010 Mother Earth accepts each seed and enfolds it in love. She provides a place for roots to grow and nourishes the green shoots that reach toward the sun. I give thanks today for my own mother. If I cannot speak with her or be with her, I send her my loving thoughts. I give thanks for the arms that embraced me, for the nourishment of my body and soul, and for the encouraging words that inspired me to aim higher. There are also ways that I may nurture and support others. No matter what my age or status in life, I have love to share. The spirit of God is my ever-present source of support and encouragement. For love, both given and received, I am grateful. | 06/20/2010 I give thanks today for my father and for those who have served as my mentors in life. Whether a father or parent figure, a mentor or a friend, they are people who believed in me no matter what. They have advised, supported and listened to me as I've grown in awareness and abilities. Today I also give thanks for those who might be counting on me in a similar way. To the children in my life, I commit to provide them with wisdom and resources. I affirm the best for them, offer encouraging words and take positive action to support them. In learning to give to others, I honor those who have supported me on my way. I am grateful to be the giver and receiver of unconditional love and support. |
| 2009 | 05/10/2009 With love and gratitude, I offer my blessing for all mothers today. "Bless you for your expressions of warmth: for hugs, caring, laughter, and understanding--and for the freshly baked cookies that brought us together in shared moments of comfort and joy. "Bless you for expressions of respect: honoring our own traditions, valuing humanity in all its array, teaching lessons of generous giving and open receiving, being not just tolerant, but understanding of and for diversity. "Bless you for steadfast influence. Should we be together now or be connected through indelible memories, I am grateful to you for your enduring love. Whether you are my mother through birth or have been honored with this role through life's circumstances, we are blessed to be family." | 06/21/2009 Children learn so much from simply observing their own fathers and those who serve as father-figures. As they allow children to satisfy their own curiosities and explore their own potential, fathers know when it is time to patiently, prayerfully watch children and when to step forward to be of help. Fathers need prayer support, and I offer mine to my own father, the fathers of the world, and to those who are even now preparing to be fathers. The love of God is being expressed by each of them. What they give day after day is an investment in a world in which all children have an opportunity to exceed their own high hopes and expectations and those of loving, caring parents and adults. |
| 2008 | 05/11/2008 Dear mothers of the world, you may be someone who has given birth, or you may have assumed the role of mother in another way. Just the same, you are God's love in expression. No matter what your age is, where you are, or who the children are who need you; you are ready to give them reassurance, to dry their tears, and to listen to them tell of their new discoveries. Of all the roles you fill in life, being a mother is one that has no expiration date. As you nurture, encourage, and support any of God's children, you are being God's love. God bless you, dear mothers of the world. You are loved and honored for what you have done and continue to do in life as you nurture, love, and care for your children and all children of God. | 06/15/2008 Dear fathers, within your hearts there is a desire to guide and nurture children and to let them be all that they were created to be. Bless you for your willingness to be there for children and for your encouragement as they explore life. Through your guidance and example, you show them how they can open themselves to a world of possibilities that await their acceptance. I pray, affirming that each child in the world has someone like you in his or her life. Children need someone who loves and cares for them, someone who believes in them and cheers them on in meeting their accomplishments. I envision you blessed in your roles as fathers and blessed by children your whole lives through. |
| 2007 | 05/13/2007 Dear Mother, I bless you today, as I give thanks for the blessing you have been in my life. I have learned not just from the ongoing thread of your spoken words, but also from your willingness to give and to do. With care, you have made loving commitments to the lives of those around you. Whether you are my mother through birth, adoption, foster care, friendship, or lifes circumstances, I give thanks for you. I respect you. I see the model you are for both men and women of your generation and the contributions you have made for those of generations to come. Whether I can be present with you now or you are an indelible part of my memory, I love you and am always connected to you. You are held in Gods light, in my love, and in the gratefulness of many. | 06/17/2007 Jesus shared the essence of our Creators love when He prayed, Our Father. We recognize and give thanks for our heavenly Father, who loves each of us unconditionally. Today is an opportunity to celebrate the sacredness of fatherhood in all its forms. As we pray for fathers today, we give thanks for their wisdom, patience, humor, and love. As nurturing caregivers and thoughtful mentors, they encourage us to develop our strengths and reach for our dreams, while modeling integrity and character. Ideally, they support, but do not interfere with, us becoming all that God created us to be. We honor these dear ones and our memories of them in their roles as parents, teachers, and friends. |
| 2006 | 05/14/2006 A card or letter of gratitude, the assistance of a helping hand, or words of kindness are ways we show our appreciation for those who have touched our lives and nurtured us in loving ways. Mothers naturally come to mind when we think of those who have given so generously of their time, love, and patience. Mothers, and those who have assumed that role, have unselfishly helped prepare us to live our lives knowing that the spirit of God within is our unfailing guide and strength, our everlasting life and hope. Eternally one in spirit with our mothers, we bless them in person, in memory, and in prayer. | 06/18/2006 Memories and feelings come to mind when we think of our fathers. Some of us will honor our fathers in person; others will remember beloved fathers who have passed on. On this day, we honor the sacred role of fatherhood and we bless fathers for being the love of God in expression to children. Each day it is heartwarming to realize that there is a father held in common by every human being--the Divine Spirit that nurtures each and every one of us. God is there for those who are fatherless and to those whose fathers are present in their lives. In truth, then, let us remember that every day is a day in which we can honor our fathers and the loving Divine Spirit that creates and cares for us all. |
