Mom and the May Day Project

I know most people think they had the best Mom ever & I'm no different except that I really did!  She was the best!!  She was a very thoughtful & caring person, always willing to volunteer at school or church.  She would often send out cards & letters to elderly family members or church family.  She was always thinking of others first.  She loved holidays & always tried to make them special.  One of her favorite holidays was May Day.  I know, I know.  May Day is not a holiday that we really celebrate or recognize here in America even though this is where it started but many other countries will hold festivals, May Pole Dances & 66 countries recognize it as a national holiday.  May Day is often seen there as the beginning of spring. Many celebrate on May 1st & others on the first Monday of May.  In the 19th & 20th centuries, it was celebrated across the country as May Basket Day. Baskets were created to hold flowers, candies & other treats & hung on the doors of friends, neighbors & loved ones.  And that was what Mom loved to do!  She would assemble some little flower bouquets, usually from her garden, & we would go for a ride.  She'd park the car a few houses down, I'd sneak up & lay the flowers on the doorstep, knock on the door & run back to the car as fast as I could go, in hopes that I wasn't seen.  We didn't do it every year.  In fact, we probably only did it a handful of times but it was so much fun!  We were on a mission.  This year I am asking people to join me in the May Day Project.  There are so many who feel forgotten, are discouraged, are struggling in one way or another & this is an opportunity to cheer them up, let them know someone is thinking of them (& hopefully praying for them, too), to encourage & lift someone else up.  Get the kids involved, make it a family affair.  You know, when the pandemic first started & everyone was stuck at home, my daughter had some little canvases (like 2x2 or smaller), she put a masking tape cross on the canvas & let her daughters (2 & 4 at that time) paint them.  When they were dry, she pulled the tape off & the white cross stood out against their works of art.  She put a magnet on the back & mailed them to some folks who needed cheering up. So let the younger kids make some cards or draw some pictures to send to some shut-ins.  Have the teenagers help make some cookies or cupcakes.  Take Mom or Dad to the Dollar store to look for some devotionals or crossword puzzle books.  Mail a thinking of you card or two with a scripture or bookmark inside.  It doesn't have to be expensive or elaborate but it is supposed to be anonymous.  That's half the fun!!  I've already started my list - my friend from Bible Study that's now in a nursing home, my neighbor who has dementia to start with.  Who else wants to participate in the May Day Project?  Who's on your list?  Come on - join the fun!  I can't wait to hear your stories ~

Talema

 "Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you." Matthew 6:4 NLT