Mother’s Day: A day that florist prepare to work extra hours fulfilling orders. A day that restaurant owners know that they will be busy with reservations. Jewelry companies advertise giving your mom or wife that special piece of jewelry to let her know you care.

So many mom’s hope that on this day her husband and children will suddenly realize how important she is to them. How much she does and sacrifices for them. We hope that somehow they have had an aha moment and want to surprise us with gifts and acts of appreciation and love. We ‘drop’ hints about ways they can surprise us. We see our friends on Facebook being spoiled with lavish gifts and trips and hope that we too get to show everyone how loved we are.

The truth is a lot of time we end up disappointed.

Being a mother is the most challenging job a person will ever have. And once we become a mother, it is a lifelong sentence. But it is also the most rewarding. Our joy of being a mother doesn’t come from gifts or words of appreciation. It doesn’t come from a husband that shows his appreciation on a day that is supposed to be celebrated for all that we do. Our joy comes from watching our children grow. The pride we receive when we see them act with love and kindness towards others. When they step out into the world to follow their dreams. Act with strength and courage when faced with life’s trials and tribulations.

I woke up today and went to church by myself. I picked up lunch and brought it to them. I took a nap, which I never do but decided that I was going to take the time for me today. I didn’t get lavish gifts or words of praise. After the year we had, I had hoped that my family would suddenly want to show me how much they loved me… but they didn’t. Next year will be the same. After a little while of feeling sorry for myself, I remembered that Mother’s Day is a commercial holiday. Our appreciation doesn’t come from gifts or material items. It doesn’t even come from our husbands or our children. Not in the way that we sometimes think that it should.

I hope that all of those moms who feel unappreciated today know that they are loved and valued. Your value isn’t in the gifts you receive on Mother’s Day. It doesn’t come from a husband who appreciates your worth. Your value is in doing the hardest job imaginable. Every time you have prayed and cried for your child. Those times when they were sick or hurt and you wished more than your next breath that you could take it away from them. For every sacrifice you have made so that they could have what they needed. God chose you to shape the next generation. He chose you to be a mother. What better honor is there than that? That ladies, is your value.