Serenity Care Providers

Who Are We, and What Do We Do?

“ LISTEN, MY SON, TO YOUR FATHER’S INSTRUCTION and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.”

-Proverbs 1:8-9 NIV Did you know the official Mother’s Day holiday arose in the 1900s as a result of the efforts of Anna Jarvis, daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis. When Anna’s mother died in 1905, she conceived of Mother’s Day as a way of honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children. Although Anna Jarvis never had children, she fought to see Mother’s Day added to the National Calendar. Her version of the day involved wearing a white carnation as a badge and visiting or attending church services with one’s mother. In 1914 her persistence paid off when President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.

Unfortunately, by 1920, she became so disgusted with the commercialization of the holiday and fought to have it removed from the National Calendar. While Anna Jarvis’ idea of a simple Mother’s Day celebration didn’t go as planned, the idea of honoring mothers with a day set aside for them was phenomenal.

Who is the virtuous woman who nurtured, protected, and sacrificed for you? The one that taught and encouraged you but also disciplined you with care and wisdom. The one who made sure you were equipped with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to make it in this world. A woman who stepped up for you when no one else would or could. How will you celebrate her this Mother’s Day?

Because I am a 50-year-old mother of three grown sons my perspective of Mother’s Day may be different from moms with younger children. When my boys were younger, I remember only wanting a nap on Mother’s Day! If someone would do the laundry and dishes that would be a gift over the moon. But one thing I certainly looked forward to were those precious Mother’s Day gifts the boys created at school. Oh, how I loved their proud little faces when they presented their works of art. I still have most of them in a special box and look at them from time-to-time reminiscing about the dirty little hands that made them. Those are priceless treasures to a mother. The heart felt sentiments and time put into those little hand-crafted gifts couldn’t bring this momma’s heart any more joy.

To know their little minds were focused on which colors I’d like best and what words they could find that best expressed their love for me still brings tears to my eyes.

As the boys grew, the thoughtful little sentiments were no longer something they saw as a satisfactory gift for me. They wanted to buy mom something on a grander scale (but of course fit into their budget), and I “OOOH’d” and “AHHH’d” over every single gift. But nothing they could buy me will ever compare to those precious little homemade gifts they put so much time and effort into creating. You see, while the “grander” gifts and gestures are nice and very much appreciated, most mothers treasure the heartfelt sentiments more than you realize. Receiving a sweet handmade drawing or card may not have the same effect on mom as it did when you were six; however, spending special moments together will be treasured for a lifetime. Your mother realizes your time is precious and she knows you value your time. Sharing your time with her shows her she is important, and you value her as well. Moms want to know you care.

I understand completely that balancing work, your spouse, children (whether grown or small), grandchildren, aging parents, and having a life for yourself is exhausting and can quite frankly be overwhelming. You want to be able to enjoy the moments you spend with each of the special people in your life. I get it! In 2013, I formed Serenity Care Providers, a home care company that understands the challenges and concerns of the aging population, as well as those faced by the “sandwiched” generation. Our services are designed to enhance the lives of our clients while giving friends and family the peace of mind that comes with knowing their loved one is safe.

With Mother’s Day on the horizon, allow Serenity Care Providers to take away the worry and stress that can stem from caring for an elderly loved one. We offer a range of services designed to help our clients manage the challenges of day-to-day tasks and enjoy the quality of life they desire. Let our team give you the opportunity to spend precious quality time with your loved one, just as Anna Jarvis imagined when she set out to honor her mother in 1908.