A mother’s gift can last longer than a lifetime.
A mother’s gift to her children is a legacy that they carry forward throughout their entire lives. As children, we can take the legacy given to us and touch the lives of others, cultivating the same goodness in the world that our mothers cultivated in us. The influence a mother has on her child is unparalleled; the lessons she teaches are invaluable.
For Mother’s Day, we often honor our mothers with flowers. Roses, in particular, convey admiration, devotion, and respect. Tulips symbolize comfort and happiness. Carnations, which first appeared when Mary wept for Christ as He bore the cross, portray faith and charity.
To give flowers to the people who impact us most shows appreciation for growing the good in our hearts and our lives. A flower says thank you, I love you, I honor you. Flowers last a season, but our appreciation lasts much longer.
Are Flowers Enough to Truly Show Your Appreciation?
Unlike a mother’s infinite love for her child, flowers are limited. Unlike the fond memories of time spent with your mother, flowers fade.
A more appropriate symbol would last—a flower that would live for centuries, blooming for not only one Mother’s Day, but every Mother’s Day to come.
Now you can give your mother a more meaningful gift than ever before by sponsoring an olive tree. It is a gift that is both more meaningful symbolically and more impactful to the world. It will help you carry on your mother's legacy and touch more lives.
An olive tree is the ultimate Mother’s Day gift of appreciation!
“But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. I will praise You forever…”—Psalm 52:8-9
Honor All Mothers for All They Do
Mother’s Day is a day to honor not just our biological mothers, but all mothers. Mothers who also cared for their children’s children, their neighbors’ children, the children of their community, and the children of God.
When you think of to whom to dedicate your olive tree, consider all the mothers who have touched your life, both directly and indirectly.
Honor Grandmothers
Our grandmothers also have a vital role in shaping who we are. Our grandmothers pass down wisdom and legacies of care and nurturing. When we plant a tree in their honor, we remember their journeys, their sacrifices, their recipes, and their generosity.
Honor Godmothers
Our godmothers are responsible for showing us biblical truths that follow the footsteps of Christ. Godmothers hold an integral role in our spiritual upbringing. There is no better way to honor them than by sponsoring a tree in God’s garden in their name!
Honor Mothers During the Month of May!
Honor the Founding Mothers of the United States
Our democracies would be nothing without our founding mothers.
When we think of our founding fathers, it is also important to remember that their wives were often their closest advisors and partners. The founding mothers of America worked just as hard as our founding fathers; they managed businesses and raised families while their husbands were at war and congressional meetings.
When we remember the founding mothers of democracy, be sure to keep these women in mind:
- Betsy Ross (1752 – 1836) was a reputable seamstress credited with designing the original American flag. The Philadelphia native was a lifelong patriot who lost her first and second husbands in service to the American militia, and her third to illness. She was a prominent figure and inspiration to many women and mothers because she was a widowed mother early on, as well as an entrepreneur who owned a considerable amount of property, especially for a woman of her time.
- Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672) was the first published poet in the United States and its preceding colonies. An incident that destroyed much of her earliest writing also inspired one of her most famous works, “Upon the Burning of Our House July 10, 1666,” a poem about forsaking material pleasures for devotion and faith in God. Her work and subsequent recognition inspired literary movements across America and paved the way for other early notable American poets such as Phyllis Wheatley, as well as women around the world.
- Abigail Adams (1744-1818) was the wife of John Adams, the second president of the United States and mother of the sixth, John Quincy Adams. She was her husband’s closest advisor, traveling with him to Europe for diplomatic purposes and becoming the first First Lady of the United States to live in the White House. Today she is remembered as one of the earliest and most influential advocates for women’s rights, and her letters are treasured as windows that allow us to peer into Colonial American life and times.
Olive trees have long been a symbol of democracy, and we plant them in honor of the mothers who helped give birth to our country.
Plant for Peace in Honor of the Mothers Who Have Suffered Loss
We plant olive trees to honor those who have sacrificed the most: the mothers who have lost a son or daughter who served their country.
But no son or daughter ever gave their lives in vain. The freedom we enjoy today is earned thanks to their sacrifices and their mothers who have endured the most in losing their children.
Olive trees are symbols of peace, and planting a tree in honor of mothers who lost their children is a testament to the price we pay for peace. May their children’s sacrifices never be forgotten.
Plant for the Mothers of All God’s Children
We honor the women who bore no children of their own, but became caretakers and mothers of God’s children.
Countless women around the world dedicate their lives to the care and well-being of others—women who can call dozens, hundreds, even thousands their children. We honor the teachers, the nurses, the caretakers, and everyone who has helped raise our children.
The olive trees represent the serenity that all orphaned children find in the care of the mothers who adopt them.
Above All Else, Honor Your Mother!
Our mothers’ legacies belong in God’s garden. Your legacy belongs there too. We honor our mothers by cultivating lasting love and goodness, which is why we are planting olive trees to represent everything our mothers mean to us.
Your sponsorship does more than put a tree in the ground: We nurture every sapling as our mothers nurture their children. Your gift will do more than add beauty to God’s creation—it will help transform the Negev Desert from a wasteland into a blooming garden. It will create new life and opportunity.
Our mothers will be proud to have raised us to love deeply and give generously, and nothing shows our commitment to continuing a legacy quite like an olive tree. We welcome you to sponsor a tree today in honor of all mothers!