A Mother’s Love
By Helen Steiner Rice
A Mother’s love is something
That no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
And of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
And enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
Or take that love away …
It is patient and forgiving
When all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
Even though the heart is breaking …
It believes beyond believing
When the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
Of the rarest, brightest gems …
It is far beyond defining,
It defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
Like the mysteries of creation …
A many splendoured miracle
Man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
Of God’s tender guiding hand.
Mother’s Day is May 10th. A day that is set aside to honour all the mothers, and maternal influences, to children all over the world. When I ask my students to tell me of people or things that they love or are thankful for, Moms (and Dads) are typically towards the top of the list. This year, when you are thinking what to get or make your mom for Mother’s Day, give her something that will allow her to remember how your hand feels in hers – a salt dough handprint. Now, to be honest, you will need mom’s help for this one because you need her handprint.
Salt Dough
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup warm water
Combine all the ingredients together being sure to add the water slowly as you may not need the full cup. Use your hands to knead the dough into a play doh like texture. Roll out and/or shape into the design that you want.
Tin foil trays work really well for this as they give you a shape to fill and keep the mess to a minimum. If you think your mom will want to hang this up, poke holes into the top of the shape with a straw. Get each member of your family to push their hands into the dough, one on top of the other.
Bake at 250 degrees for 1-2 hours or allow to air dry in a warm location for a couple of days (depending on the thickness). Paint each family member’s hand a different colour using acrylic paint. Use a permanent marker to add any other finer detail (or if you don’t have acrylic paint, to decorate your ornament). Use Mod Podge or a clear coat of paint to keep everything looking bright and shiny.