Years ago, while I was teaching a greeting card-writing workshop, I wrote a Mother’s Day card. When I showed it to my mom, she laughed and thought it was great (but you know how moms are, so of course she’d say that.)
____________________Here it is:__________________________
(cover art) Cartoon person wandering in a jungle, looking lost.
(cover message) 100 people were asked this question. What if you were stranded on a deserted island, wounded, with no food or shelter, no weapons and no communication devices?
Only one person can help you survive. Which person will you choose? a) a hunter, b) a doctor, c) a farmer , d) a politician, e) none of the above
Here was their unanimous answer…
(inside message)
d) none of the above
I want my mommie!
___________________________________________________
Not your card of choice? Well, here’s the good news: Now it’s your turn.
The third Writing Contest honoring Mary Elizabeth Shepherd begins now.
– No entry fee (never) – Open to everyone (always)
– First place: $25 Second place: $15 Judges’ Special Award: $10
– Words only: poetry, prose, joke, song lyric (tell tune of song) Your choice.
Directions: Write a greeting card message for Mother’s Day for anyone important to you ~ mother, grandmother, wife, aunt, sister, friend, teacher.
Post your entry (only one per person) in a comment box for this blog. Sign with your name or initials, general location (state), and your email or blog address.
Contest deadline is 8:00 pm (Mountain Daylight Time) Mother’s Day, May 13, 2012
Winners announced on May 20 and posted on this blog.
Things I Want To Tell My Mother 
Ooooooo….ooooooo how exciting………this contest sounds like a TON OF FUN!!!!!
(Cover Art) An odd looking cartoon couple holding out a nicely wrapped present.
(Outside Message) Mom, my wife thanks you for teaching me these three things:
1. Never hit girls
2. Always put down the lid
3. Never forget where you came from…
(Inside Message) Eeeeeeeeeeeeeww.
Thanks, Mom Happy Mother’s Day
From Sam G. sammarie245@yahoo.com (Can my wife enter her own card using our joint email account?)
Sam G., your “Eeeeeeeeewwww” Mother’s Day greeting card is now entered in the contest. And, yes, of course your wife can enter her own card. Welcome!
I am sorry, I forgot to mention that I live in Missouri.
TWO WOMEN. ONE IS PREGNANT. THE OTHER WEARS A BIG RED HEART.
YOU TAUGHT ME THE BEST LESSON, MOM: SOME BABIES COME FROM BIG TUMMIES. OTHER BABIES COME FROM BIG HEARTS.
THANKS FOR ADOPTING ME, MOM.
by Margaret C. (I used the college library computer . I will just keep watching the blog for the results).
Welcome to the card-writing contest, Margaret C. Your Mother’s Day card, thanking your mom for adopting you, has been entered. Feel free to follow along and enjoy all the entries during the next two weeks. I’ll be posting the winners on May 20th.
Hi Marylin,
What an awesome contest…you are so creative! My mother made all the cards she gave us (and others) and I followed that tradition for my children, especially when they were young. And my daughter, at age 15 or 16 (I think), gave me a somewhat “raunchy” hilarious card that I STILL have…I’ll have to ask her if she wants to submit it…but I doubt it…she is a mom of a three-year old now and a little more staid.
I will be back over the weekend to post my entry…I love the two that are entered already!
I look forward to your entry, Vivian. And encourage your daughter to share the card she made when she was a teen. It’s fun to blush at the things we did and wrote when we were younger, especially when we’re parents and wondering what our children will think!
It always come back to Mothers …. See paragraph six http://tomstronach.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/from-parachutes-to-shootings-to-polyps.html
I left a message on your blog, Tom. It’s always a treat to have your UK accent and attitude, and I’m sure Ishbel is thrilled. Well done.
Who do I turn to when I’m feeling down
Who do I turn to when I want to share
Who do I turn to when the day isn’t going well
Who do I turn to when I want a smile
Who puts up with my grumpiness and moods
Who never complains when I get it wrong
Life is tough for most people, and some have no one they can turn to whether it’s a Mom, a Dad, or a Brother or a Sister, a Granny or a Granddad or even just a Friend……
Me, I’m lucky, I’ve got
ISHBEL
As usual, no chance of winning but if the judges are insane enough to think this has merit. Walk out the door and the first person you see, give it to them and say, ‘that’s from Tom in the UK and have a GREAT DAY’
Ishbel, we welcome you to join in the card writing, too.
Hi Marylin,
Here is my entry…a Mother’s Day card to my sweet daugher, Caroline, who is the mother of a beautiful (of course, he is my grandson!) 3 yr old son. Maybe the words will give comfort to some expectant moms who are questioning their sanity. 🙂
We’d given everything away
Two are enough, your dad did say
It’s hard to earn enough to pay
And all kids want to do is play.
And then the doc confirmed my fear
Another babe within the year
And on my face you’d find a tear
It was a heavy load to bear.
But God is good and God is wise
His will our minds cannot surmise
Within our hearts love boundless lies
You are this mother’s precious prize.
And now a mother you’ve become
One of the best…and I’ve known some
Sweet lullabies I’ve heard you hum
Good luck when bedlam beats it’s drum.
Happy Mother’s Day, Sweet Caroline
Thank you, Marylin, for this lovely contest!
vivian@positiveparentalparticipation.com
http://www.viviankirkfield.wordpress.com
Vivian, your lovely “Sweet Caroline” Mother’s Day card is entered in the contest. Thank you.
(COVER ART) AN OLDER LADY AND A YOUNG LADY SITTING AT A BISTRO TABLE DRINKING COFFEE OR TEA. THE OLDER LADY TALKING
(COVER MESSAGE) WELL IT IS OBVIOUS WE BOTH LOVE ONE MAN. I SUPPOSE I JUST WILL HAVE TO LET YOU HAVE HIM.
(INSIDE MESSAGE – YOUNGER LADY TALKING) NO, I THINK THAT WE CAN SHARE. MY HUSBAND, YOUR SON, IS ENOUGH OF A MAN FOR BOTH OF US. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL GIFT YOU CREATED FOR ME.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, MOTHER – IN – LAW
Marie G. from Missouri, sammarie245@yahoo.com (wife of Sam)
Welcome to the contest, Marie. Your Mother-in-Law card is entered. You and Sam are quite a pair, and I’m glad to have you join us!
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Cover art A young lady standing alone
Cover Message – You told me you were pregnant!
My heart, it skipped a beat!
Then I started crying from
The joy within my heart!
Inside art A young mom, a little boy and a Nana
Inside message – You are the best mom for my grandson.
I couldn’t be more proud.
I am proud to be your mom
And proud to be his Nana.
Sarah Emerson, Great Bend, Kansas emersons@bartonccc.edu
Welcome, Sarah. Your 3-generations card–“A young mom, a little boy, and a Nana”–has been entered in the Mother’s Day card contest.
Marylin — I don’t envy your task of judging all of the awesome poems posted on your blog. I had to be ‘nudged’ to write my poem, and am very glad that I was! I can’t wait to give my homemade poem to my daughter! Happy Mother’s Day, Marylin.
I know, Sarah. Actually, I’m only the tie-breaker judge, and I’m glad. These are great Mother’s Day entries. I’ll print out copies and take them back to my mother since this contest–and all writing contests on this blog–are in honor of her writing, illustrating and mothering life.
Happy Mother’s Day to you, too.
Cover Art (A little boy holding one ragedy little flower)
Cover Message (I got you the flowers)
Inside Message (Looks like I wasn’t an unfortunate accident afterall.)
Grady Bolding, Great Bend, Kansas boldingg@bartonccc.edu
You might have been a accident, Grady, but I’d bet it was actually a very fortunate accident! Welcome to the contest. You are now entered.
COVER PICTURE – A CAR ON THE CORNER OF A STREET IN A BIG CITY
COVER MESSAGE – I FOUND YOU ON A CORNER,
YOU GOT IN MY CAR
AT HOME YOU SLEPT WITH ME
AND NOW HERE WE ARE….
INSIDE PICTURE – A LITTER OF PUPPIES AND A MOTHER DOG
INSIDE MESSAGE – A HOUSE FULL OF CHILDREN
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!
JESSE NICHOLAS, HERINGTON, KANSAS nicholasj@bartonccc.edu
Aw, Mother’s Day puppies!
Your card is now entered in the contest, Jesse.
Cover Art: A cartoon character or a teen-age boy looking slightly confused.
Cover Message:
You were there for me when I was sick.
You were there for me when I was well.
You stood by me when I was a prick.
You stood by me when I fell….
Inside Message:
WAIT A MINUTE…..Why didn’t you help me up?
Happy Mother’s Day, anyway!
Trevor Mosher, Chapman, Kansas trevor_mosher@att.net
Looks like you helped yourself up, Trevor!
Your “Wait A Minute” Mother’s Day card has been entered in the contest!
A new car costs $40,000.
A flat screen TV, $2,000.
My mom, priceless.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Hi, Diane. “Priceless Mom” is now entered in the contest. Welcome!
Love the contest, thanks for inviting me! Heres my entry – Cinamyn@yahoo.com – Colorado Springs, CO
{FRONT COVER} – 4 sections
I may not be the prettiest [picture of 3 girls standing as if winning a beauty contest – our girl (fourth) girl behind waving from behind]
or the best to drive a car. [picture of our girl in a car crashed into a mailbox]
I may not be the fastest,[our girl standing with her hand sheilding the sun from her eyes and several runners in the distance]
Or the smartest one by far.[our girl holding up a paper marked with a B]
{INSIDE}
Being in the middle is the hardest place to be.[or girl standing in the middle of a crowd]
But you always made me feel special by saying, “You’re one in a million to me!” [our girl and mother hugging in the middle of the crowd, higlighted]
I couldn’t have asked for a better Mom. You’re one in a Million!
Happy Mother’s day!
Thank you, Cinamyn, for “Being in the Middle.” It is now entered in the contest.
cooking lessons with my mother
this is all I remember to making
cookies. there’s something about eggs
and flour: always crack the eggs in a separate
bowl so if you mess up, you have a place to pick up at,
where you left off, a bookmark. and oil the pan
thoroughly. add extra chocolate chips for good measure. whip
it vigorously, this is the secret to making them soft
and moist in your mouth. always make more than you think
you need. you never know how much people will eat.
double, triple the vanilla.
it’s good to leave out the serving dishes in groups. make due
with what you’ve got, always be flexible, learn to make a plan
b. keep a bottle of hydrogen peroxide on top of the refrigerator,
and an extra cake in the freezer in case company stops by. always
be ready, you never know who might drop by, and what
would be worse than to have a guest and be unable to feed him?
before you cut anything, wash it. before you open
a can of soup, clean the lid. before you act, wash
your hands. before you worship, breathe and know
that He is God. in all things, prepare yourself.
clean up as you go. don’t let the mess
accumulate. try to recover twenty years
of gathering waste. I’m still reading
through 80’s women’s magazines in the victrola.
—but I’m not going to spend too much time
on this. you can figure out how to clean
a toilet, but a heart—this is a different matter.
there’s books to read, such valuable time—
when it all begins to grey, everything gets harder.
memorize proverbs 31. and when
you’re done with that, psalm 103, then psalm
19, then the book of 1 john. pack these words
in your breast and carry them always.
do not give to the extend of your health, but
still, give. always, give.
-Meg
USA
pirate_pegleg@verizon.net
Thank you, Meg. Your “Cooking Lessons With My Mother” card verse is now entered in the contest. Welcome!
What a cool contest! I’m sorry I missed the opportunity to get in on it 🙂
It was a cool contest, and there will be others. Join in the fun!
Thanks for stopping by.
Mother, you were always there for me
you held me, comforted me, and always made me feel special to you
There was never a time I could not count on your love and acceptance
I know that I have been blessed to have a mother like you
I only hope that I have shown you just how much you mean to me and how very special you are
Happy Mother’s Day Mom
Alisha Collins
Tennessee
mzjonz77@yahoo.com
Alisha, what a lovely Mother’s Day card you wrote for your mother. I am so sorry to tell you that this was a contest last year, and we won’t be running another Mother’s Day contest this year.
Thank you! Just my luck lol