Mount WashMore

  The day is going about as usual. One child is on the floor doing the famous “drop and flop” after not getting her way. The laundry pile, “Mount WashMore”, is glaring at me from the other room screaming how behind I am. The older two should be doing schoolwork, but the phone rang so they are off and running. A million other things are buzzing in my brain needing my attention at the same time. Overwhelmed does not come close to describing how I am feeling. As a mom who loves the Lord and wants to leave a Godly …

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Practical Mom Tips for the Evening Hours

I’ve been hearing great feedback over my posts. Moms love the encouragement, wisdom, and devotions But some of you have caught my eye. Yes, I’m talking to you, the stressed out, frazzled, sleep deprived, slightly crabby mom. Trust me, I’ve been there and here’s a hug and some practical supper time tips to help de-stress your life a little bit. Create a Menu. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Mine goes Sunday through Saturday: Chicken bake, Spaghetti, Tatortot casserole. Creating a menu gives you more time to focus on your kids. Plus they can even help cook if needed. And it will …

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Abide in Me

When I am asked, “How many children do you have?” I don’t know how to respond. “Three,” I answer, while I finish the sentence in my head, “…here with me and one in Heaven.” I will never forget my daughter, Rachel Faith, even if the only life she experienced was in the womb. She is always with me. As beautiful as she was at birth and at death, those images are not what flutter through my mind. I imagine her dancing with her sister. I twirl her dark curls. I embrace her, though she’s not physically here. Rachel died at …

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Recipes from M.O.M.

A domestic diva, I’m not… so quick and easy is my favorite way to cook. Healthy is important too, but even healthy tastes better when it’s quick and easy. I’m all about Rachel Ray’s 30 Minute Meals but when cooking isn’t you’re thing and recipes don’t come easy, the term “concoction” seems to be what best describes the food situated on your plate. Today, I’m going to share with you a concoction that may be thrown together to make a one-dish meal but is definitely quick – definitely easy – and almost definitely healthy. You will notice by the flexibility …

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Recalls Moms Should Know About

The M.O.M. Initiative loves y’all like crazy and we want to offer information to help you in your journey. Today we want to share with you some current recalls that you may or may not be aware of. Recalls may seem silly to some but they arm moms with information they may need to protect their children. So, here are some current recalls: Lakeshore Feels Real Baby Dolls On 2012-03-27, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a recall on Lakeshore Feels Real Baby Dolls due to a potential choking hazard. This product sold new beginning in May 2011 for approximately $20. About …

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How Do You Find God in the Mess?

We’ve been vacationing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with the grand girl, and it’s time to go home. But Grace saw a movie at school on the Soo Locks. She wants to see them up close and personal. And go through them. The scenery assaults me. We’ve come from peaceful and pristine to chaos and clutter. Sault Ste. Marie on the Michigan side is a place of barges and docks and seaplanes and cement. A sailboat tips horizontal to the water I try to imagine what what this gateway from Lake Superior to Lake Huron looked like when the rapids swirled and …

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I’m Pregnant – Now What?

Whether pink lines, a plus sign or a doctor’s diagnosis is the way you discover you are pregnant, a multitude of thoughts and emotions are sure to follow. Some women are excited and receive the news with great anticipation. Others are afraid of what their future might hold and aren’t sure how they are going to deal with the days ahead. Pregnancy is different for everyone and so are the circumstances associated with it. A thousand questions run through every expectant mom’s mind as she begins her journey down an unfamiliar road. Even if she’s had a baby before, each …

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Glorify the Giver (NOT the Gifted)

Intelligence Blake was by far the most intelligent student I’ve ever taught. His reading speed was dazzling. His memory was photographic. His grasp of concepts was both deep and divergent. Not surprisingly, he scored 5s on all his AP exams and was a National Merit scholar with a near-perfect SAT score. And yet, he was by far the most miserable student I’ve ever taught. Everything annoyed him. Everybody frustrated him. All class assignments were deemed “stupid.” Other students’ insights were “a waste of my time.” I watched Blake seethe under the loathsome requirement of sitting through my detestable AP English …

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The 4-1-1 On Motherhood

Let’s face it, when it comes to motherhood, we’re clueless–but we THINK we know everything. The moment that stick turns up two lines to show a positive, we suddenly are knowledgeable about being pregnant, giving birth, and caring for an infant. Most of us inhale books, some sit back, relax and say, “Let the good times roll,” while others are on their knees praying for divine intuition about motherhood. But in most of these versions of mom’s I’ve seen, we act as if we know it all. If you ask me, giving birth (my youngest was over 10 pounds, so …

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Season of Growing

A walk to my mailbox yesterday revealed a rose about to bloom. A clematis vine winds its way up the porch, hanging with purple blossoms. Even the fungus on the stump has gone from espresso cup to soup bowl size in a matter of days. If growth is the symphony of springtime, our children take center stage.   It’s time for mommies everywhere to set aside their ironing baskets, resist spring cleaning, and turn off technology in favor of embracing this season of growth with our children.  Including these 7 essential ingredients in your spring will help you make the …

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