And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. Genesis 2:2 ESV She’s here, she’s there, she’s everywhere. You’re the mom, which means you are always on the go: groceries, diapers, and carlines are a part of your everyday world and somewhere in the chaos of it all we’ve bought into the lie that we’ve got to be some kind of supermom. You know, faster than a speeding bullet, stronger than…oh, who are we kidding, we’re not super mom, nor should …
Who Else Wants Clear Direction?
I blew it. Days of swimming through murky teenage “stuff” paired with this new stage of parenting resulted in my not-so-pretty meltdown. Late the same evening I found myself on the edge of my teen’s bed. His now huge 6 foot, 15 year-old frame had his back turned towards me as my quivering words spilled out, “I’m so sorry. I blew it. My words were awful. Will you forgive me?” Parenting is hard. We stumble through one developmental stage, look back on that point in time with confidence as we emerge, then find ourselves knee-deep in doubt …
TMI asks our readers 5 Questions about Being a Mom of Young Children
As a mom of three kids under the age of four (we have twins and a newborn) I will be the first to admit that I don’t have all the answers when it comes to parenting little ones. I love getting advice from friends with kids just a few years older than mine or even reading stories from my fellow M.O.M’s here at The Mom Initiative. Today, I’d like to ask YOU, our readers some of the questions I hear most often from younger moms: 1. How do you get your child to eat something besides chicken nuggets or a …
What did I do before Facebook?
As a Women’s Ministry Director for nearly a decade, I’ve watched big trends in the lives of women over the last ten years. Communication and technology are in over-drive when it comes to the pace of change. It has been so fast that we’ve have barely had time to stop and learn, much less reflect on how it’s impacting our lives. Social media and our technology habits have changed women personally, as wives and as moms. Family life is different now. It often takes a crisis, power outage, vacation, illness, honest friend, or the Holy Spirit to slow us down …
12 Keys to Motherhood ~ Lessons from My Rearview Mirror
I’m not sure why I thought because I had a mom I knew how to be one. But there I was… 17 years old. Young in years but great with child. I didn’t have all the answers but I thought it would be a breeze. After all, how hard can it be when you LOVE someone so deeply and SO profoundly ~ to the depths of your soul? How could mothering that precious little life ever be hard. My brown-eyed boy with Shirley Temple curls made my heart skip a beat. Every time he wrapped his tiny fingers around my …
Girlfriends, Curfews and Grades…Oh My! Parenting Today’s Teenager!
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:18 NLT Moms of teenagers, buckle up, all the bumps and bruises you went through in the baby, child, and adolescent stage start to prepare you for the adventure of parenting today’s teenager. I’m not trying to scare you at all, just speaking the truth in love from one mom to another. So, let’s put on our safety harness and walk through some of this together, shall we? As the mom of two teenage boys it …
When Siblings Become Friends
From the day she was born, I promised. “Your sister is tiny now, but she’ll grow fast. Soon, not too long from now, she’ll be able to play with you. She’ll run and jump and share your puzzles and dolls. You’ll see.” “Really?” My firstborn, then just a couple weeks past her third birthday, gazed in tender awe at her new baby sister, the long-awaited stranger. “Yes, sweetheart. Someday, she’ll be your best friend.” Someday. It seemed so far off in those early months when we juggled two different stages under one roof. This one needed macaroni and potty training …
Are You a Lonely Housewife?
“Marriages in this field rarely make it. The long hours and endless stress are known to chew families to pieces.” I didn’t need to hear this man’s thoughts about my husband’s demanding job. Daily…hour by hour… week by week…year by year…I’m living it. So many wives understand the drowning whirlpool of long hours spent with unending home demands while their husbands faithfully navigate upstream to provide for their family. Dreams of romantic hours with our husbands are often replaced by disappointment found in long lonely days. Do your dreams and expectations feel defeated due to the demands of life? …
Put a Little Love in Your Voice
My mom has a saying—“put a little love in your voice.” It’s her advice to my sisters and me when she hears us crabbing at our kids. If only she could be in my house at 7:30 every morning to remind me. “Are you done with your breakfast?” I rushed past the kitchen table and grabbed my daughter’s lunch bag off the counter. “It’s time to brush your teeth! Hurry or we’ll be late for school.” Imagine those words poured sweet as syrup from a momma’s lips. The inner dialog sings, “Sweetie pie, did you get your fill of pancakes? …
Keep Calm and Swim On
Crystal clear water hems me in tighter than a warm blanket. Bubbles dance off my fingers as they glide through the singing water. All muscles are hard at work but I’m completely at rest. Some call swimming exercise. I prefer to call it the most relaxing part of my day. I am not a good swimmer. I survived lessons as a scared child… but never learned anything fancy. Instead of springing up when our rooster crows to head for the gym, most mornings I justify pulling the warm covers back over my sleepy head. Nevertheless, the days I grudgingly …