Midweek – 03 – Make it Happen Momlife is tough. Sometimes we are discouraged by the world around us and sometimes by the things happening in our own homes. But when we are overwhelmed by life, when motherhood is hard, when discouragement, frustration and challenges set in, it helps to hear what God has done. It is at those times when we step away and hear of God’s activity in the lives of others, we are encouraged by the fact that He will take care of us too! Come and meet my friends because when we tell of God’s faithfulness,…
Can I make an admission? I love real life stories. My favorite books are biographies, my favorite shows are true life history, crime or documentaries. I love sitting down with friends (and I have to admit, even strangers) to hear what is going on in their lives. People fascinate me and draw me in. Connecting through shared experiences or responding to another person’s saga is my delight. What can be better than a personal testimony? The art of story telling is not new, in fact, it’s age old. Long before our digital age of blogs, podcasts and even before newspapers…
I was recently asked, “If you could meet any person in the Bible, who would it be?”. My first thought was Esther for her strength and faith to stand in a time of crisis for her people. I also thought of Ruth who with loyalty remained with her mother-in-law through sorrow and displacement. But then, another woman stood out in my mind. The mother of Moses. How often we hear of Moses as the hero of the story but his mother? What was his mother like? Listening to stories of God’s faithfulness is something I love to do. When I…
Living in the Mundane Sometimes it feels like as a mom I’m stuck in the mundane. My weeks can often be drawn out with the same tasks over and over again. Dishes and more dishes, laundry, and yet another meal. Stories to read, fingernails that need clipped, reminders to brush teeth and appointments to be made fill my day. The weeks feel like they will never end and yet they rush by too quickly. There are days that I am disappointed that I am not providing a more exciting childhood for my kids. But just juggling the basics also feel…
Motherhood, a doorway to friendship Motherhood, it all starts with our kids. Really, where would I be without my children? They were the reason that I became part of our baseball team, the homeschool co-op, ballet and yep, those online mom groups. I was there because of my children, but today, this is not about them. This is about us, the moms. It is in each of these places, through my kids, that I have met other women and formed friendships. These are the very people who have sharpened, encouraged and grown me. I didn’t plan those connections, but I…
Testimony time My favorite time at our annual women’s retreat has always been Sunday mornings. The whole weekend is filled with rich Bible study and encouragement. This final session however, is powerful in a different way. It’s testimony time. Mothers, teens, toddlers and infants settle down to hear what God had been doing in each other’s lives over the past year. It really doesn’t matter if the account has a direct connection with something happening in our own lives or not. Every story simply celebrates the things that God has been teaching us. The narration of each situation affirms our…
Life is a journey! I see it in everything. We are always learning and growing. Young moms often ask, “How did you raise your children”? The truth is, we all learn as we go along. Along the way I have gleaned from so many resources! You have heard of eclectic homeschooling? Not only is my homeschool style defined as eclectic but my parenting style as well! Today I thought that I would share some resources that have influenced my parenting and homeschool journey. Training my heart for motherhood I’m not certain that any of us can claim simply one source…
Does anyone else feel it, or is it just me? Has God been calling you on a faith journey like you’ve never experienced before this year? I told my children that this was significant when the announcements went out about corona virus in early March of 2020,. This would change the world the way that 9-1-1 did nearly two decades earlier. I had no idea the future of our country, our family or our home. It did in fact end up being significant. It has been not only faith building but faith affirming for me. Perhaps for you as well.…
Where have you been? I realize it has been a long time since you have heard from me! If you aren’t in my facebook group (Less Than Perfect Christian Mamas) then you may be out of the loop of what is going on in my life. To condense it all, I will just start by saying, we moved from Oregon to Tennessee! If you only want the short version, stop there. For a few more details, read on. Why Tennessee? We have been talking about moving for a few years with the desire to be in a place that our…
Ready or not, here we go! The shopping is done, the lesson plans are laid out and your school area is ready. So, are you wondering just “how” to keep your children on task? To be clear, staying on task can be hard for adults too. But when your students are also your children, they answer to mom for everything. Sometimes we need a system to isolate those two roles. Without that, sometimes it is hard to know when to “call it a day”. Don’t get me wrong. I am all about life learning as a method of education. There…
Our Homeschool Journey There’s too much to tell in one post but I can summarize. We never planned to homeschool. (That is the confession of many homeschoolers.) When we got married my husband told me that he wanted our children to go to private school like he did. That sounded pretty good to me considering my 12 years in public school. When our oldest child was about three years old we had a neighbor who homeschooled her children. I could not figure out why her kids were home all day. I finally asked. To that point, I had never even…
Setting The Stage For Learning It’s back to school season. This year it looks a little different. I have noticed less advertisements for supplies though we know we should probably be getting prepared somehow. So just what does a family need to homeschool? As a homeschooling mom of 19 years, I can give you some hints as to what has worked for us and it may just surprise you. HINT: We don’t duplicate a classroom. To start off let’s just think about what the purpose of school is. To educate our children and prepare them for life as future adults.…
