Category Archives: parenting
He Will Walk With You (with guest blogger Carey Bailey!)
Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother’s Day blog series – a week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today’s best writers — Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St. John, and more! I hope you’ll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother’s Day.AND … remember to enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.
If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we’re all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother’s Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.
And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother’s Day!
He Will Walk With You by Carey Bailey
As a little girl, I loved baby dolls. Loved them! I played school, adoption agency, daycare operator and babysitter all day. I felt like I was born to be a mama. Therefore, I was a bit anxious when the ages, 22, 25, 28 and 32 came and went and there were no babies. Have you ever desired something so much and feared never getting it? That was me.
My day finally came at the age of 34. I soon realized that God knew what He was doing when He had me wait. To my shock, it wasn’t as easy as playing with dolls. I was surprised that it wasn’t the dream world I imagined it would be! I felt like life became a gigantic prayer.
“God, HELP me!”
“Please, God. Please, please, please make it all better. I can’t do this!”
“God, this feels impossible. Where are you?” Read the rest of this entry
Like this:
Stepping Out on Faith (with guest blogger Bonnie St. John!)
Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother’s Day blog series – a week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today’s best writers: Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St. John, and more! I hope you’ll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother’s Day.AND … don’t forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we’re all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother’s Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls. And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother’s Day!
Stepping Out on Faith by Bonnie St. John
“Darcy . . .”
“Yeah, Mom?”
I momentarily held the undivided attention of my teenage daughter. Her thumbs, free of their ubiquitous texting keypad, quietly dangled by her side. Her computer and its omnipresent Facebook page were completely out of sight. I had almost forgotten what she looked like without all these adolescent accoutrements. As we sat down together on the burgundy leather sofa in our living room, I realized this fleeting state of electronic dislocation was my chance to hatch a plan I had been formulating for the past several weeks. Carpe diem. Read the rest of this entry
Like this:
Joy Comes from Perseverance (with Guest Blogger Sheila Walsh!)
Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother’s Day blog series – a week long celebration of moms and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today’s best writer’s — Tricia Goyer, Sheila Walsh, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Bonnie St. John, and more! I hope you’ll join us each day for another unique perspective on Mother’s Day.AND … don’t forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/6-5/13 and the winner will on 5/14. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.
If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we’re all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother’s Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.
And to all you MOMS out there, Happy Mother’s Day!
Joy Comes from Perseverance by Sheila Walsh
One of the most important lessons I have learned in my own life is the joy that comes from perseverance. Eugene Peterson, borrowing a phrase from Friedrich Nietzsche, wrote his book “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction …Discipleship in an Instant Society.” He points to the Psalms as the way believers have always learned to pray what they live and live what they pray but it is not a short journey. It is an intentional commitment to keep walking even when you are worn out.
*If we want to see lasting results in any area of life it’s important to keep walking in that direction.
*If we want to have a better understanding of the Gospel of John then it takes time and commitment to dig deeper day after day.
*If we want to be thinner this summer than last summer then the work begins now not then.
So too in our relationship with Christ….. Read the rest of this entry
Like this:
Redefining Diversity
I’ve always been very intentional about exposing our children to other races and cultures. While attending a private Christian school, Ellie and Zach were surrounded by all different races and ethnicities. Most of the kids spoke more than one language and few came from the same town. It was fantastic. When we considered switching to public school, a huge concern for me was the loss of that diversity.
Our town is white. We have a few exceptions, like the kids adopted from China and Korea (into Caucasian families) and a small number of bi-racial families. The one Indian family and the two African American families add some melamine, but the majority of people we see look like WonderBread. Even our Hispanic families are “white” Hispanics.
My sister was adopted from Korea before I was born. We never had Asian dolls in our house. We never saw Asians in our town or church. For lack of a better term, she was a novelty in our blonde-haired, corn-fed Midwestern community. I remember the first time she came to our church in New Jersey. Her son, who was maybe six or seven at the time, could hardly believe there were other people who looked like him. He was ecstatic and couldn’t stop talking about it!
I’ve never wanted my kids to grow up in a place that was so entirely homogeneous. Lately, however, I’ve learned to define diversity differently. Read the rest of this entry
Like this:
Cravings (and another giveaway!)
With infants and toddlers in the house, life gets crazy. Interruptions become the routine, and fitting in consistent quiet time with God can be nearly impossible. So many of my early blog posts wrestled with this reality. If you’re used to spending regular time with Him, the shift can be felt physically. It’s painful. Itchy. Restless.
My life has changed a lot over the past few years. Both my kids are now in school full-time. My days have definitely taken on a sort of rhythm, a semblence of predictability. I have much more flexibility during the morning and afternoon hours, but now my evenings are crazy. Trying to fit in family Bible time among homework, dinner, sports schedules, piano lessons, church and community activities has become the new challenge.
Whether you’re in Stage 1 Motherhood with preschoolers constantly vying for your attention or your a Stage 2 mom juggling a full plate of social and educational commitments, I’ve got something for you. New author, Carey Bailey, has created a devotional tool that can fit into any schedule. Truly.
“When I became a mom I lost my God time,” says Carey Bailey. “I couldn’t figure out how to fit it in, since everything but that time was a priority. So I made note cards that I set around my house with scriptures written on them. Even when my arms were too full of babies, laundry, and diapers to pick up a Bible, I could easily read God’s words of encouragement that I was starving for.”
And Cravings–The Devotional was born.
Cravings is a collection of card-size devotionals based on the Psalms. Written to help mothers develop their relationship with God in the midst of motherhood, each card contains a scripture for the day, a “thoughtlet,” and an action idea.
As moms crave the sweet morsels from God’s Word, they can draw a card from a cute Cravings holder—a pink cupcake!—that also displays the daily card for hands-free viewing. The set of 40 cards offers over a month’s worth of inspiration.
I have to admit: the holder is a little too cutesy for me. I don’t like pink and I don’t really do nicknacks in our house. Nevertheless, we’ve put Cravings in the kitchen (tucked behind a picture frame, so the verse pokes out the top).
Each morning while the kids eat breakfast, I read the card, then share the verse with them. While I digest the personal devotion she has written for me as a mom, Ellie and Zach talk about what they think the verse means for them. It’s an easy, accessible way to do devotions that feeds all of us.
And it’s great having it out where we can see the cards! Books close. Kindles turn off. But this is visible. A constant reminder to keep our thoughts tuned to God’s Word and our eyes open to His will for us.
You can get it here.
About the author: Carey Bailey is a recovering perfectionist, wife, proud mama and Family Life director for her church in Surprise, Ariz. On the side she loves party planning, crafting, and pursuing her dream of writing. She has a degree in religion from Westminster College and writes at her blog at www.carebaileyonline.com.
Celebrate with Carey by entering her Minute-for-Mom Giveaway!
One grand prize winner will receive:
- $50 gift card to Erin Condren Shop (Your one-stop-shop for all things awesome!)
- $50 gift card to Victoria’s Secret® (For something pretty.)
- $25 gift card to Bath & Body Works® (For a little spa treatment.)
- 2 Sets of Cravings – The Devotional (For you and a friend.)
- Scentsy Plug In and 2 Bars (A lovely scent for your space.)
Hurry, the giveaway ends on 5/12/12. The winner will be announced 5/14/12 on Carey’s blog!
Just click one of the icons below to enter! Tell your friends about Carey’s giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.
Like this:
What Matters Most
I’ve started three different posts today, but will likely complete none of them. I would like to boast discipline, but am thinking of a quote by Francis Chan.
“Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.”
It’s not that writing or the topics about which I write are unimportant. They are relevant (sometimes) and they truly matter (sometimes), but I have more important things to finish today. Like being with my kids.
Our family has been dealing with a fun little stomach bug this week. Z-man was out of it on Sunday and Monday. Miss Ellie was up vomiting most of the night Tuesday and home from school yesterday. I thought we were back on track today, but got a call from the school nurse less than an hour after the start of classes. And so my “productive day” was filled with cuddles and homemade soup, small sips of clear liquids and lots of cozy blankets. Instead of writing, I spent my afternoon playing video games and reading children’s books.
All in all, it’s been a fabulous day. One in which I count my many, many blessings.
My favorite part of the day? When sweet Ellie looked up at me with those big, beautiful eyes and said, “Mom, you’re glorious.” I still laugh at the thought of it.
Now, let me get off of here to run another load of laundry and continue coddling my sickies. Tomorrow is a new day. Maybe then I can finish some of what I’ve started.
In the meantime, I am now contributing to Writer Interrupted on a regular basis. This link will show you the few articles already published there.
Like this:
Redshirting
I set rules for blog comments a long time ago. There are only two, so it’s nice and easy. Here goes.
- No vulgarities, name-calling or cyber-bullying of any kind will be tolerated.
- All comments must be respectful to both writer and readers. There are ways to disagree without sinking into condescension or degradation. I suggest you employ those methods.
You may only comment on this blog if you follow the rules. Any comments made that violate the rules will be deleted. I have the final word on what constitutes adherence to these rules. (It is my blog, after all.)
Why am I reminding you of these? Because I’m about to launch a discussion on politics and current events.
I know, I know! *GASP! HORROR!* I’m breaking all those peaceful “mommy blogger” standards. The fact is a few issues have arisen over the past two weeks that I cannot ignore. They say the only taboo topics in society are politics and religion. Well, I talk about religion in nearly every post, so I might as well throw myself under the gauntlet here.
Be prepared: my version of politics is likely not what one might expect. I rarely see things as wholly black or white. As a result, I don’t want to talk about politicians or sides. I don’t want to start a debate. I simply want to present my perspective and engage in a conversation that will, hopefully, produce a fuller understanding for all of us. That includes considering alternative views. Just remember to stick to the rules.
Oh, and here’s a new rule:
Everyone has the right to change his or her mind. No holding past opinions captive or using them as weapons against that person, including me.
Some of the posts on this blog go back five years. I hope we’ve all grown and changed in that time, so no rummaging through the archives to quote me back to me. Got it? Cool.
Preamble over. Let’s start with an easy one.
Redshirting
On Sunday night 60 Minutes aired a segment on redshirting. (Click here to view the piece or read the script.) Redshirting is intentionally holding a child back in school in order to give them a greater advantage. This parenting technique is on the rise, but not because of academic standards. It is becoming increasingly common because parents want their kids to be more competitive. They want them to have a leg up on the rest of their class, to be bigger, older, smarter and more athletic than the other kids. They want leaders and will get them by providing a head start. Read the rest of this entry
Like this:
BIG WORD: 1 Samuel 1–3
As a parent, do you ever wonder how much of your kids’ behavior is actually your fault? The question reaches wide because the answer changes with your child’s age. At some point, we have to let them make their own decisions, but even then — Is it our fault if they make the wrong decisions? Where is the delineation of responsibility?
The first three chapters of First Samuel offer two striking cases that, when juxtaposed, address this very issue. There we read about Hannah, the mother of Samuel, who showed tremendous faith and confidence in God. Not only did she trust Him to overcome her infertility, she faithfully surrendered her son back to Him. Her great faith in and faithfulness to God are contrasted with Eli’s passive approach to parenting and his less worthy sons.
This was just one part of our discussion last night at our Big Word Bible Study. To truly dive into this section of Scripture, hop over to the Big Word tab and download our homework notes.
If you’re already following along, here are a few things we talked about last night that weren’t included in the homework. Read the rest of this entry
The Attack on Whining (a.k.a. Wishful Thinking)
Don’t even pretend your kids don’t whine. (Or your co-workers or your siblings.)
I used to think this was an isolated issue and that if I just found the right trick, the correct combination of tactics, we could win the battle. This may eventually be true, but I’ve seen too many other exasperated parents fighting the same war to believe I’ve got the corner on anything.
Worse: I’ve seen too many adults on the other side of the battlefield. They’re whining now, too. (Or is it still?)
We’ve tried lots of tactics: taking toys away, giving more chores, claiming we can’t understand them (which is usually true, though sometimes exaggerated) or that the sound makes our ears hurt (which is always true, though the damage is more severe to our nerves). We’ve tried logic and reverse psychology. We’ve alternately agreed with their miserable plights (sarcastically, of course) and sought to show them the error of their perspectives. We’ve even made them quote combat Scripture (You know the ones that speak directly to the problem in the face of the problem.). It all works to varying degrees, though never for very long.
Lately I’ve tried a new approach: wishful thinking. When my kids complain about something in that nails-on-a-chalkboard whine, I respond with what I wish they would say instead. Read the rest of this entry
Homeschooling is easier.
There.
I’ve said it.
I never thought I would — not in a million years — but there it is.
I always thought homeschooling was too much work and that I could never do it. That the pressure would drive me insane, and the lack of personal time and space would drive me to DYFS. I felt unqualified and stifled by the possibility. The mere thought made me nervous, like a thousand little ants crawling beneath my clothes.
But I was wrong. I can do it. And I did do it. And I actually really liked it. In fact, I can now admit that homeschooling is easier.
The truth is that I hate being at the mercy of not one, but multiple teachers’ schedules and agendas. I hate being responsible to someone else for my kids’ presence at all times. I hate having to explain myself to others and submit to their policies and requirements. (Seriously? My kids can’t have cupcakes at a birthday party any more?) I hate knowing that the public school works for me and is paid by me yet believes they know better than I what’s best for my children.
I hate forcing my kids to do homework that I know is too easy for them. It takes hours — I kid you not. — of cajoling, bribery and raw frustration to get them to finish their boring assignments. And I don’t blame them. The poor kids have been stuck in an institutional brick building for six hours after which I immediately ask them to sit down and do more work. It’s torture for them, but perhaps more for me. I don’t blame the teachers, either! They’re doing their jobs and I’m thankful for it. Read the rest of this entry
