Cheat Sheet for Strong Willed Children

     About a year ago I wrote an article called  "Loving the strong willed child".  It can be found at www.keepersministry.com.  Recently, I found myself needing to read over the article again so I could get a "handle" on things.  I am not an expert on raising strong willed children.  I am in the trenches with you.  Hopefully, this cheat sheet will help you with your precious child.  Hugs to all of you sweet mommas.

A Prayer for Dads

I am learning that prayer has much greater impact than our words.  My hubby is an amazing father.  But all dads need our constant prayers.  I compiled this prayer to pray over him as a father.  Hugs to all of you sweet mommas.

School Prayer

I always find myself getting anxious when the boys start back to school.  Praying this over my crew often.  Hugs to all of you sweet mommas.

Blown Away Twice

Many of you are my close friends and you already sponsor a child through some great organizations.  Some of you have gone on mission trips and some of you have even adopted children from other countries.  You simply amaze me. While others of you may have discussed the possibility of sponsoring a child at some point.  Our family sponsors a five year old boy from Ethiopia through Compassion International.  I am not writing this to impress you that we sponsor a child.  I am simply writing this to show how we have been blown away by the Lord twice.

We signed up to sponsor a child through Compassion about a year ago.  One afternoon I  sat down with the boys with the laptop on the couch.  We looked at various children from several countries and  would you believe they all agreed on a five year old boy from Ethiopia?   If you have a handful of kids, you know that was a miracle, no doubt.  Later that night, I discussed with my hubby whether we should make monthly payments or pay for a full year, which was around 450 dollars.  He said to send in the full amount which I did the next morning.   Later in the day, I received an email from my precious mother-in-law (aka. mother-in-love) stating that she wanted to send us 500 dollars to help with school supplies, clothes, and shoes for the upcoming school year.  I just cried.  I was blown away.  We had just sent money in the day before to help a child and now my mother in law was helping my children.  I felt hugged by the Lord and it was such a cool story to share with the boys.  By the way, we all know that when we give, we can't expect to be blessed in this lifetime.  For whatever reason, the Lord chose to bless us tangibly.

The next story from the past year involves the child that we sponsor.  We communicate with him through letters and photos.  We were told if we send additional money, it would go straight to the family.  We decided to send 100 dollars.  About two months later, we received a letter that shared the family bought metal.   I really didn't understand this.  Metal?  For what?  Then I dug a little deeper into the envelope and there was a picture of a metal roof.  For 100 dollars, we bought a roof for their family of eight.  I was blown away, as was the rest of my family.  It is simply amazing how far our money can go in other countries.

I write all of this to encourage you to pray about the possibility of sponsoring a child.  Maybe this year? Maybe next year?  Pray about it and the Lord will confirm if this is something your family should move forward with.  I can guarantee you will be blessed, maybe in this lifetime or maybe later.  We have been blessed time and time again this past year.  Hugs to you all.

5 Quick Mom Prayers

Recently, I came across this quote and I have not been able to get it out of my mind,  "We are either in survival mode or prayer mode." (Mark Batterson)  As a mom, it is so important that I pray over myself each day.  Do I always do a great job of this?  No, not always.  But when I do, I can notice a big difference in my behavior.  Here are the 5 things I pray often over myself often:

1.  God, help me to put on compassion, gentleness, kindness, and love each day.

2.  God, help me to be a responder not a reactor.

3.  God help me to train in love and not be stern or harsh.

4.  God help me to be the person I want my child to be.

5.  Give me common ground with each child and help me to connect with them.

Hope you all have a blessed weekend.  Let's all try to stay in "prayer mode".  Hugs to you!!

Crazy Mornings

 

     Crazy mornings.  As moms, I think we all experience them.  If you don't, then read no further.   How can we lose our minds before 8:30 am?  In our home, I know I am super busy getting lunches packed, breakfast made, and kids out the door.  I bet you can relate.  Most mornings go somewhat smoothly, but then there are days like today when I miss the mark.  I was impatient.  I was stern.  Instead of training in love, I blew it.  It happened right before drop off.  The timing could not have been worse.  So, I got to come home and feel like a bad mom.  Not so fun.  But, I have to regroup.  I went to the Lord to ask for forgiveness, and I prayed His Word over my words once again.

God,

help me to put on love each day.
help me to be slow to anger.
help me to stay calm.
help me to be even tempered, not stern or harsh.
help me to train my child in love.
help me to be tenderhearted and full of mercy.
help me to respond not react.
help me to extend grace to my child.
help me to wound my child minimally.

and last of all Lord, help me to extend grace to myself over and over.

And you better believe this mom will humbly go to her child after school and apologize for missing the mark.

Hoping your crazy mornings are few and far between.  But if you have one, go quickly to the Lord.  He's ready to help us mommas.

Randomness for Your Friday

Picture taken in Sedona last September

The Negatives:
I really, really dislike the critters here. (snakes, scorpions, lizards)  I have already seen two snakes this year.  I can scream pretty loud.  So when there was a scorpion in my kitchen at 10:00 p.m. the older two boys thought someone was breaking into the house.

I really, really dislike that it is blazing hot here for 6 months out of the year.  Which means lots of inside time with four rowdy boys.  Oh my goodness. Can you even imagine?

I really, really dislike that everything is brown here.  No green.  Just brown.  Dirt everywhere.

I really, really dislike being far from family and my close friends.  That part is very hard.

I really, really dislike that my kids are surrounded by tons of non-Christian kids in their school.  I have read that about 65 percent of the people here are not Christians.

I really, really dislike that sometimes I don't even know why we are here.  I can't see what God is doing.  I just have to trust that He is doing something.

The Positives:

I love the mountains here.  Everywhere you look there are mountains.  The sunsets can take your breath away.

I love that we can drive to the beach and be there in 6 hours.  I love that we can drive two hours north to go hiking,  to pick apples, or play in the snow.

I love the winters here.  The boys can play outside every single day.  Can you even imagine?

I love that my children are impacting lives around them.  I think they are possibly planting seeds.  I love that God has brought likeminded friends into their lives.

I love that God has placed some amazing and incredible people in my life here.  I am forever grateful.

I love that God has a plan and a purpose for us here.  He is at work.  He has countless plans for our lives.  He is using us in ways that we will never even know.

There are always, always, always negatives and postives in our lives.  God help us to bring You the negative.  Help us to "see" the positives each day and dwell on the positives.  That is all.  Hugs to you all.