6 Oct 2016

Total Family Makeover (a review)

by | posted in: Books, parenting | 0

As my kids get older, I think I start to notice all of my expectations of parenting get washed away.  When I was growing up, we lived in a neighborhood with mostly family, went to a small church where we really only interacted with 1-2 families, and I went to a Christian school and really don’t remember doing things as families with anyone.  Of course we had friends, but it wasn’t essential in our upbringing to surround ourselves with community and family.

When I get to college that all changed for me.  I surrounded myself with families and loved them and learned so much, but it wasn’t until 20 years later that I had a family of my own.

I now want to do a couple of things in family/parenting life:

  1.  Make sure my mister and I are always on the same page especially in our calendar and parenting.  This is so crucial to success.
  2. Surround ourselves with those who are ahead of us, but also with us in our stage of parenting – and who share similar grace and parenting styles.  Community is so important.
  3. Pour grace into my husband and my children.  I think the main way I do this right now is through asking forgiveness each time I do something wrong (which is often).

In Total Family Makeover, Melissa Spoelstra, tackles some important topics on how you can work toward a more discipleship centered home – because isn’t this our most important task as parents – to raise those who will Lord-willing seek after God because of HIs grace?

If you normally don’t read book introductions, read this one.  She hit the nail on the head.  Sundays are usually the day I feel the worst as a parent.  My kids disobey walking into church, or don’t obey me in childcare, or always need discipline.  While seemingly most around me have perfect children and I feel are always looking at my with disdain or disapproval.  I know this isn’t the case, but I always feel like a failure.  She tackles this and is so encouraging.

The areas of discipleship she highlights in this practical book: praying together, Bible time, mentoring, church community, serving, rest, giving, and evangelism.  All of these are personally important, and definitely are important for your family.

My one suggestion = read this book.  Maybe read it with your husband, or just give him your takeaways.  Pray together and see which area you can tackle first.  Its like if your house is a mess and you try to clean the whole things at once, you’ll get discouraged.  I would start with one thing and then go on to the next.  You’ll see God reward your obedience in these areas with success and grace.  He wants our families to be more Christ-like!  He is for you in this endeavor!

This post is sponsored by Litfuse who gave me the book.  All opinions are my own.  And you can win a great prize pack for a fun family night (think free pizza and books and games!)  Enter here

6 Oct 2016

The Last 5 Minutes (a book review and giveaway)

by | posted in: Books, Kids r Readers 2 | 4

Our days are filled with so much.  From the time the alarm goes off (before 6 for me) until I crawl into bed (usually between 10-11 at night), so much happens.

I get my older on the school bus while it is still dark.

I read all my social media, blogs, emails, etc – get everything cleaned out.

I spend time in the Word to fuel my mind and soul for everything that will come my way that day.

I sit with my husband for a little bit before he gets ready for work.

I run and errand and play at the park with my little.

We do lunch with the older gets home from preschool.

I work, play, cook, clean during naptime for the younger while the older gets to hang out with me.

The gym comes later in the day as we sing songs while sitting in ATL traffic, play and workout, and have more fun in ATL traffic on the return trip.

I cook dinner (or buy fast food).

I head upstairs to put the kids to bead.

Right now, our bedtime routine, which is usually me because my mister works retail, is still hard, but getting better.  Everything in parenting is for a season and I see that more and more.  In parenting, things always change – like the weather in Carolina.  We brush teeth, change diapers, and sit down to ask some catechism questions, say our Bible verses, and read a story out of whatever book we are reading.  Some times this process goes better than others, but you never know.

5 Minute NIghttime Bible Stories from Tommy Nelson has been a really good resource for us.  Our boys are 3 and 4.  They don’t have long attention spans at that night, but we expect them to sit still and listen.  These have been a dose of truth with teaching them Bible stories and encouraging them to pray at the end.  We did enjoy the colors and pictures.  The stories were more than one page, so the boys could turn the pages.  But, it wasn’t too long that they lost interest  The authors asked questions to involved the kids in each story (to appeal to different learning styles).

I think it is always a good idea to end the day with learning about Jesus, praying, instilling a restful peaceful truth of the gospel into your children.  Sometimes our nights aren’t so peaceful, but we work toward that with much grace!

This post is sponsored by Tommy Nelson and they are giving you a copy!  Answer the question – what is one tip you could give to other parents on bedtime routines!

 

4 Oct 2016

Good Good Father (a book review)

by | posted in: Books, Kids r Readers 2, parenting | 8

Good Good Father

In the back of our car there is a kite.  My mister has had the kite since he went to the OBX in Carolina.  I wonder if he bought that kite thinking he might one day have boys that love to spend time with their daddy and fly kites together.

Chris Tomlin, worship songwriter and dad, has writtten a great book for littles that starts out with a kite.  But, more importantly this story is about many of the ways (God is inexhaustible) that God loves us.  It is beautifully illustrated.  It is so true

One of the best things about my husband is that he is a good Father.  We had such a short courtship before we got married that I rarely got to see him around children.  I knew from his character that he’d be a great Father.  And, now I witness it.  My men love to fly a kite during the week at a local park, always scouting out the new parks to hopefully catch the wind.  He is more patient with those boys than I will ever be – which they desperately need.  He is loving and plays with them on the floor or with toys.  He is so caring toward them.  They resemble him.  He teaches them the truth about Jesus.

These are all good ways in which hopefully the boys will see God the Father in my husband, their earthly dad, so that one day they might come to know God.

This book by Tomlin is available to you.  Tommy Nelson is giving one away to a reader!  Get excited because this will make a great addition to your at-home library, wonderfully teaching your children about God.

One question: what is one activity your children love doing with their dad?

4 Oct 2016

Teaching Your Children the Power of Snail Mail (a review)

by | posted in: Books, parenting | 0

Those who know me know I love snail mail.  I think I always have, pen pals when I was younger, getting mail from my Mom when I was in college, and now writing letters and surprising people with a note or letter or fun little gift.  It just makes my day to give!

I want to instill gratitude and snail mail love in my boys.  What better way to do that?  Here are some tips:

  1.  Find cute stationery themed for boys or girls.  Blogging for Books sponsored this post by sending me Wee Alphas – a book of cute and original animal post cards.  I love them.  They not only help my boys learn the alphabet, but it will be fun to use to write postcards to people as well.  But, for us, it is going to be room decoration in the next house we live in come January.  (Another good thing about Wee Alphas is that all the postcards are attached in an accordion book and you can rip each out as you go – so you don’t lose them.)
  2. Help them know what to write.  Whether your children know how to write or not, you may need to help them know what to write.  When writing thank you notes, or even letters (especially to grandparents), you may have to coach them.  This is also a great way to teach them gratitude.
  3. Make it a habit.  Maybe write one letter a week, especially older children, write letters to older men or women in your church, have them ask questions that will help them seek after God.  Older men and women in the faith will be a great encouragement to you and your children.  (I digress).  Seriously though, making letter writing a habit might instill this in them when they get older.  And, you can have fun field trips to the post office to meet the postmaster, talk about where mail goes, and look at the cool mail trucks (my younger loves them).

How do you encourage your children to write letters and/or reach out to others who are older than them?

All opinions are my own.

24 Jul 2016

Love That Boy: a review

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

You certainly need to find people you can trust to recommend books to you – and when you do, always read them!

Not many books make me laugh, cry, and challenge me on almost every parenting area.  And also one that makes me re-place my hope in God because I know this parenting journey is tough and I can’t do it on my own. Love That Boy is a must read!

I love history and the American presidency, so when I knew that was a backdrop to this parenting book, I knew it would be a winner.  And it didn’t disappoint.

You don’t have to have children with special needs in order to gain insight into your children through this book.  But, every parent will gain insight into themselves, their children, and even their parents.  They will be able to see how other parents parent through new lenses.  You will learn what is important to you in how you raise your kids – even if you didn’t know it in the first place.

The only sad thing about this book: there was no hint of Christ.  And even though I can’t save my children, I can’t make them place their hope in God – I can aim for that end.  I can show them the gospel.  And I do believe, if I didn’t have that hope – then this book and the whole parenting journey would be incredibly futile and depressing.

Thanks Blogging for Books – incredible choice!

10 Jun 2016

When the Parents Want it To Be Bedtime (giveaway)

by | posted in: Books | 7

Oh, since we moved into our new (to us, a rental) home on April 30, bedtime has been very LONG and tiring. We’ve had to switch bedrooms for our boys, try new tactics, etc.  They go to bed fine if someone other than my husband or I am putting them to bed, but for us it usually is an hour to get them asleep.

Often my husband is the one doing this, if he is home.  He is a champ.  And often he will fall asleep on older’s bed as he is laying there listening to our little one tell him all about his day.  My man is a working all day, come home, jump right in take care of the kids kinda dad.  And I love him for it!  I am one blessed momma!

Tommy Nelson has a new set of bedtime board books for the little ones that is a sweet duo of parent night night books.  There is one for mommies and another for daddies.  I would say the daddy one tends to talk more about God and his character than the Mommy one, but that’s the only difference for me.

I’m thankful and want to give away this set.  The question you need to answer is name one special part about bedtime for you and your littles.  And I always think new books are wonderful, and when your child is done with it, pass it along!

22 Apr 2016

Praying and Journaling For Future Generations

by | posted in: Bible, Books, Shepherding Children | 0

Crossway ESV Writer's Edition

Thank you to Crossway for sending me this Bible to review.  All opinions are my own.

I am in the thick of parenting.  I have a preschooler and a toddler.  I always have thoughts, prayers, questions, emotions – all about being a mommy. Being a mommy is by far the toughest job I’ve ever had.  So, I’m always curious about what the Bible – my source for ALL TRUTH when it comes to any thing I need to know about parenting.

If I have a question about my heart when it comes to parenting, or disciplining, or raising two young boys to be men of God – I go to the Bible.  When I have a question about my kids and what their heart should be, how they should pursue God, what I should be praying for their future – I go to the Bible.

Journaling and Praying for Future Generations

And, the new Writer’s Edition Journaling Bible is perfect for writers.  I can keep all my parenting thoughts in one place.  I write devotions for other mommas and want to keep my thought altogether.  So, how I’m using it is by color-coordinating my thoughts.  If I am writing something about being a mom – I will use a certain color ink.  Then I will use a color ink for each of my boys.  That way, over the years, I can fill it with thoughts and prayers for myself, but also for each of them.

Crossway puts out quality Bibles, and this one is no different.  There are two inches of lined space at the bottom of each page making it perfect to write in paragraph form to journal one’s thoughts.  There is a ribbon especially helpful if you are praying through a book of the Bible.  The pages are cream and thicker which is great to help lessen bleed through with certain pens.  I personally use Micron pens 01 for writing in my Bible mostly.

If you need other ideas about journaling, you can check out Donald Whitney who has written a great book on praying the Bible – which would be a great asset to you as you pray for yourself as a momma and for your children.

20 Dec 2015

How the Word Breathes Life into My Mothering

by | posted in: Books, mothering, parenting, Shepherding Children | 5

God Breathes into our Mothering

Oh, sweet mommas – this post is especially for the mommas out there – and you don’t have to have toddlers to understand this post.  Maybe all of your kids are teenagers, or are married and raising babies of their own – or maybe you have a few younger than mine and are still living in sleepless nights because of newborns or sleep regression.

Just as the very word of God spoke all of creation into being, and the word of God is written down for us so we may be changed into His image, the word of God also breathes life into the every day of my mothering – right now which is a highly emotional 3 year old we are seeking to potty train and a speedy 2 year old who loves to jump off everything he can climb.

Two examples for you from the last 24 hours.  It was a long afternoon as I fought for my 2 year old to take a nap. I knew he was tired and just didn’t want to miss out on anything.  Finally 90 minutes after scheduled nap time, he finally went down for 90 minutes.  Then, by the time my husband walked in the door at 635 from his job, I was so done.  He immediately took over, gave them a bath, put them to bed (which was a 2.5 hour struggle with one of them), and told me to go do something, anything, other than being with the kids.  I went in and took a long hot shower which is one of my favorite things to do in the winter (I know I’m not helping the water conservation society).  As I was standing there praying, confessing my anger and entitlement, I was reminded of a verse in James that my husband spent a whole year on our first year of marriage: James 4:1-4 which basically says the reason you are arguing and upset is because you are fighting to get what you want because you are idolizing something and not keeping God God in your life and heart.  Yup.  I was struggling all day because I didn’t get what I wanted from my sons.  I wanted quiet – I didn’t get much of that all day. I wanted obedience – but my sons are sinners and not prone to obey so I shouldn’t expect them to do it.  I was crying in the shower, even as the hot water ran down my cheeks and increased my need for an aging-skin moisturizer – God was restoring my soul with the work of the Word.

The second example is from this morning: it was a long morning.  I sat in the sanctuary during the sunday school hour, listening to my husband prep for CEve service, scanning through social media, getting encouraged from friends, and the tears were there all morning.  Before the service, my husband sat down beside me, and just whispered in my ear the gospel: the God has a plan, Jesus is enough even when its hard, that His grace is sufficient.  My tears were dripping on his new gray pants.  I didn’t care.  I hope they didn’t stain.  The gospel is found in the Word.  We must know the Word.  We must have the Word spoken to us – to our souls – to our hurt and weary souls.

I got a book set in the mail this week from Tommy Nelson that helps adults and kids know key Scriptures in the Bible.  How to know them, memorize them, live them out – so that the Word may be life-changing in whatever situation we find ourselves in.  The Joshua Code and I Can Learn the Bible would be a great set for you to work through with your children in the new year.  If you would like please just leave a post about anything – anything at all.

Happy Mothering.

30 Nov 2015

Why You Should Read To Your Kids

by | posted in: Books, Shepherding Children | 6

Reading to your Kids

One of my favorite times of the day is when I get the chance to read to my boys.  I usually read to them by themselves – so I get that one on one interaction with them and can read stories that might appeal to them more than the other.

Like I know my younger one loves the Sandra Boynton books.  We’ve been reading those every night and each night he just giggles away.  He also has been loving a book about his hands and what he can do with them to help.  Most of all – I think he loves to just being close to the person reading to him, because he is a snuggle-monster.

Our older boy loves animal books, especially his daddy’s book from when he was young.  He can flip through and always point out new fascinating things about the animals he sees.  Even if he has seen them 50 times before.

I may not have stayed with my education major in college, but I can still think of a few good reasons you should read to your children:

  1.  Build a love for reading.  If you start reading to kids when they are younger, most likely they will be readers when they are older.  Then they will hopefully read to their children and grandchildren.
  2. Increase their vocabulary.  My children seem to learn new words every day.  I know they definitely pick up some of these words because their are seeing them in the books we are reading, and hearing them when they are read aloud.
  3. Reading to your son or daughter builds intimacy.  Any time you can spend one on one time with your children, or even with them altogether, you are telling them that you care about them. You are telling them that no matter what else you could be doing right now (and that is usually a lot), that you would rather spend it with them.  And do you ever regret spending time with your children in a meaningful way?
  4. Reading is a great way for you to teach your children about the gospel.  There are so many great books.  And a good way to teach your children about biblical concepts (that may be difficult for their little minds to grasp) is by using parables (I mean, Jesus did it, right).  Liz Higgs has a new book out for early school age kids, or late preschool that is really neat.  It teaches biblical concepts in parables that are centered around kids.  And it goes through the seasons which is a neat idea to even teach kids about that.

Tommy Nelson is giving away one of these new books and it would make a lovely Christmas present for your child!  Or a gift to a child you know. To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment telling me your favorite book to read with your children.

26 Oct 2015

Life Change in Your Kids (Bible Giveaway)

by | posted in: Bible, Books, parenting, Shepherding Children | 2

As a parent, I love both of my boys, but I long to see lasting change in their behavior and heart.  But, I’ve realized in a very short period of time that I can’t change their hearts – only God can.

One of the ways that God changes hearts is by the Word of God.  And it is very important as parents who love the Lord to help instill in our children a love for the Word.  I know they won’t love the Word unless God saves them, but we can work on creating moments where they Word gets in them and the Word works in their hearts.

Tommy Nelson just put out a new study Bible for kids (8-12) and I think its awesome. They gave me this Bible as a part of Tommy Nelson Mommies and are giving you a chance to win won too! It is in the NKJV and that is readable and understandable while still sticking to the languages pretty well.  It has bold colors and a style that pre-teens will like  Easy thumb tabs built in to the pages so the books are easy to find.  Has application points that are geared toward pre-teens.  Has further study points throughout the Bible that will help kids learn more about God’s will for their lives.

The Bible is living and active and life-changing.  Get it into your kids’ lives and hearts.

If you would like to win won, comment with your favorite verse that you like to pour into your pre-teens, or kids of any age.