My Last MOPS Devotions

Today was our last day of MOPS for the 2007-2008 year and I finished my 6th year of being a MOPS Mentor.  For my last devotions, I did an overview of all of the devotions for this year and then gave the Moms a blessing…

 

2008 MOPS Final Devotions

May 14, 2008

 The Home Factor

Begin Here ~ Go There

 

This year throughout our MOPS year, we visited different rooms of our home.  I thought a review of the rooms we visited and what we learned would be a good ending…

 

 

In September – we toured the entry and the living room.  In the entry we learned that we are most welcome at home because

o       Home is a place where you can relax and be comfortable

o       Home is a place where you can be yourself

o       Home is a place where you can share your life and

o       Home is a place where you are shaped spiritually

Touring the living room, we learned that there are two different kinds of living rooms – one is formal and is meant to impress and one is friendly and invites you to put your feet up and talk about your life.  Mothering takes the same example – you either are formal trying to impress or you are comfortable with yourself and all that God has given you.  Remember that your children usually are not impressed with a beautifully decorated formal room, they want a room that they can play and spend time as a family in.

 

In October, Pastor Matt and Jolynn talked to us about “The Bedroom” and how different men and women are.  Stephanie talked to us about our kitchens and what we are really hungry for – which is God’s grace and salvation.

 

In November, Kathy Adams talked about being “away from our home” with depression and anxiety – it’s causes, symptoms and treatments.   I followed up with a talk focused on our bathrooms and how what we see in the mirror is not the same as what our loving Lord sees.  He loves how He created us and how He gifted us no matter what lies we tell ourselves.  God delights in each of us.

 

Christmas season, found us visiting with Mary, Christ’s Mother as a 101 year old woman, telling her story to Luke so it could be recorded.  It as a powerful remindered that God is at work in every area of our lives.

 

January brought us to 2008 and once again, my middle daughter Laryssa and I did a devotion on the angry mother.  This is always a humbling topic for me and I had the opportunity to either meet or talk with many of you about that topic. Let me also say that I put this devotion up on my blog and it has become the number one topic that is read.  Later that month, we visited the laundry room where I talked on doing your laundry one load at a time – how the Lord calls us to live our life the same way – one day at a time.  God is only calling you to handle what HE has given you today to do  - tomorrow will probably bring something new – but just as you can only do laundry one load at a time, you can only live your life, one day at a time.

 

Remember February – how we had to cancel our first meeting and no one was really sure if the second meeting was on or not.  I missed both of those meetings – but I know that the Lord spoke through some special MOPS Moms about losing a child, miscarriage and loss. 

 

March came and our room theme was the play room even though we learned about teaching our children about money from Darryl Jerome. Later that month, I talked about your heart and home.  I talked about loving our husbands rather or not we think they are compatible with us.  It is not being compatible, but about how we complete each other.

 

Once again, April came and brought us the hope of spring.  Our annual Tea and Treasure event gave us a tour of the Dining Room which allowed us to enjoy music by Rebecca and Keri, wonderful food and decorations by Brenda and Darla and an inspiring story of how God has worked in Paula’s life.  I am always amazed when I hear someone’s story of how God has revealed His love and salvation and how it has changed their lives.  Stephanie then ended the month by reminding us of the nursery and what our needs are when we have little ones in the nursery. 

 

So it is hard to believe that MOPS 2008 is coming to a close … even though there will be social events, Bible Study and Mom’s night out – there is still one last important message for MOPS this year.  It is your commissioning as a Mother. 

 

Today’s these is The Front Porch – to relax and put your feet up.  So please accept this blessing today verbally, put it in a place where you can see it and remind yourself that God has called to be the mother to your children…

 

See… post below for the commissioning or blessing…

God’s Blessings for MOPS Moms

 

God’s Blessings for MOPS Moms

 

God’s Commissioning for MOPS Moms

 

2007/2008 Chippewa E Free MOPS

 

To My Precious Friends & Mother’s of Preschoolers

 

You have been called, chosen and named as the Mother of each of your children

God made no mistakes when He made you the Mother of each of your children

He knew that you would be the one to teach them how to live, but He also knew that they would be the one to teach you to love beyond yourself

God has given you everything you need to handle the daily struggles as well the overwhelming task of mothering your children to adulthood

Now is the time to stop questioning your abilities and start to believe what God has promised you – that you can do all things through HIS strength

You can…

Love each child in the way that speaks love to them

Discipline each child in the manner that will show them that they need to obey you, but also obey God

Create a safe, loving home environment where your children do not have to fear

Love and Respect your husband AND fall in love with him in a new, yet familiar way

Connect with your friends and laugh, cry, pray, email, and make play dates together even if each time you are interrupted

Find a few minutes for yourself along the way to connect with who God created you to be

 

Never forget what God provided for each of us through the death and resurrection of Jesus – Grace

Accept it ~ Apply it to yourself and your family

Live a Life of Grace knowing that you are forgiven for your past, your imperfections and for the times you blow it

 

Now go, put the kids in the car seat (again), smile as you get into your minivan (which you swore you would never own J) and go forth into your  world knowing that

You are loved

You matter

You are not alone

You are chosen by God to be the Mother of each of your children

 Love,

Sandy

My thoughts on parenting whining children

Recently, Alycia (my oldest) and I were together talking about her life (which has been under much stress recently).  The Physician she is working under now has complimented me on how she was raised (yes, he actually called me after her accident and told me this and he has told her several times to tell her parents that they did a good job).  Those comments got us talking about how I did not allow her sisters and she to whine as little girls.  When one of the girls did start whining, I would always tell them that I could not hear them when they were talking like that.  Once they could talk to me in a normal voice, then I would listen and attempt to solve the problem or meet the need.  If this technique did not work, then they would be sent to their rooms until they settled down and could speak to me in a proper way. 

Alycia talked about how many people she has encountered who do not know how to talk about a problem or need without whining.  I shared with her about how much time and patience it takes to keep on addressing this problem as a parent. There are always doubts as I wonder if I did it right and I still question if I was too hard on her and her sisters.  I now need to trust that God will take my parenting efforts and use them in their lives. 

After this conversation, I read this Crosswalk article on whining and then sent the article link to my daughters via email with this subject line - “Guess I did not handle your whining correctly as a Christian Mom.”  In the article, the author suggests that the approach I took towards whining was not a correct one (which of course, made me doubt myself again).

 In just a short time, I received this comment back from Alycia ..“Humm-I have about a million things to say about that article right now. Let me just say that you did not ignore our whining. You pointed out when we were whining and required us to use a tone of voice that was more respectful (which is essentially what she is telling parents to do). You did a good job with us! And THANK GOD you didn’t use a “no whine watch”. I think that may have worked as well as the chore chart!”

Then Laryssa wrote me that she too remembered the chore chart with all of it’s pretty colors of ink that no one appreciated or used.  The chore chart was my idea after seeing another Mom use one and I thought I needed to be like her and make one as well.  But to be honest - my girls already were doing the work that I asked/required of them on a daily/weekly basis and the chore chart was perceived as my whining at them.  I remember when I put it up; it was not appreciated or followed because it wasn’t needed. 

When you child whines it is hard not to give in to get them to stop.  It requires endurance that you are consistent with each child each and every time they whine.  Some days, it just seems easier to give them their way.  But that does not solve the problem now or later - we all know adults that whine and it is not pleasant.  It is possible to raise children who do not whine and who can communicate with you respectfully.   Do be sure that you are communicating in a respectful manner with your children and that you are not whining at them because you are comparing yourself or your children to another family. 

God has equipped you with the knowledge and understanding of your children to do your job as a parent - listen to your instincts and be the mother, ask for advice if you need it and pray every day for every child.  If your child is whining, first ask God to reveal to you how you should handle it for that child, then do it on a consistent basis every time (even when you are tired and can’t stand the thought of another battle with that child) and pray continually for wisdom and love.  I know that it is hard, but as they grow up it does get easier if you are consistent and prayerful. 

I hope that someday, your child’s teacher, boss or mentor will call you and thank you for the work that you have done in not allowing your child to whine.  It is a fulfilling experience to know that the work you did (that no one seemed to notice or appreciate) is helpful to your almost graduated Physician Assistant Daughter.

A Good Reading Resource for this topic is:

Be the Parent  by Kendra Smiley who I just had the pleasure of meeting and I love her book Aaron’s Way which is great if you are raising a strong will child.

 

 

 

Hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I am weak - He is strong

 

“When I was at my lowest, confounded by obstacles … I discovered an astonishing truth: God is attracted to weakness.  He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need Him.  Our weakness, in fact, makes room for His power.”         Jim Cymbala

 

Oh, Lord, my Father I am desperate for you ~~ may I bow at your feet in complete need of you and not my pride or earthly desires.

 

“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  2 Corinthians 12:10 

May the story of my life be that I am desperate for your grace.

Wishing I could fix it all ….

Last week at 6:30 in the morning, we received word that our oldest daughter had just been in an accident.  It had been raining and she was on her way to work at her latest medical clinical rotation - the last 2 years she has been in graduate school working on her Masters as a Physician Assistant.  Her car hit some water and hydroplaned, spun out of control, crossed 3 lanes of traffic, bounced off of the guard rail and came to a stop.  She was physically okay (other than a slight concussion), but her little Ford Focus (which she loved) was totaled.  Needless to say, we were so thankful that she was not injured more seriously.

But this accident has come at such a hard time for my husband and I - we are in the midst of working through some major financial issues and really are not able to handle the whole ”buying a car issue”.  It is easy to wonder about God’s timing in all of this.

I struggle with all the statements people make of how God was really with her (which He was) and aren’t I thankful that it was only the car that was hurt (which I am).  I struggle, because I know that somewhere (maybe on that same day) there are parents who love the Lord and trust Him, whose child perhaps was not spared in a car accident.  It is hard to know how to how to express thanksgiving and frustration at the same time while I know that God’s sovereign plan is at work for those He loves.  Yet, I admit that I wonder what God is doing and how any of this works together for good, His or ours.

As a Mother, I do not want my daughters to have to experience hardships and pain; yet I know that that is how their they and their faith will grow.  When Alycia (our oldest) was in 6 grade, I remember her coming home with a sad face and heart, because ”everyone” else in her class had scrunchies to wear in their hair and around their wrist and she did not.  That was easy to deal with, we went out that night and bought a multitude of scrunchies to solve the problem.  The next day she went off to school with one in her hair, probably one on her wrist and several in her backpack. She and I often remember (with smiles) how easily this problem was solved.  And then I usually express to her that I wish solving her problems now would be as easy as buying scrunchies. Presently, I wish I could replace her cute little car and take away the hardships of the past 2 years of intense grad school training.  But I can’t fix any of it for her.  I can pray, trust and allow God to the work He needs to do in her life (even if it might mean driving around an old mini van for the summer).

Is that what God is doing with me now - not fixing it because He needs and wants my faith to grow to a deeper, more mature trust?   Am I learning - most times I wonder…..

This past weekend, Alycia finally asked me if I was going to blog about her accident and my response was, probably.  I just really have not been sure how to deal with it all, let alone write about it all.  My overall response is one of thanksgiving that she was not hurt in any way - I will admit to frustration that we now need to deal with getting another car at a time that is not convenient - and even beyond that I admit to being weary of not being able to just fix all of it.  And my heart breaks for the families who did not receive the same good news as we did.

God is in control - He would still be in control if the circumstances had been different.  He is God - I am not and He ultimately sees the beginnning and the end - He knows what will bring Him glory and will make me more like Him.  If you are interested in reading a really good blog that expresses some of what I am thinking about all of this - go to http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/2008/05/195-believing-bad-times-equals-bad-us.html.

 

God is in control - He would still be in control if the circumstances had been different.  He is God - I am not and He ultimately sees the beginnning and the end - He knows what will bring Him glory and will make me more like Him.  So I continue on … walking this journey by faith in the God who loves me.

Pure Grace

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 In springtime in Western PA - the daffodils are in full bloom.  Most are planted in landscape around houses and parks - but there are many random daffodils plants that come up in the woods, alongside the road, and in other obscure places.  My daughters will tell you that whenever I see these random flowers, I always say that there is an example of “pure grace”.The photos above are of the daffodils that are in the woods behind our house (that I can see from my kitchen window since the trees are not quite in bloom). No one has planted or cared for these plants - but God.  There are reminders to me, that He care for His creation and delights in providing these beauties as a symbol of His grace.  His Grace which I have done nothing to deserve and can do nothing to earn - it is given freely and with love and care.  Just like these random daffodils ….

 “Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.”  Ephesians 2:7-10 The Message

 

God’s Call to Remember

The past three days on Focus on the Family, Ravi Zacharias has been speaking on “Why We Must Remember.”  I have listened as I drove places in the car and have found myself continually shaking my head in agreement.  This message that Focus on the Family declares… “The Bible says that God commanded the Israelites to set up a stone monument near the Jordan River so that future generations would remember how He miraculously helped the Jewish people enter the Promised Land. Author and speaker Ravi Zacharias challenges listeners with the question, “What is that God wants us to remember?”

This has been the cry of my heart (this blog, my book, speaking and former business).  The importance of recognizing what God has done, recording it in some manner and then remembering it when life is hard to understand.  Over and over again, I have asked God to take away this calling, especially as Reminders of Faith is now in the process of closing.  But the past 3 days as I listened to this message, I once again felt the passion and the importance of remembering God’s Faithfulness all over again.

So I looked through my old Reminders of Faith writings and found this that I wrote in 2006…

Remember the Wonders

“He has caused His wonders to be remembered.” Psalm 111:4

 

…”He commanded our fathers to teach to their children so that a future generation – children yet to be born – might know.  They were to rise and tell their children so that they might put their confidence in God and not forget God’s work.”  Psalm 78:5-7

 One of the clearest ways that God calls us to remember is to recall the Bible story of when the Israelites crossed the Jordan.  To retell the story a little, God brought Moses and the children of Israel out of Egypt and then because of sin, they had to wander in the desert for 40 years because they didn’t believe that God could take them into the promise land.  When God finally lead them into the Promise land, He told each tribe to bring a stone from the Jordan and to build a stone tower.   The Lord knew that their children would ask, “What do these stones mean?”  They were to respond by sharing God’s faithfulness to bring them to the promise land.  This monument served as a reminder to them and their future generations of what God has done. (To read the entire story read Joshua 4 )

Remembering and Recording your Spiritual Journey can be your stone tower because as your children and their children’s children view your recorded memories it will tell them various things – such as what you were interested in, where you spent our time and hopefully most of all how your faith impacted your life.

 

Photos, journals, frames, videos, and other memories provide a wonderful opportunity to share your journey with God.  Birthday memories signify another year of God’s blessings; landscape photos show God’s majesty in His Creation; everyday life memories reveal how God provides without your help. Your  memorabilia will leave behind a heritage of who you are, what you believe and offer encouragement for your future generations to put their confidence in God. 

 

If your children were to ask you what your memories mean to you, would the things you leave behind reveal God at work in your life? Share God’s faithfulness by recording about a time when you know that God was working in an incredible way.  Tell the facts of what happen including whom, what and when, but also tell of how God worked through the details.

 

So there it is again, God’s call to remember His faithfulness in my life – I know that I must leave behind my legacy of faith to the next generations who may not have any reminders of the God I serve.  I encourage you to take time to listen to Ravi on Focus on the Family and ask yourself what is the legacy you are leaving behind?

Releasing all of it to God

“It hurts when God has to pry things out of our hands.” Corrie Ten Boom.

 

Last month, when I was in Illinois working at Hearts at Home with Share HIS Story, I had the opportunity to visit a very dear young woman in my life.  I met Marci years ago, when I was working for Memories Expo and I hired her to be a Regional Director for Memories Community Scrapbook Association.  Marci and I immediately connected as Christian Believers and became very good friends.  We traveled across the United States together working in the Scrapbooking Industry as well as sharing our hearts and lives.  When Reminders of Faith was started, Marci wrote one of our books, Passing On Your Legacy of Love - which is a call to create a scrapbook about yourself so your legacy will be remembered.  (Marci’s Mom died when she was 8 years old and she did not have many reminders of her life - so her passion for leaving a legacy is heartfelt). 

 Marci and her husband have several children of their own and have also opened their home to foster children which I got to meet during this visit.  Of course, like all children - her children were interested in their Mom’s visitor and they were constantly “hanging around” us.  Her littlest one (who is 1 1/2 years old) took advantage of the fact that Marci was occupied with me, and got into things that he knew were off limits.  At one point, Marci and I saw him with something in his tightly fisted hand that looked like flat marbles.  Marci started after him and he started running away (like he could really get away from an adult in a house).  Marci picked him up and pried his fist open to release the marbles and he cried as she removed them from his little hands. 

 I was sitting there smiling to myself, thinking how God has had to pry so much out of my hands, especially in the past year.  I have tried to hold on to my relationships, my business and the hope that somehow it would all turn out different than it has.  But God has pursued me as I have ran with my hands tightly quenched around the things that I have deemed as mine.  Just like Marci pried the marbles out of her foster son’s hands, God has had to pry my hands open to give up dreams, callings and friendships.  Yet, He knows that in order to trust Him completely and to do what He desires - I had to hand it all over.

 Even though, Marci’s little guy was angry and upset that he couldn’t keep the marbles - both Marci and I knew that it was not in his best interest to handle those marbles.  I am now trusting that God knows the same thing - that the precious things that I have been holding on to were not in my best interest and it was time to release them.

  ”Then He told them what they could expect for themselves: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you?”

Luke 9:23-24 The Message

 

Featured at 5 Minutes for Moms

This is a really great website for Moms who only have a few minutes each day!  I have appreciated their interest in Recognize & Remember and what the Lord is teaching me.  Please visit their website and show an interest in them as well!

My Story for The Share HIS Story Mother’s Day Contest

Since Share HIS Story Blog is sponsoring a contest about stories of our Mothers - I decided to write one about my Mom.  Enjoy….

My Mom Sewed for Me

There are so many things I could write about my wonderful Mother; but one fond memory I have is of the time and effort she spent sewing me beautiful clothing as I was growing up.  Believe it or not, in the late 1960’s and 1970’s it was actually less expensive to sew clothes than to purchase them.  This was in the days before there were big box stores full of manufactured clothes.  Although, my mother did not make all of my clothes, she would typically make me something special for each season.  I have very pleasant memories of going to the fabric store and pouring over pattern designs, choosing the right pattern out of the big filing cabinet and then the fun part of picking the fabric.  The possibilities were endless - and yet my mother would patiently allow me to look at each and every bolt of fabric, gently lead me from the wrong fabric and then allow me to pick the fun details like buttons and trims.  Once the purchase was complete, then the work began for my Mom.  I can see her hunched over our table cutting out the pattern, measuring and re-measuring, and then sewing the bits and pieces of material, bringing it all together to create the most stylish, stunning clothes - clothes that my friend’s often wanted!! 

Because the Lord has gifted me with “Big Picture Vision”, I have a hard time with the details.  As my Mom and I would pick out patterns and fabric - I could envision the finished piece, but I could not comprehend why she had cut out so many odd pieces of fabric and how all of those pieces could come together to create what I envisioned.  Yet, as my Mom sewed each piece into something special for me to wear - she managed each little piece of fabric and thread.  She never left out a pattern piece and she never gave up - I saw her tear out tiny seams to make it all fit together properly and I also saw her finish each project to the end - giving me something gorgeous to wear and feel pretty in.

As I have been thinking about my Mom sewing for me, I realized that this is something my daughters have never known.  I have no idea how to even thread a machine or how all the pieces come together. But I had the privilege to trust that my Mom knew how take each piece and make it into my outfit.  I had faith in her each time we bought material ~ I just knew that soon I would be wearing something created just for me!   This just what God asks of me now, to trust Him to take all the little pieces of my life and to create something beautiful to bring Himself glory.  He allows me to be involved in the process, but it is always with His oversight of making sure that all the pieces fit together and to bring beauty out of all the threads and material fragments.  Often, I have to wait for the finished process, but it will be created just with me in mind and will fit me perfectly - because My Heavenly Father knows me even better than my earthly Mother.

I am thankful for a Mom who took time to sew for me and I am thankful for her example to me of how God brings all the pieces together to create something good & lovely for me.

Now, what story do you have to share about your Mom….. be sure to write your story about your Mom and send to sandy@sharehisstory.com.