Pssst...Pass It On

"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."
Deuteronomy 6:5-9


Hi, my name is Katy and I’m a Homemaker with Hope! Fan of these women & this website, I love the challenge & inspiration to become more intentional and faithful in all areas of life. Lately the above verse from Deuteronomy has been on my mind and heart.

I want to make my home a sacred, special space for my family, a shelter from the world beyond our walls, a warm & welcoming safe haven. My goal/dream is to have our household running in such a smooth & well-organized fashion that we consistently have more time to do the rest of life—fellowship, worship, be outside, volunteer, explore, learn new things, extend hospitality, lend a hand—without getting bogged down by the “tyranny of the urgent”. (While I’m sharing my dreams, pristine cleanliness 24/7 would be lovely, too!)

“Home is where your story begins.” I love that quote.

I’ve been married for 16 years now, and a mom for nearly 13. I have spent those years trying to build my home, like the wise woman in Proverbs. But looking back, I know there were times when my homemaking priorities were not exactly in line with God’s priorities. I was sometimes (OK, often) a “Martha” when I should have been a “Mary”. I’m going to admit something here: More than once it took sheer force of will not to organize toys & tidy things up when I sat down to play with my toddler & preschooler (who didn’t seem to inherit my delight in order). There just always seemed to be something needing to be done. The busyness of life is a sneaky time thief without constant vigilance against it!

Although I can’t get those Martha Minutes back, by God’s grace He opened my eyes to the other important work He had planned for me. We each have the same 24 hours in a day, the difference is in how we spend them. I want to share tomorrow about some of my time that I am certain was well-spent…time I spent talking to my children about God.

(This posting is by a guest blogger, Katy. A teacher, a former MOPS coordinator and a mother of 2, she has lots of experience and wisdom....Thanks, Katy!)

Marriage lessons

If you are a TLC fan I'm sure you are aware of the recent announcement that Jon and Kate (from Jon and Kate plus 8) are getting divorced.

I read an article featuring their family this week and it brought about a mixture of emotions in me: sadness, disappointment, anger, disbelief.

Yet, it is a situation that I feel I can learn from and that will spur me on to strengthen my own marriage.

This will not be a Kate-bashing session, but I want to share a few things that she said in this article that I disagree with.

I think what I struggle the most with are comments like these from Kate: "As always, my first priority remains our children."

Bottom line: I believe your first priority needs to be your marriage. 1 kid or 8 kids, your husband needs to be in first place and decisions need to be made that clearly communicate that your marriage is top priority.

Kate commented that there was no defining moment when she realized her marriage was broken. It was event after event that happened when she realized that Jon was not the person she married. Their goals, dreams and ideas don't match up anymore.

It would be sad to me if the person you married was the same person 10 years later. I am not who I was 10 years ago. Ryan is not who he was either. We've changed, matured, grew, sinned, gotten older (and heavier!) and experienced the joys and trials of life.... But we've made it a point to grow and change together. And in order for our dreams, goals and ideas to match up, our marriage has to be first. Otherwise how will a husband and wife have the time and energy to talk and discuss their dreams and goals? Because those change over time as well. If your marriage is not your number one relationship in your life, I have no idea how one can be certain that goals, dreams and ideas will be the same.

"I think for the past 10 years I was operating under the belief that marriage is forever. So I exhausted myself trying to do everything and make everything okay, when maybe it just couldn't."

This quote made me sad because God intended for marriage to be forever. I am sure Kate exhausted herself in many ways because the reality is that trying to raise 8 kids is exhausting....and when you give your husband the leftovers, I can only imagine how draining that would be. In no way will I claim to understand the challenges of raising 8 children, but I do know that you operate in your marriage based on one of two attitudes: that marriage is temporary or it is forever. If you believe it is forever, your actions will line up with that belief.

I don't mean to be overly critical toward Kate. She has been in the spotlight and now her private life is on display for everyone to discuss.

But I wanted to share my perspective about marriage and make this a place to talk about things I disagree with in our society.

Do you have an opinion on this topic or situation? Has it taught you a lesson in your own personal life? Please share, we'd love to hear your thoughts!

Home Improvement...Contentment!

Did you dare answer the question of the week, "Are you content?" If you did, did you find abit of discontentment lurking?

This week was really busy for me. I guess I could say that about most of my weeks, but as I was trying to keep my head above water and handle the demands of each day, my mind constantly was reaching for a level of contentment. All my tasks were good things, just too many of them. So often my daily discontent comes from over-commitment. I try to do too many things and please too many people.

Discontentment can have many roots, but for the average woman, I think a busy schedule often triggers discontent.

This weekend, for Home Improvement, can I challenge you to just take a look at your schedule? That's all. No need to search deeply for ultimate contentment. Just see if you have enough 'margin' in your life to enjoy what you are doing.

Do you have time to sit and talk with your husband?

Do you know what you are making with the groceries you purchased, or are you just throwing a dinner together because you just don't have time to look for a good recipe.

Do you check 'caller ID' everytime the phone rings and often you disregard a call from a friend because you are just too busy?

Do you have nothing to wear because it is all in the wash or it needs to be ironed?

Are you spending money on late charges because you can't find the bills you need to pay on your messy desk?

The answers to these questions may be the first place to start when you are seeking contentment.

This weekend, try to build some 'margin' into all that you choose to do. Take time to take a deep breath and enjoy what you are doing.

This is a discipline I have had to come back to often in my life.

"Contentment has everything to do with how you are doing with you." (quote from Finding Contentment by Neil Clark Warren)

If I am not doing well with me, I need some time to get myself back in balance and that takes margin...time to appreciate all that I have. It comes back to having the time to count my blessings.

Home Improvement...ENJOY the moments.

"There is, in every child, at every moment, a miracle unfolding."
Erik Erikson, psychologist

Enjoy your children this weekend!

Take photos and have them for you to cherish, but don't make scrapbooking another discipline that 'must' be done.

For every photo put on a page, write a word or two from you, as a mom. Forget the frills and all the clever ornaments if time is an issue and instead write what the moment means to you. Your child will find a double blessing in having his/her photos to remember but also what it meant to you.

"Your words echo down the ages" is a quote I love. Add a word to each photo and call it good.

Simplify the layout and keep reminding yourself of WHO you are preserving these photos for and WHY you are taking the time.

Then, enjoy your miracles!

A photo dilemma

This week's topic is pretty applicable since I realized yesterday that I forgot to take pictures on Mother's Day!

Ahhh....my first Mother's Day and no photo of Samuel and I or Samuel, Ryan and I. How did I forget???? It's doubtful I will experience another Mother's Day with a baby in my arms and one in my belly :)

Barb and I had a good discussion on Mother's Day about scrapbooking...and picture taking...and recording all those memories and photos.

I am surrounded by women who stress out because they are 'behind' in their chronological scrapbooking and will never be caught up. I am also surrounded by women who take hundreds of photos and leave them all on their computer...never printing a one.

Where do I fit into this mix? Do I even want to scrapbook? Do I enjoy it? Do I do it for myself or for my spouse/children? Do I feel guilty about what I do or don't do?

These are the kinds of questions I need to ask myself as I take a look at the thousands of photos I have of Samuel. What kind of expectation am I placing on myself? Is it time to start new habits now that I have a child and another on the way? What is realistic for me in this season of life?

I don't have all the answers. I haven't determined all of that yet. But I do know this...I have less time these days and more photos. And yet, I still have a desire to record these precious 'firsts' for my son. Maybe it will be so I can look back someday and remember...rather than Samuel looking back.

I am looking at this part of my life with new eyes...thanks for pondering with us this week!

Think About It!

Who are you really scrapbooking for?

Stacy mentioned yesterday that she has over 3,000 photos of Samuel already...he's only 7 months old.

I was drawn back to my days of scrapbooking my young children and remember the feelings I had to get my photos into my kids' scrapbook. There was always a nagging thought that I had to sit down and get 'caught up'. Back then, I only had to deal with 'hard-copy' photos and that was always limited by what I could afford to develop.

What would I do today if I had digital photos to manage and all the options of journaling?

While I find it so worthwhile to leave a legacy for your children, I sometimes wonder if moms today don't scrapbook to make their life LOOK good instead of just getting out there and making a life that IS good.

Controversial, maybe, but also something to think about.

I have scrapbooks for all my kids. I documented when they ate their first bite of solid food. I have pictures of when they began walking. I saved their report cards and most of the notes they ever sent me. They can look back at these books and find out when they had chicken pox and who they went to prom with.

I think I did a pretty good job of capturing the moments, but what I am finding out now is, I think those moments were meant for me, not my kids. My grown kids rarely, if ever, peruse their books, but I do. Maybe in years to come, the scrapbooks will become more valuable to them, but I doubt it. They are very glad I made them. They are glad that their life was important and exciting to me. But now they are on to making a life for themselves and their families, and that is how it should be.

My gentle advice to Stacy yesterday is what I write today: Think of why you are capturing your child's life in photos and enjoy it all. But remember to enjoy the moments as much as the memory. Make as many moments indelible in your heart and those moments won't need to be cataloged and journaled. You will remember.

Scrapbook, yes

Stress over it, no. Your child won't wait around for you to get your books in order. Just help them to get their life in order, and maybe that will be enough.

Chossing between right and right

The following excerpt is taken from an article printed in Marriage Partnership. I love the explanation about the two kinds of decisions we face and how the author describes priority decisions....read on!

Q. You've said decisions are of two kinds. What are they?

A. Aside from minor decisions, like which way to drive home from work, they tend to be moral decisions or priority decisions. Moral decisions are choices between right and wrong. To make the wrong choice is sin. The power to make correct moral decisions results from our desire to have integrity and the enabling power of God.

But priority decisions are choices between right and right. They represent our choices about how to allocate our time and money. Deciding whether to take your wife out to dinner or play ball in the city league that night is a priority decision. Working on Saturday mornings or spending that time with family is a priority choice. Investing in the stock market or staying liquid is a choice between two acceptable alternatives. The only imperative in making priority decisions is to be wise—to choose between good, better, and best.

But aren't some decisions really both?

Yes, decisions with both moral and priority implications are not merely about how to spend time and money, but carry with them the full weight of God's principles. Buying a new car is a simple priority decision when transportation is the consideration. But the decision to buy a luxury car we covet which robs money from higher priorities, like savings pledged to college tuition or tithing, takes on the added dimension of a moral issue—a choice between right and wrong.

Patrick Morley, formerly in real estate, now serves the Christian men's movement. Adapted from The Man in the Mirror (Zondervan, 1989) by permission.

The author says that the way to make priority decisions is to be wise. So it is with marriage. Daily we can choose between two right things, to good options, two wonderful opportunities on how to spend our time and energy. But in order to make our marriage a priority, we have to ask ourselves what is the WISE thing to do? What is the BEST thing to do?

And ladies I believe it starts with us. In my home, my husband will almost always choose family as a priority. I, on the other hand, have a multitude of activities and events to choose from and some are very tempting.

I am thankful for the advice of using wisdom when choosing my priorities.

Making your marriage a priority

In the survey we offered last fall the number one topic chosen was Making Your Marriage a Priority.

As a girl who fills her day with to-dos, activities, outings and project after project, this is an area of great struggle for me. We’ll address this topic in the coming days, but be assured: we are writing to ourselves as much as we are writing to you. Please feel free to share your questions about this topic or ideas that you have found are invaluable in helping you make your marriage a priority.

Debra Evans in the book Blessing Your Husband, says, “Marriage is the most important human relationship a man and a woman voluntarily commit to in live. It was designed to survive raising kids to adulthood and all of the stresses and strains involved in family life.”

She also quotes Gary Smalley about the Art of Flexibility: Gary states that many women have their days planned from morning to evening and when something has to be changed, it ruins their day. “Your schedule is important, however you need to maintain a balance by being able to set aside your priorities from time to time to pay special attention to your husband and his needs.”

Questions to ponder this week as we discuss making your marriage a priority:
What kind of reaction does my husband get when he walks in the door at night? Or when I greet him at the door as we both return home from work?
Am I already writing my to-do list in my head for the evening or weekend? Where does my husband fit on that list or schedule?
How many opportunities for blessing and celebration have I missed with my husband because of my determined choice to stick to a schedule or remain preoccupied with my daily work?
When was the last time we sat down and had a one on one conversation together? Or when have we had a night or weekend alone together in the past year?
What would it look like to make my husband and my marriage a priority?

Action expresses priorities

Priority is defined as:
1. something given special attention

2. highest or higher in importance, rank, privilege, etc.: a priority task.

This week my priorities have been my family. Samuel's Gotcha Day was a big priority this week as was my husband. He received a fabulous job offer on Monday and all week we have been talking and praying and discussing what to do (it involves a possible move or him commuting out of state).

I believe I have given special attention to both my boys this week. Other things have fallen by the wayside while I poured my time, energy, planning, etc. into the two of them.

That is definitely not always the case. Sometimes we can say this is my priority or that is my priority. But when it comes down to it, how have we spent our time? How have our actions reflected our priorities?

Gandhi says: "Action expresses priorities."

This weekend reflect on how you would answer the question: What are your priorities? Then take notice of how you spend your time.

I believe this will give us all something to ponder.

Balance!

Balance, that's what I am striving for when I think of priorities.

A balanced life...one that I can control. But life has taught me that balance may be a myth. Try as I might, I have not found a formula that allows me to fit all my priorities neatly onto my calendar.

Too many unknowns

Too many interruptions

Too many people vying for my attention

Rather than balance, I think I am after a 'well-ordered heart'.

That's what you had yesterday, Stacy. You were able to choose Ryan over the blog or other daily demands because your heart was in tune with God's. Your heart was 'well-ordered'.

Do I dare tell you how long it took me to learn that lesson?!

Daily I have to seek to love God with all my heart and all my soul and all my mind. On the days that my heart is 'well-ordered', I am ready to meet the needs of everyone I care about and my own needs will then be met as well.

Now, I have to run...my husband is asking me when dinner is going to be ready?!

Priorities

So I meant to blog all day today.

In fact I had a chapter from the book Blessing Your Husband by Debra Evans all picked out to reference in my posting.

I didn't get a chance to review the chapter until late afternoon. Then Ryan got home earlier than usual and I still hadn't blogged. So once we had dinner I decided to sit down to write today's posting.

I turned to chapter 5 titled "The Blessing of Right Priorities." Just as I started to type, my husband came to the couch where I was sitting and asked if we could cuddle for a bit. I was heading out at 6:30 for the evening and he wanted and needed some quality time.

I looked at my computer screen and my book. I turned to him to say that I needed to blog so I wouldn't have to do it later tonight.

But then I realized....how could I possibly sit here and write about making your husband a priority while telling my husband that blogging was my priority over spending time with him? The irony was overwhelming.

So I closed my laptop, shut the book and cuddled on the couch for 30 minutes.

Ladies it's one thing to write about priorities. It's one thing to think about priorities in your head. It's one thing to say that your spouse is your priority.

But to live it out.

Now that's an entirely different concept.

We'll talk about it more this week. I hope. But no promises because I'm striving to make sure my actions match my words.

Finish Fully in '09

I counted the books in my bedroom this week. 42.....42?! How does one have 42 books in their bedroom without a bookshelf to store them on?

The answer is piles.

I love books and I have piles of them.

It drives me crazy and I am certain it drives my husband crazy as well. But I cannot stop myself nor limit my infatuation with books.

I couldn't agree more with the following quote:

"For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die."
— Anne Lamott (Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life)

My reading material lately has been focused on parenting and baby sleeping and good stuff along those lines, but it still gives me my reading fix.

I've been thinking of some things I want to commit to in 2009. One of those commitments involves books. I can't be so bold as to say I won't buy another book in 2009 or check one out from the library (there are three on hold for me right now!) but I will strive to finish what I start.

Finishing Strong or Finishing Well is a character trait that I admire. When it comes to books, I often skim, read certain chapters or get about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through and move on the next one.

I am going to work on that in 2009.

Now I just have to decide which pile to start with.

P.S. If you have something you'd like to commit to Finish Fully in '09 please share. We're always inspired by our readers!

A theme and a heartbook

I just found a post from last January when I wrote about the theme I was choosing for 2008. You can read it here. When choosing your 2009 theme I encourage you to think about these three things:

1. Why are you choosing this theme? Answer that question and write out your response.

2. Scripture: what Scripture affirms your theme? What Scripture will you refer back to when remembering why you chose your them?

3. Quotes/poems/songs: are there any other items that encourage you in your pursuit of your theme? A song that inspires you? A quote that challenges you? Write them down.

Also, as you plan your theme, consider creating a 'Heartbook.' We blogged about this last January as well - check it out. A heartbook is a 3-ring binder that you use to study. The first page of my 2008 binder included my theme, my why, my Scripture references and my quotes. Every time I opened my book, I could see what my theme for the year was.

The heartbook is a place to write out what you are learning about your theme. It is a place to write verses you come across. It is a place to look back at the end of 365 days to see how you grew.

I am so grateful for my 2008 theme and my 2008 heartbook. And I'm thankful that Barb encourages me each year to continue to pursue becoming a wise woman.

'First Things First'

C.S. Lewis said,
"Put first things first and we get second things thrown in:
put second things first and we lose both first and second things."

How many years has it taken me to see the wisdom of putting first things first?

For so long I was eager to forge ahead with my own agenda, I forgot that God has a plan for my life and it might be helpful to check in with Him first!

I've learned that the 'first' thing I need to get into place at the start of every year is my relationship with God. January is a good month to take stock of my spiritual life. January is a good month to organize my thoughts about what I might learn about God. The cold weather(in Minnesota) is a perfect time to spend the long nights reading a book that stretches me in my understanding of God. It is a good month to lay out my plans for the year for my spiritual growth and then all the 'second things' will be thrown in!

If I want to be a wise woman, I need to be a healthy woman in all areas of my life. That means I must put the health of my soul first before I charge ahead and take care of other areas of my life.

Choosing a 'theme' for each year has been a spiritual discipline that has encouraged me to grow spiritually. Having a 'theme' each year allows me to focus on one topic all year long. See Stacy's posting from Dec 31,08 to give you an idea how a 'theme' impacted her life last year!
A theme needs to be measureable so I have something to evaluate at the end of the year. Then I will know if I have grown spiritually or I will know why I have not!

Put 'first things first' this month. Consider choosing a theme for 2009. January is a good month to talk about what it means to be a Godly woman.

Strong Women

We talk religion in this blog...we might as well add politics and get real dicey!

I know that I am called to love God and my neighbor. That means I have to pay close attention to the neighborhood in which I live. I need to pay attention to the world around me. If I do not understand my environment, I will have a difficult time ministering to it. Therefore, I need to be educated in all areas of life. I need to stretch myself to understand music, literature, government, economics, and social issues in addition to prayer, Bible study, and evangelism.

When I heard that Sarah Palin was on the ticket as the Vice President candidate, it did energize me to follow more closely. How will she be able to withstand the onslaught of media and be able to take in all the information needed to lead a country? She must be a woman who has positioned herself to make the most of her days. She must be a woman who knows her purpose and is very intentional in seeking out what that means to her on a daily basis.

I read an interesting article by Ms. Laura Ingraham, talk show host. In it she said “Sarah Palin isn’t someone who just talks about life and defending life, this is a woman who lives that belief and that principle. She has demonstrated her commitment to the most defenseless among us, both politically and personally. And there’s no bigger threat to this country than a woman who is strong and knows her convictions.” (bold text added by me)

America needs women who are strong and knows what they believe. I am going to be praying for our nation in the next few months. I am going to be praying that the women of this country live out our beliefs and principles. Join me.

It's our duties ladies

My husband is a political junkie. He LOVES politics and he is thoroughly enjoying the political conversation taking place these days.

And, to top it off, the Republican National Convention is taking place in Minneapolis this week, so he's definitely getting his fill.

I, on the other hand, have a difficult time watching, reading and listening to political commentary.

But with the recent announcement of Sarah Palin as the Republican Vice Presidential candidate, I've become intrigued.

I've been listening to supporters and critics comment on Palin and I've been wondering....what would it be like to be the Vice President as a mother of 5? How does one even begin to balance roles like being a wife, mother and homemaker while supporting the President of the United States (if she were to win)?

What do I think of a woman with young children at home, running for such a highly-demanding and stressful position? Do I think it's awesome that a woman could potentially make history as the first female Vice President? Of course.

But what do I think of Palin's background? Does she have enough experience? Would she and McCain make a good team? Where does she stand on the issues that are important to me?

The only way to decide what I think is to educate myself.

Currently the single television in my household is broken (it suffered an untimely death when my husband was out of the country last week and days before the RNC began!).

So I am choosing to educate myself through the newspaper, online news sites, and the radio.

Politics are not my first choice of things to read or listen to. But as a wise woman I am held accountable for how I spend my time, my energy, my resources. And as a voting member of society it is my duty to become educated in the months ahead.

Happy Halloween...are your wearing your boots?

It's Halloween, if you are wearing your boots, I hope you are on your way to a costume party!
It's a perfect example of what 'wearing your boots as a homemaker' means. Tonight is a night to spend with family and neighbors. It is not the time to wear your heavy-duty cleaning boots. When I was in college and studying for finals, I always had an overwhelming desire to clean my drawers, organize my closet, re-arrange my furniture...anything but study. As soon as the pressure of finals was over, my desire to clean was over as well! I had to learn there was a proper time to do different tasks and during finals wasn't the time to do major cleaning of my room.

Halloween isn't the time to be cleaning your home. Enjoy the moment!

Another thought...

Some women don't own a pair of boots for household chores. They have cleaning ladies. My opinion is that a pair of boots is still needed. Wear those boots occasionally and teach your children the basics of cleaning and organizing for when they keep house in the future.

Other women wear their boots with pride and often forget to take them off when the house is spotless. They stomp right over the family in their effort to keep the house perfect. Boots aren't meant for long-term wear...cleaning isn't non-stop. You need to ease up and enjoy the people in your home, not just the home itself.

Well, I am off to find my Halloween boots, my broom and my pointed hat...

Who has time for homemaking?

This is my schedule from today and for tomorrow.....

Tuesday:
Get up
Go to work
Go buy dress for husband's work party this weekend
Go to hospital to see new baby nephew (yeah, I'm an aunt!!)
Get home at 9:15 to see my husband who just got home from traveling

Wednesday:
Get up
Go to breakfast meeting
Go back to hospital to visit baby nephew again with my husband
Go to appointment
Go to the club (need to fit into the dress I just bought!)
Get home late afternoon
Small group coming over at 6:30

We are women. We are wives. We are moms. We are siblings. We are aunties (yeah again!). We are business women. We are busy women.

Very busy. And I don't even have kids!

So how does one fit in the role of being a Homemaker? I looked up the definition of Homemaker just to see how it was defined and this is what I found:

home·mak·er /ˈhoʊmˌmeɪkər/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[hohm-mey-ker] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun

1.	a person who manages the household of his or her own family, esp. as a principal occupation.

A Homemaker is a person who "manages" a household. I get easily overwhelmed at the idea of managing my home. I live in a town home with just two people and it has taken me six years to grow into this role of being a Homemaker -- and I am still growing. I have so much to learn about pulling on my boots and getting to work. I'm learning to balance my time, my schedule, my busyness and my priorities.

I'm curious....how do you all view your role as a Homemaker? Overwhelming, exciting, a blessing, a lot of work? How are you learning to balance your roles? Please share!

These Boots Are Made for Working!

In my quest for prioritizing all the different responsibilities in my life, I found it to be helpful to think of my roles in terms of the shoes I wore daily. (Read the past few postings to get a flavor of what Stacy and I have shared about barefeet, socks, slippers and sneakers). This week we are on to the one-of-a-kind, muscle shoe. Only a boot would fit my role as a homemaker. As I trudged out to the garden with fertilizer, washed windows, painted bedrooms, hauled in groceries or moved furniture, I needed all-purpose, heavy-duty boots! Durable, indestructible, not necessarily pretty, but somebody had to do these jobs, right? The role of a homemaker used to consume me. Taking care of the home was so relentless it often discouraged me. There was always more that could or should be done. When I would visualize myself slipping into my boots for a period of time, I could scoot around and get jobs done, knowing I could change my shoes later and get on with what I really wanted to do. Keeping the house in good repair was a priority for me...I needed to realize that when I put on my boots... they were made for working!

Wearing boots...as a homemaker...an interesting topic for this week.

Become an Expert

"When you love someone, become an expert of them" That is exactly what 'changing shoes' will allow you to do when raising kids. (Refer back to the earlier postings this week to clarify 'shoes'!) As a mom, if I put on a different pair of sneakers daily to represent my intentional interaction with each child, I would be assured that I was building a relationship with my child. I was on my way to become an expert of each child that I loved so dearly. So to end this week, I would like to challenge you to take the "Sneaker System Challenge" and set up a way to learn more about your child as he/she ages.
Get a small journal, or spiral notebook. Just a small one and have one for each child. Label it with your child's name and if possible put a picture of the sneaker that represents that child on the cover (the sneaker picture is extra credit, don't get discouraged trying to find the perfect representation!) As often as you can, record what you are learning about your child. Just small, quick entry journals that will be fun to pass on to your child someday, but more importantly be a reminder to you who your child is.
When my children were growing up, my daughter was the only one who HATED mustard. Not a dislike, but a true repulsion of that food. I would make sandwiches for the whole gang and mindlessly put mustard on all of the sandwiches. I wasn't seasoned enough as a mom to realize I should be noting these differences down and taking it to heart...but I am hoping to redeem myself by passing this option on to you. Once I caught on to the need to individualize my parenting, I began noticing how each child learned, what caused them to act out, what their love language was, etc.
It is a marathon you are in as a mom, so get those sneakers positioned on the starting line everyday and put them to the test of allowing you to become an expert of each of your children.