The holiday season can be fun, excited, stressful, and exhausting.
Christmas is a simple celebration of an extraordinary event, the birth of our Savior
Read the rest of the post on the Homemaker's Challenge today!make disciples of all nations
The holiday season can be fun, excited, stressful, and exhausting.
Christmas is a simple celebration of an extraordinary event, the birth of our Savior
Read the rest of the post on the Homemaker's Challenge today!God sends word to them while they were disconnected from the rest of the town. No one thinks much of them. They are often looked down upon because they are thought to be uneducated. Their jobs are less than desirable. No one can really relate to them. No one wants to hang out with them. There was very little socialization in their field of work. Quite frankly, a lot of them are rarely clean, appear raggedy and smell like...manure. Their job is frequently persevered as "the worst job ever".
That's right, Stay At Home Moms.
As SAHM we some times feel disconnected from the rest of community. Even when trying to be purposeful about ministering to those around us, we just are incapable because of our job requirements. Rest in this season of life. Know that you are serving your community in a great way by being dedicated to raising godly children even when you are overtaken with the thoughts of being a lesser career women. Daycare workers are not expected to run field trips weekly. Parents would be ashamed if the child care provider was constantly overlooking the needs of their children; naps, meal times, education, reliable routine, nurturing. It is our job to protect our children. Discern their needs from our wants. Care for them with excellence just like we would expect someone else to do.
You may feel like the world looks down on because you are thought to be uneducated. Are you? No. I don't care if you have a masters degree in bladiblabla or if you have the street smarts of a veteran mom. You are educated in your line of work. Do you feel uneducated? Get out there learn. How can you do your job better? Better yet, how does God want you to do your job better? Read a blog, buy a new book, take a class, ask an older women how to ______. You are never too young to start being a great mother, and never too old to learn new ways to be a better mother. God created us in His image and we are no where near meeting that standard; that's half the fun, learning how!
Some may see your jobs are less than desirable. Who cares. The mundane, and exhausting aspects of this job are all worth it when you get to see your child's first steps, words, pretending, and even the first glimpses of learning to follow Christ. What may seem mundane to others is just the consistency our children need to learn love. Guiding our littles hearts to Jesus is our number one job. THAT is a big deal!
Sadly, I know all to well what its like to have few people {women} whom I really can relate. We're in the trenches. I encourage you to join {or create} a group of mom's can get together once a week or once a month, with or without kids, where you can spill your guts. The good he bad the ugly of your job. Other jobs have break-rooms so be creative, where would be a comfortable break-room for you and your fellow moms? Playground where kids can play? Someones home? A backyard? A restaurant? You need to know there are other women going through the same stuff. You'd be surprised at how many in your area would love something like this. You don't all have to be in the exact same stage of life or even parent the same {you're NEVER going to find someone who thinks exactly like you}. Online groups are alright but don't underestimate the need for face to face relationships- doing life together is is part of how we're made!
Let's be honest, some days we are un-showered hot messes and may even smell like...our child's poo. Our job can be persevered as "the worst job ever". God made this job. He approves. What more do we need. Lets bring up a generation who sees us love our job; take pride in our job; accomplish our job to the best of our ability.
God can and will breath life into your right were you are. In the fields guarding, watching, guiding your sheep, day and night. He has big things to tell you. He wants to use you in a powerful way as part of His grand plan.
Christ is our example. We are to love like He loved. He told us in John 10:11, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." Let's live that out as MOMS! Be willing to give up your reputation, stature, pride- give up your LIFE to be a good shepherd for your children.
Do any of your deal with feelings of having "the worst job ever"? Lets start the conversation in the comments below.
Simple utterings that many across the word couldn't even understand. Combinations of sound. Cadence pasted down among family and cultures.
Up-lifting. Ineradicable. Eloquent. Profoundly Tender. Passionate. Affection. Permanent. Strong. Powerful. Destructive. Simple. Terrifying. Heart-wrenching. Life-changing.
This morning as I remembered I had a scheduled interview with an online talk-radio personality, {download it HERE} and to quote a friend, "my stomach dropped out my butt." My nerves were running ramped. I was crazy nervous. I know it may sound silly but I was frozen with the fear that I wouldn't be able to articulate what I needed to when I was called on to do so. I've dealt with this all my life. That's part of the reason I'm a blogger, NOT a live TV host ;o) Blogging gives me time to think. Rethink. Determine if what I said was really what I was trying to say. This pure genius doesn't just spill out naturally {bw'hahaha}
Fear always comes out of ignorance.
Being uninformed. Having a lack of knowledge. Ignorance is why God ask us to have faith. Trust in what we can't see. With no foresight. Walking into the unknown. Believing in His character and promise. His promise being He will always be with us. Rest in that!
There is now a track around my living room from my pacing as I chatted with Vivianne McNeny. She was not harsh or intimidating, but actually quite sweet. I just felt the need to convey my thoughts in a coherent manor. We were of course talking about this new adventure of faith God is taking my family on, church-planting. Matt has typically been the one to take the lead on this topic but here I was. Speaking to someone who's denomination doesn't do church-planting per-say as well as an audience of 1500+ who may or may not have ever heard of church-planting, the de-churched, or might even Be the un-churched or de-churched.
Think before you speak has never felt so relevant.
All the while sitting in my fear in my very small bubble, the world was aching over real hurt. Over real trauma, terror, traumatic, heart-wrenching, life-changing news.
Just when I thought my worldview was big enough, a gunman opened fire in Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut killing dozens of students as well as some of the staff, and my heart grew two sizes today. These are a few of the gentle responses Facebook friends are saying:
How does a parent even begin to explain this tragedy to their child? What these kids saw today. Unimaginable. My problems are so small.
So heartbreaking. There are just no words that suffice. Come quickly, Lord.
I have never been so anxious as I am today to pick my babies up from school. Praying for the Community in Connecticut, teachers, students and their families. 🙁
Sweet Jesus, we come to you broken-hearted for the families and friends in Newtown, Connecticut. We have no words, only tears. So, we turn to Your Word... "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted," Matthew 5:4 NIV.
Oh God, comfort them. Hold them close. Restore hope. Lavish your most tender mercies upon every soul weeping in this midst of this deep sorrow.We ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen.
There are really no
so please, it's okay to say nothing. It's better to hold your tong than to spew hatred, pain, and non-sense out of your hurt, confusion, and ignorance. Now is the time to mourn.
No matter who we elect, what laws we pass, what meds we take, there will never be perfect peace until the Prince of Peace returns.
— Mark Driscoll (@PastorMark) December 14, 2012
I've never experienced this personally but from a counselor, mom, and one who has, HERE are some tips on "How and What to Share with your Children When Tragedy Strikes"

Okay mom- who out there has days {or months} were showering is not a top priority...or even on the list at all?
Yeah! I know lots of friends that can pull off the 2nd day hair or even have cool 'dry shampoo'. I can not. Although my hair is wicked thick, it's also super gree-say! I've tried the bang-pin-back, the pony, the fluff, and yes...even the {don't laugh!} baby powder on the scalp. Blaaak!
I used to snag my hub's hats but since he does everything but sleep in his hats and for reals can't smell a stank'n thing, after a while I couldn't stand the smell of them. I did how ever score this awesome hat from Union28. You KNOW I'm a big fan but when this not showering thing becomes a habit I need options to cover the not so blessed mess atop my noggin.
There is this lovely thing I've seen floating around Facebook on my gorgeous friends so you know a girls gotta steal a few ideas, right? Last summer, for our mission trip, I got this headband thingy off eBay {classy, ehh?}. It worked okay but still exposed most of the nastiness and was super tight on my giant melon.
In comes the Hoo-Rag!
This nifty little thing comes in a one-size-fits-all tube like thing that is super convertible. Me and the girls had lots of fun when it arrived in the mail!
{IFY: this was not a 2nd day-er...not the clean bangs.
That NEVER happens on day 2. & sorry...all attempts were blurry}
The day I wore the hoo-rag as a headband I lasted all day without having to pull it back up because it was running for it's life {aka squeezing off the back of my head} and it didn't give me a headache like most headbands do.
The day I stretched it from forehead back {partial ear coverage} I lasted most of the day until there was a break in the day large enough for a shower. I was going somewhere that night ;o). I was comfy. When I finally took it off it only left a slight mark across what my brother calls my 5 head {because it takes 5 fingers instead of 4 to cover it from eyebrow to hair line...but now, I don't have a complex or anything}. I think that was just because of the bunched up part I had underneath but it wasn't nearly as bad as all the other bandana things I've tried. I wore it out to "Cranberry's", the "car store" {aka 'Cranford's' grocery store around the corner that has those carts with cars on them}. I did feel slightly self-conscious because of my unusually tall head...you couldn't quite see my hair if I was looking straight at you {since I'd covered a large amount of that nasty you-could-make-McD's-fries-in-that-junk hair. I got a couple sympathetic looks, which I'm used to because people are so sad they are not blessed as I with 3 tiny kids ;o) but that day I think they thought I was going through chemo. Although this would be a super cute gift for someone who is...!
Anyways. I like it. My kids like it. My hubs does not but I put it on him anyways, b'wahahaha! I think I might have gone with a different pattern/color just because I don't have much that goes with this one but other than that, 4.798 out of 5 stars!
Isn't he cute!?! Biker. Hippy. Snowboarder/gas station armed gunman. Hehe. Maybe it was the flowers...couldn't have been the "hey honey. put this on and let me play dress up and take pictures AND post them on my blog"..."HOO-RAG" That's just fun to say!
This cool company contacted me and ask if I'd try out this hoo-rag if they sent me one and tell you about it.
Heck to the YES! All thoughts about "The Better Bandana" are my own ;o)
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