Playdough

May 18, 2013 By

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Out of playdough? No problem! Here is an easy, fun recipe the kids can help with! Make sure to keep this one handy!

1-cup salt, 2-cups flour, 2-cups water,

1/4-cup vegetable oil, 1-tablespoon cream of tartar

Place ingredients in pan, add your favorite food coloring, stir over low heat until dough is  not sticky,  looks and feels like playdough. Enjoy playing with your kids!

Isaiah 64:8  But now, O Lord, You are our Father, we are the clay, and You our potter; and all of us are the work of your hand.

Enjoy your weekend!

Tara Dovenbarger,        come visit on  facebook

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Moms are meant to graduate

May 15, 2013 By

I’m graduating this week. Sunday was a Baccalaureate service for our oldest child, and the week will wrap up with the commencement of her Class of 2013. While my long-ago-little girl takes exams and anticipates her diploma, I’m doing some evaluating of my own. I’ve been the bMoms are meant to graduateest mom I could be, but I have not been a perfect mom. Is mommy guilt seeping in?  A mom can’t help but ask herself if she did the right things, made too many mistakes, or gave her children a good example to follow.

Did my children see me?

  1. … read my Bible enough?
  2. … smile often?
  3. … hug their daddy?
  4. … ignore my phone while driving?
  5. … make dinner?
  6. … call my own mom?
  7. … drink 8 glasses of water a day?
  8. … be active instead of a couch potato?
  9. … make the bed most days?
  10. … read good books?

On this graduation week, I am keenly aware I was not meant to keep my children with me for a lifetime. I was supposed to graduate to a new season of mothering.  And I will … whether or not I’m ready. Pulling out pictures of pre-school and braces and sleepovers (to decorate for our Open House) stirred up lots of joy and smiles and gratitude. How thankful I am for the daughter I see trying on her cap and gown in front of the mirror upstairs; she delights my heart. But from somewhere deep in my mom-heart, doubts and regrets arise, like wondering if I could’ve done extra credit before the semester was over.  I laid a lot of “what if’s” and “wish I woulda’s” and “maybe I shoulda’s” on my myself. 

And then I read Isaiah 53:6, “All we like sheep have gone astray;we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” 

To a mom in any stage who wonders if she did well enough or even did enough, the perfect, heavenly Parent says, “I know you’ve been imperfect. You all have, and I knew you would. I never expected you to be a perfect mother. I have taken all of your parenting failures, moments of inadequacy, bad mommy-moments, and human habits, and I have laid that on top of my Son who took them away for you. Be free to celebrate the person I am making your child to be, because I am working in their life and in yours too. My Son the Lamb has carried off your blunders. Enjoy.”

Perfection is not a requirement for graduations from pre-school or high school or college … or seasons of motherhood. Let’s not let doubts or regrets rob us of the joy purchased for us by our heavenly Daddy who invites us to dance through our mothering journey with a free and confident heart.

By Julie Sanders

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Mentor”ish”ing on the Trail + Monday M.O.M. Link-Up!

March 31, 2013 By

** TMI_Running_Image

by Erin MacPherson

I’m part of a run”ish”ing group with six of my girlfriends.

We call it run”ish”ing because if you’ve ever seen me run, you’d know that I certainly could not be labeled a runner.  Run”ish”er is a stretch.  But regardless, every Saturday morning we get up bright and early and meet at a local park to go run”ish”ing.  We even have shirts to remind us of our athletic prowess (or lack thereof).

Now, I know it sounds crazy (who gets up at 6 am to do something sporty?) but it’s become the part of my week that I most look forward to.  Not because of the huffing and puffing (although, on certain days there is a lot of that), but because of the conversation.

My run”ish”ing girls are my best mentor moms.

Not because they are famous authors or counselors or teachers, but because they are real.  They have kids who do crazy things like pull all of the dryer sheets out of the box and spread them into a giant car track around the house.  And they don’t judge me for choosing to avoid the 5 o’clock meltdown by making PB & J for dinner.  And they even understand that there are times when being a mom is the last thing I want to be.

There’s just something about long hours on the trail that leads to real conversation.

But there’s more.  Because beyond honest conversation, there’s an atmosphere in our early morning runs that gives us permission to mentor each other in a way that’s just as honest.  My run”ish”ing girls don’t hold back any punches.  Instead, they listen carefully to what I say and then they tell me what they think, even if it’s something I don’t want to hear.

It’s as if we can tell the truth with each other as long as we’re run”ish”ing.

So when I told my run”ish”ing girls that I was feeling crushed in my marriage, ready to run away and find something or someone better, they listened.  But they didn’t commiserate.  They didn’t tell me that I had every right to feel the way I did.  Or that my husband was the big, bad guy and I was the innocent victim.  Instead, they spoke the truth in love, if you will.  They mentor”ish”ed not with lectures or even their own expertise, but with prayerful conversation and loving friendship. They walked next to me, becoming part of the healing.  They became more than mentors.  They were my partners.

Now I’m not saying that everyone should join a run”ish”ing group—trust me, some mornings it’s not as fun as it sounds.  But I do think every woman should have a group of friends who are willing to mentor”ish” them.  Not women who tell them what they should do, but women who are willing to listen and then step and walk (or run”ish) with them on their journey.  And whether that means getting up at 6 am on a Saturday or heading out for coffee after your kids go to bed, it’s important to have good mom friends who are willing to talk beyond diapers and sleep training.  And are willing to give you a break when you just can’t make it up that next hill.

Erin MacPherson is an Austin, Texas mom of three who stays home with her kids by day, writes by nights and (occasionally) run”ish”es half marathons with her friends.  She is the author of “The Christian Mama’s Guide” series and blogs at www.christianmamasguide.com.

A Christian Mamas Guide

A Christian Mama’s Guide to the Grade School Years: Everything You Need to Know to Survive (and Love) Sending Your Kid Off into the Big Wide World

Oh, how we needed this book two decades ago when the “self-esteem movement” was brainwashing parents into raising generations of entitled kids! Erin’s Fifteen Factors are spot-on remedies for the spiritual immaturity and arrested social development I see daily in my high school students.

With hilarious transparency, keen insights, and practical faith, Erin coaches you to support and challenge your child without enabling or over-protecting. Chapter 14 alone — “Do This, Not That” — is worth the price of admission!

Cheri Gregory  (aka ”Mrs. G”, 20+ year classroom veteran and ”Mom” to two college kids!)

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Connecting with their Learning Styles

February 12, 2013 By

A few years ago, during one of my more challenging homeschooling days with my kids, the Lord showed me a scripture verse that has stuck with me.

“Then the Lord looked over all he had made and he saw that it was excellent in every way.” Genesis 1:31 

I wondered, does this mean that my kids are excellent?  I have to be honest here, I really had not thought of my kids as excellent.  After all, they were making my day very difficult.  I looked at the scripture again and knew it was true, my kids were excellent.  I just wasn’t looking for their excellence; I was focusing on their faults.  I soon realized that seeing my kids as excellent also meant accepting their differences, strengths and weaknesses.  A big part of my frustration during school was that I was not teaching to their learning styles.  I was teaching to my learning style.  I taught them the way I learn and since God gave me such unique children that meant that they didn’t all learn the same way, especially not like me.  We were all a mess!  In her book, Cherishing and Challenging your Children, Jodi Capehart said this,

“We are able to cherish our children more when we can embrace these differences and acknowledge our Creator’s sovereign purpose in making our child the way he did.” 

When I took a step back and saw my kids as God’s creation in which he has a specific plan and purpose, I better appreciated their differences.           

            I soon began digging into books written about learning styles to see if I could find the perfect formula to help me teach my children.  The books have become great tools, but I soon realized that there is no perfect formula.  How disappointing!  I did find some helpful suggestions that helped ease some of the frustration.  Here are some suggestions by Cynthia Tobias from her book, The Way They Learn, that I hope will help you know your child’s learning style better.

  1. Observe patterns of behavior.  What excites your child, what frustrates them?
  2. Listen to the way your child communicates.  Listening carefully can teach you how you need to talk to them.
  3. Experiment  with what works and what doesn’t.  Remember that even if an approach to learning doesn’t make sense to you it may work for your children.
  4. Focus on natural strengths, not weaknesses.  You can’t build much on weaknesses, but strengths provide a much better foundation.
  5. Learn  more about learning styles in general.  Find out what your own style is and how you can relate to your child’s learning style.

 

teaching-child

So many times we think our kids either have learning disabilities or they are being trouble makers.  By discovering and teaching to their learning style we are able to resolve much of our own frustration and theirs too.  We discover that there may be no disability or delay at all, only a difference in learning.  Even if a disability is there, knowing their learning style can only bring ease to the learning process.

Our children are excellent in every way, even in those ways that we don’t understand at times.  Knowing our child will only strengthen the relationship that we all desire to have.  God knows what your child needs and he has chosen you as their parent for a very important reason.  He knows that you have what you child needs.  The hard part is relying on God for the wisdom we need to supply our children’s needs.  Seek him for the answers you need & he will supply.

Cherish your child

                 Know your child

                                 Enjoy your child.

  

Sources:

Cherishing and Challenging your Children,Jodi Capehart, Copyright 1991.  Page 10

The Way They Learn, Cynthia Ulrich Tobias, Copyright 1994, page 7 & 8

 

Helpful resources:

Different Children, Different Needs, Charles F. Boyd

Learning Styles test:  http://www.ldpride.net/

 

By:Dana Bailey

You can find Dana at her new website Joy Moms or on her personal blog, www.danabailey.blogspot.com

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How to Get into Your Child’s Classroom

January 30, 2013 By

The year Lori’s oldest son Max was in my first grade classroom, she often came to work one on one with children, assist in projects, or partner read. Since she had an infant, she would bring a car seat with her little one strapped in to sleep while she helped out or just spent time in the room. Max loved school that year and blossomed in every way.

School Supplies 3A few weeks into Max’s second grade year, Lori stopped by after school one day to ask me a question. There at the classroom door, her eyes filled with tears as she said, “What should I do? I want to be part of Max’s school world this year, but the teacher said she really doesn’t have a place for parents in the classroom.” Sometimes it isn’t easy to get into your child’s classroom.

As a teacher, I found an occasional over-zealous parent who secretly wanted to watch my every move and scope out other children, but most parents just really want to be informed and included in their child’s school life. Classrooms are better when parents are welcome.

How classrooms benefit from parental involvement

  • Children feel more secure and thrive.
  • Learning needs are more readily addressed.
  • Parents have a more realistic view of their child.
  • Teachers have a lighter work load.
  • Schools find partners in the community.
  • Everyone wins.

The reason many classroom doors are hard to pry open boils down to fear: Fear from teachers that they will be criticized, that parents will get their feelings hurt, that children will be distracted, that gossip will be spread, or that the work load will become heavier. Parents can make a difference if they hope to find a “Welcome to School” sign up at school.

How parents create open classroom doors

  1. When germs get the teacher sick, send a card or baked good.
  2. When there’s a chance to talk about the teacher, be positive.
  3. When you’re at school, respect the teacher’s time.
  4. When you visit, be a pleasure, not a burden.
  5. When your child is near, enjoy, but don’t dote.
  6. When there’s a special topic, offer specific skills or resources.
  7. When chaperones are needed for field trips, be willing.
  8. When you observe the teacher & other students, be confidential.
  9. When you know about classroom challenges, be a praying parent.
  10. When the doors are open, go in!  Start out by:
  • Putting your best foot forward: send in paperwork and fees asap.
  • Sending in requested supplies. In cold season, send more tissues!
  • Volunteering when a request goes out for a room parent.
  • Being there if Back to School night is offered.
  • Asking the teacher how you can be of help & support.

Remember that the teacher has a challenging job to do. Their planning time is critical; when students are there, the teacher’s attention is vital. Be flexible and productive, and make arrangements to leave smaller children at home so your presence isn’t a distraction (unless you have a sleeping babe like Lori or an easy toddler the teacher welcomes).  Be a helpful, quiet “worker bee” in the room, but don’t interfere or interrupt.

A teacher is also “a person” with personal needs and circumstances of their own. When you have the chance, and you will, choose to first give your teacher grace and to speak well of them, even when it’s hard. Model respect before your child, and the teacher will be blessed. You may enjoy the sweetness of a parent-teacher friendship, but most of all, just be the teacher’s cheerleader and helper to make it possible for them to be the very best teacher for your child they can be.

Parents are a rich resource to make classroom environments better. Moms do well to study being the kind of parent every teacher hopes and prays for when the classroom door opens on the first day of school.

 

If you’re a teacher, what makes a parent welcome in your room?

If you’re a parent, how have you been able to participate at school?

By Julie Sanders at Come Have a Peace

WE’RE LINKED UP AT:

This Really Got Me Link-up at Rethinking My Thinking

 

 

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Messy Business

January 24, 2013 By

Being a mom is messy business and I don’t mean in the disorderly home kind. Our children, even before they can walk or talk, have the power to turn our world upside down and our hearts inside out.

drawer

My husband, Tom, and I were concerned about our two-year-old’s speech and language development. We decided to have her tested. During the evaluation follow-up, the speech clinician declared our daughter to be aphasic. She said, “I expect she will never go to ‘regular school’, read, calculate math, or hold down a job.”

This did not fit my neatly packaged idea of my child’s life would look like.

My world flipped. Tears came.  I grieved. My dream for her faded.

Then I had a “mom epiphany”.  Messy moms color outside the lines.

This doom and gloom prediction did not have to be our child’s predetermined course!  I stepped out of the educational system’s boundaries and into spiritual freedom. With God nothing is impossible, right? I reasoned, if God chose us to be this little one’s mommy and daddy, he would equip us.

We prayed.

Have Faith.

Fueled by faith, hope, and love, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work.  Our child needed direct intervention and we could give it. She needed supernatural intervention and God had that covered.

We learned how to teach language. We used the simple concept of adding on. Start with the noun. Build in adjectives. Include a verb and an adverb.

“Ball, big ball, big red ball, the big red ball can bounce. The big red ball can bounce high.”  We were on a roll! Before long she was even stringing words together and singing!

We prayed.

Have Hope.

Our daughter is now twenty-five.  I think we would all agree this road has not been an easy one. All three of us had to learn to persevere while keeping our expectations high. Tom and I tried to be proactive, involved, and engaged every step of the way. (This was less appreciated during the teen years!) While we were teaching her to read and do arithmetic, she was teaching us how to have faith and love big.

If the clinician were hired to be a prophet, she would be out of a job. By the grace of God, my daughter graduated from “regular” high school, played in the marching band, reads, and does math (better than me). She just got a promotion at her job of three years, attends Bible Study Fellowship (with me), and goes to college.

My world is still not in a neat order – it’s a bit more complex than I envisioned it to be twenty- some years ago. I’ll admit, even now the hurdles still can bring frustration and tears. Things can still get messy.

I continue to pray for my young adult and about her struggles but God has taught me to let my dream go. It is my daughter’s life. She has her own vision.  God has a plan.

And…since she has a big God and a whole mess of grit and strength of character….I know she will be just fine.

Faith, hope, and love abide. The greatest of these is love.

Note to my precious readers:

If the Lord has entrusted you with a special needs child S.E.E.P. into your child’s development.

  1. Support your child by staying involved.
  2. Encourage success by breaking learning into smaller chucks and celebrate victories.
  3. Expectations remain high but reasonable.
  4. Persevere in prayer and action.

You are your child’s best advocate. Listen to the experts but keep in mind the influences that are not factored in:  your and your child’s determination and God’s supernatural intervention.

How do you help your special needs child or support a friend who has a special needs child?

Lori Wildenberg

 

     ______________________________________________________________

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Mentoring thru the School Year

September 25, 2012 By

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FACING YOUR FEARS – 31 STORIES FROM M.O.M.

 

 

By now many schooling families have written or received their first progress reports. Areas of weakness emerge, the lunch menu sounds dull, and new pencils have broken tips. Moms who have a mentoring mindset will succeed, even when school year challenges stack up against us. How can mentoring give you a Grade A school year?

Teacher to Student

Whether the parent wears the hat of “academic teacher” or shares it with another adult, teachers have the potential to mentor their students.  While the obvious subjects are academics, a teacher adds more to the building blocks of a child’s foundation than just reading, writing, and arithmetic. Solid academic skills rely on solid instruction, but a teacher with a mentor’s mind passes on life lessons while building up the character of her students.

Instead of just displaying a daily schedule or modeling the use of a classwork planner, a mentor-teacher models the truth that, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps” (Prov. 16:9).

Parent to Student

The learning of sounds and suffixes, sentences and subtraction, synonyms and sharing, has a way of peeling back character flaws and exposing life challenges. If all we ever teach our children is how to read well and count accurately, we have missed our window of opportunity. A mother’s task stretches beyond filling her child’s heart with knowledge to filling her child’s heart with wisdom.

It’s a temptation to let the work of school consume and even control us and our days, but a mentor-mom helps her student-child desire to, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established” (Prov. 16:3).

Mom to Mom

In our passion for teaching our children and helping them reach their potential, we may allow them to dominate all of the space in our hearts, minds, and schedules. The school year and all that comes with it brings an opportunity for moms to mentor other moms. We’re skilled at knowing the sound of our own child’s cry, knowing if it’s legitimate or contrived, knowing if it’s urgent or playful.

A mom with a mentor’s heart tunes her ear to recognize when someone cries out for encouragement, guidance, friendship, understanding, or prayer. The classroom of life provides a chance for moms to mentor one another as school makes us scratch our heads or wipe our eyes, longing for practical wisdom.  A mom with a mentor’s mind can be the answer to another mother’s prayer.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5).

 

Once we tune our hearts to influence those around us, God may ask us to use what we learn in the lives of others who long for a mentor and have no one. Consider how you might mentor:  a child struggling in school, a teenage mom, a child learning English, a young mother, a woman at risk & separated from her children?   As you grow your mentor’s heart, ask God to show you who is in your sphere of influence.

So if you received a progress report for “School Year Mentoring” how would you do?

  • Are you making the most of your role as a teacher, formal or informal?
  • Are you mentoring the minds and hearts of the children in your life?
  • Are you mentoring other moms around you?

Like every school year before, it will go fast and be gone before we know it. Let’s leave the mark of a mentor’s heart on this school year!

By Julie Sanders at Come Have a Peace

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Proverbs 31 for School Parents

August 31, 2012 By

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FACING OUR FEARS – 31 STORIES FROM M.O.M.

 

 

Would you like to be the parent every teacher hopes for? No matter the setting where your child receives education (traditional, co-op, library time, home), teachers appreciate parents with”partner hearts.”

When I recall the many parents who were gifts to my classrooms, names like “Connie, Mayisa, Barb, Kathy, and Bill” come to mind. They made me a better teacher, and they made my classroom more effective. Their children loved having them there, and they were imprinted on my teacher-heart. It’s worth it to work at getting into a child’s classroom, whether it Parents and Teachersbe a nursery, co-op, library time, sports team, or traditional classroom. Not every teacher is equally comfortable with parents in class, but a parent’s conduct makes a big difference in opening the door.

 

Proverbs 31 paints the picture of an ideal woman, not necessarily one woman who “has it all.” In the same way, one parent won’t necessarily be “all things to all teachers.” We can strive to be the best parent-partner we can be for other grown ups who influence our children.

In the spirit of being the parents teachers hope and pray for, I hope you’ll be encouraged by “Proverbs 31 for School Parents.”

Proverbs 31 for School Parents

An excellent school-parent who can find?
Her worth is far above personal days.
The heart of her child’s teacher trusts in her,
and she speaks well of the classroom whenever she can.

She cooperates with the teacher and volunteers her help.
She seeks resources and supplies,
and works in a cheerful way with all students equally.
She is like a breath of fresh air,
cleaning up happily after projects and parties,

She rises while the teacher is on her planning period
and provides for the class, glad to give the teacher a break.
She considers the curriculum and checks out library books,
complementing the direction of the school.
She dresses to help on the playground
and makes her face smile.

She sees what the teacher does well
and doesn’t become negative if her child gets a low grade.
She has the attitude of a partner
And her hands hold any child the teacher assigns her.
She opens her heart to the teacher and prays,
and she reaches out with acts of encouragement.

She is not afraid of snow days,
for her kids will return ready to learn.
She makes snacks to send in when requested
and is gladly peanut free if the school says so.
Her child’s teacher is known in the PTA
when she stays late because she loves children.

She makes play dough and bags it individually;
she delivers good reports to the principal.
Patience and understanding are her attitude,
and she welcomes the next homework assignment.

She opens her mouth with respect,
and the phonics rules of the class are on her tongue.
She provides all the items on the supply list
and doesn’t forget to see in extra tissues.

Her child obeys the teacher and offers to clean up,
and her husband declares what a good school year it is.
Many parents let others help school their children,
but she is an A+ parent-partner.

Popularity is fickle, and flattery is unhealthy,
but a parent who helps the teacher is to be praised.
Give her a student whose heart and mind learn well,
And her child will make her heart full at school and at home.

By Julie Sanders at Come Have a Peace

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A Mother’s Heart…The Smell of Freshly Sharpened Pencils

August 22, 2012 By

“It’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it!”

(Eccl. 11:9a TLB)

 

 

 

 

Those of us in, ahem, our later years were deprived. Deprived? Yup. We didn’t have things like…

  • air conditioning
  • computers
  • videos or DVDs
  • chat rooms and social media
  • big screen TVs (or color for that matter)
  • games like Wii
  • text messages
  • iPods
  • cell phones – ‘cause the only blackberries we had came out of grandmother’s garden!

Forced to be outsiders, we actually got exercise by running around playing tag, kick ball, or roller skating. We circled the neighborhood subdivision on our bikes until dark and the bugs hit our teeth or Mom rang the bell to come home.

To cool ourselves, we played in the hose in the backyard and, yikes, we even drank from the hose! Going swimming in a swimming pool was a real treat. We made forts, either outside or inside the house. We played games like Mr. Potato Head, Pick Up Sticks, Parcheesi, Chinese Checkers, or Clue. And Saturday mornings brought fun cartoons.

We respected our parents, our teachers, and other grownups. We said things like “yes, ma’am,” and “no, sir,” “please,” and “thank you.” Being mean, stealing, or hurting someone was not part of our personalities. Well, not most of us anyway.

On clear nights, we would lie on a blanket in the backyard, waiting for the house to cool for bedtime. We would gaze up at a bazillion stars sparkling against the black velvet sky.

Ah, those never-ending summer days! But then, it was time. Time for you-know-what! School to start!

I remember each summer as the first day of school approached, Mom and I would get all dressed up to go downtown (because that’s what you did way back then) to shop for school clothes.

I loved it. It was a great treat. We invaded all the big department stores (we didn’t have suburban stores until I was in junior high, the early ’60s).

When finished shopping, we always stopped by the candy department of our favorite department store to get some goodies to take home. And a stop in the book department was a must to get one or two or the latest Nancy Drew mysteries.

Each year was a new beginning. A new class. A new teacher or teachers. Even new friends.

The first day of school, to give the kids something to do, the teachers always had the students write out: what I did this summer. Freshly-sharpened pencils in hand. Writing began.

School should always be a challenging yet fun time for kids. But times have changed drastically since I was in grade school and high school.

We had very little, if none at all, of things like drugs, bullies, abduction by strangers, alcohol, and sex. The worst anyone did was get caught smoking or skipping school. The few that drank did so on the weekends. Getting pregnant was a huge roll-your-eyes-and-whisper deal.

It is so much more difficult for kids today and for parents as well. So many more things to deal with. So many more things to talk to their kids about. To warn them about.

And now it’s time again. Time for pencils, notebooks, paper, and all the other things kids need for school supplies. The harbinger of fall.

One of my favorite scenes from You’ve Got Mail is this:

Clicking away on his computer to the unknown user Shopgirl (Kathleen Kelly played by Meg Ryan) in an internet chat room, user NY152 (Joe Fox played by Tom Hanks) types: “Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. On the other hand, this not knowing has its charms.”

I love fall. I love the vibrant reds, golds, and yellows of the leaves. It’s a little early yet for fall’s color parade; the leaves still wear their green robes. But the starting of school for another year reminds me that fall is just around the corner.

School memories. Smell is said to be the greatest memory trigger, and the smell of freshly-sharpened pencils is a great trigger of some wonderful memories.

May your kids make wonderful memories this year!

Don’t you love the smell of freshly-sharpened pencils?

From one mother’s heart of love to another…

Lynn Mosher

Heading Home

Today, we’re linked up with Women Living Well!

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Filed Under: Childhood, Lynn Mosher, School Days, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , 6 Comments

How to Volunteer Without Wearing Out & Day 9 Giveaway

August 16, 2012 By

Today’s Great Giveaways!

PURSE-onality Challenge Journal, Bible Verse Cards & “Let’s Get PURSE-onal CD By: Cheri Gregory

31 days of replacing “baditude” with God’s word and gratitude by focusing on four positive habits: spotlighting personality strengths, eliminating complaints, journaling gratitude and memorizing scripture. Comes complete with journal, Bible verse cards and Let’s Get PURSE-onal CD. Great for moms and to use to teach your children  hot to navigate life with an attitude that glorifies God.

Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids By: Sharon JaynesAND an Engraved Bookmark AND Beautiful Note Cards

Be B.L.E.S.S.E.D.! That is what Sharon Jaynes teaches as she focuses on being a Proverbs 31 mother. Today’s over-committed, harried housewives and mothers sorely need practical suggestions and loving encouragement. Don’t go it alone. You need a friend who has been there. Sharon Jaynes is the friend you’ve been looking for. Her heart is warm and her wisdom is straightforward.

And Then I Had Kids (Audio Book – CD) By: Susan Alexander Yates

Enjoy these years, they go by fast,” says the older moms to the younger ones. Ludicrous advice! You’d give anything just to live through them. Blending humor and wisdom, Yates-mother of five- offers frazzled moms tips for maintaining a postive self-image, nurturing their marriage, disciplining effectively and shaping a creative Christian home.

 

HOW TO ENTER: SUBSCRIBE TO WEBSITE, COMMENT ON BLOG, SHARE FB POSTS, TWEET, RETWEET & COMMENT ON BLOG (NEW SUBSCRIBERS WILL RECEIVE OUR NEW BOOK, “FACING OUR FEARS – 31 STORIES FROM M.O.M.”)

How to Volunteer Without Wearing Out 

 

Both of my teens brought one home … the dreaded blue paper listing “Volunteer Opportunities”: Buildings & Grounds, Citizenship, Cultural Arts, Ways and Means, Hospitality, Membership, Newsletter, Volunteers, Scholarship, Alumni, and more. It says “we cannot succeed without the help of YOU, our PTSA volunteers.” I feel guilty just typing it …

Are there any guidelines for getting involved at school, without getting worn out? As I scanned the list I envisioned myself growing “weary of doing good,”(Galatians 6:9) ending up growing “faint,” which means feeble through exhaustion (v.9). It’s enough to make a dedicated room mom find a reason to be unavailable!

Help Me Scrabble Game

photo via freerangestock.com

Whatever kind of schooling you choose, you are likely to be asked to volunteer. Resist the urge to give in to guilt and foolishly sign up to be “all things to all teachers” in the PTSA, co-op, team, or classroom.  But from my experience as a teacher and parent, DO get involved! You really are needed and wanted and appreciated, and the dividends for your child are hard to count.

Our involvement means learning programs are more likely to succeed, our kids are more likely to thrive, and we are more likely to be informed. We want to sow meaningful participation to reap a great school year and more (v.7). But since we’re doing the job of mothering, we can’t sign up for every area of need. If we do, our method of schooling is likely to become our god. An enthusiastic mom without some guidelines may find herself over extended.

God knows that a well-meaning mom just may wear herself out. Galatians 6 challenges us not to grow “weary of doing good,” which refers to things that are excellent and useful.  He gives us practical guidance for how to serve. “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially those of the household of faith” (v.10).

    • “have opportunity” really speaks to moms. It means a “limited, fixed amount of time.” That’s what we have. We could be “Super Room Mom” if our time was unlimited, but it’s not. We have to choose. We have to tell someone “No.”
    • “everyone” refers to individuals in our world. Since we can’t meet every need out there, we’re given a  focus to emphasize = to people belonging to the family of God.
    • “grow faint” (v.9) describes someone who becomes “spiritless” and gives up doing good due to exhaustion. Been there?

Moms, God is telling us to do useful things for individuals around us, especially people belonging to Him, encouraging us to be wise about what we do in our limited time, so we don’t get exhausted and quit doing excellent things.

Tips for Choosing How to Volunteer

  1. Clearly identify & understand the needs
  2. Know your gifts and interests
  3. Look at your priorities and time honestly
  4. Remember any requirements
  5. Ask your husband to affirm your availability
  6. Choose what helps your child’s schooling experience
  7. Take temporary v. long term commitments into account
  8. Agree to what is best for you and your family
  9. Say no to other things
  10. Serve as unto the Lord

As we carefully invest ourselves in doing good to those around us, non-believers and believers, our families will thrive and God will be glorified. Let’s not be afraid of “the blue paper,” but let’s sow a great school year with the time we have.

By Julie Sanders

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