I couldn’t help but notice her. She was the perfect mom. Her children seemed like little angelic beings with halos hovering over their heads and they sat like little mannequins in church. Quiet. Still. Perfect. She was the perfect mom, married to the perfect husband and they both had perfect kids. I began to wonder how I could be like her. How could I get my boys to sit still in church for an hour and a half, or stand quietly in line without poking the child beside them, or spinning around with their arms straight out as they smacked …
10 Ways to Make Mentor Mania Missional
There’s something stirring in the hearts of women around the world. Hearts are beating with the thrill of changing the world and young women are no longer satisfied with doing motherhood alone. Mentors are on the march and mentees are once again ready, willing and able to begin a journey that will encourage, challenge and change women’s lives on both side the mentor/mentee equation. No longer are young mothers wandering their way through life, struggling to figure things out on their own. The older generation is rising to the challenge and answering the call to be Titus 2 women in …
I Want My Mommy… Still!
I remember it like it was yesterday. My mom had bought a television… FOR MY ROOM! That was a really big deal in 1976 and I was one excited teenage girl! But Mom had become a busy working woman whose priorities had changed. Not long after that gracious gift assumed its rightful place in the corner of my room, my mom and I had a big blow out. In the midst of the mayhem my sweet mom looked me in the eye and cried out, “Good grief, Stephanie! We bought you a television for your room! What more do you …
When Momma Blows It
I didn’t always get it right. The mom thing, that is. In fact much of my mentoring comes from times when I’ve blown it and the lessons I learned from the mistakes I’ve made along the way. I remember when my oldest son came home with a bad grade on his report card. It was an opportunity to help him see that failure is never final. I could have spoken life into his crushed self-image and taught him that failure does not define him. The grade was just an indication that he needed a little help, not an indictment on …
The M.O.M. Initiative VISION
Bridging the gap between a mother’s need for a mentor and the church’s need for resources and support. There’s a lot of talk about manifestos these days and you find them popping up on a multitude of websites defining a ministry or organization. Simply defined a manifesto is a declaration of intentions, motives or opinions. But rather than sharing a manifesto, we’d like to share our vision for The M.O.M. Initiative so you can get a glimpse of the heart of the ministry and what we believe God is calling us to accomplish. With The M.O.M. Initiative in its fledgling stages, …
Home – Where Laughter Fills the Air
Have you ever caught yourself telling you children to stop laughing? I remember when my boys were younger that the noise level of the laughter in our home seemed to exceed the sound barrier. Occasionally, I would have had my hormonal noise level limit and I’d “Shhhhhh” the laughter right out of them. As I look back from an empty nest I can’t help but think I would love to hear those little laughs echoing through my halls once again. Proverbs 17:22 tells us that a cheerful or joyful heart does good like medicine. Laughter is good for the heart, …
10 Summertime Safety Tips
I’ve always loved the fun in the sun that defines summer. But it’s also a time when children experience more injuries and make more visits to the emergency room than any other time of year. Before the last bell of the 2011-2012 school year ushers in the approaching summer season and before a momma starts filling her days with a plethora of plans for the kiddos, it’s wise to consider safety first. The M.O.M. Initiative wants to help your summertime be filled with fun and accident free, so we’re offering 10 summertime safety tips to help you have the best …
10 Ways to Win the Whining War
It has a way of grating on your nerves. Whining can drive a momma up the proverbial wall. How do you stop a two year old from whining when it’s time for bed, when you take her favorite toy away or when she doesn’t get her way? What do you do when your 5 year old whines about what you feed him for lunch, when you make him play outside or when you make him take a nap? Somehow, whining is a universal language for children between 1 and 18… and if it’s not dealt with before they become adults, …
The Irony of the Empty Nest
How painfully hard it is to watch as the momma bird nudge her little babies out of the nest. They desperately try to cling to the wiry branches that had once been meticulously placed there by their parents. It was their home… all they ever knew. They were carefully cared for while they nestled in the twig-lined tree house yet a whole wide world awaited them beyond their little bungalow suspended between two limbs. But it’s time for her babies to soar. It was what they were created for. It’s ironic, you know? You raise them up to let them go. I know …
Recipes from M.O.M.
Pizza Made Healthy Pizza is an all-time favorite for kids and adults, but it doesn’t have to be an artery-clogger to be good. Just change your ingredients a bit and you’ll enjoy the flavor without all the fat. INGREDIENTS: (Add your favorite veggies – here’s what we like) 2 Whole wheat pre-made crust 1 Jar Pizza Sauce (16 oz.) 2 Tablespoons Pesto Sauce 1 Medium Size Tomato – Sliced 1 Medium Onion 1 Can Large Olives 1/2 Cup Sliced Mushrooms (The taste better if you cut them yourself instead of buying them already sliced) 1 Cup Spinach (Rinsed & Dried) …