For the next little bit I'll be sharing verses referenced in The Love Dare.
I Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Hip PR
Hip Mama would love to review and/or host a giveaway for your Hip product, service, or book. Here's the deal: As long as it's family or mommy friendly...I'd love to hear about it. Keep in mind I'll need 1 product for review, and 1 to giveaway. For more information or to advertise Contact Hip Mama Here.
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So at the last minute I'm adding this to Mommy Myth Mondays, It's so late it might end up on Tuesday...Typical!
"FUN" & "KIDS" are words often found together. Kids love to have fun. Kids make "fun" Adults who have fun are called "kids at heart". But lets be honest here...you know,
because the only reason I am even somewhat of a "hip mama" is cuz' I'm Real...what you see (or rather read) is what you get. There are no put-ons or masks. A good amount of my personal blogosphere are, as a new inductee into My Humble Reccommendations calls you "the friends I never had" I love that! Anyway back to "fun"...
being honest...when's the last time you really had an overwhelming amount of fun with one of your kids, if you have any? The kind of fun where your heart aches a bit, one for how much pride and love and spontaniety of amazing your child is, or is turning out to be. Two, because you know that you will never ever get that moment back? Truthfully, I cannot remember the last time I just ENJOYED my daughter. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids, we have fun, had a great weekend...but today, it was just me and Queen E. All day, running errands, then off to an audition for something, then she tagged along to a meeting. So she asked me if we could go to dinner...not just any dinner, but SUSHI...
Well, I am forever saying no, nope, maybe, I'll think about it, we'll see, it's too expensive etc...BUT she had been so well behaved today, so respectful, didn't talk back (too much). How could I say "NO" again? I couldn't, and I was so blessed by my daughter this evening. It has been some time since I have felt like this about her...my heart overwhelmed by the blessing God has given me through her. What amazing creatures He entrusts into our. In this moment I feel so blessed and also so unworthy of the responsibility of this little person. The 3 little people entrusted to my care.
Ironically, I am reading as part of my sporatic quiet time with the Lord ---->(picture funny sarcasm...higher pitched vibrato voice...)<---- cuz' I am just soooooooooo spiritual. Devotions for Homeschool Moms by Jackie Wellwood. Today's Devotional was (seriously)JOYFULMOTHER LOL (isn't that just how God works?) She writes:
..."I suffer from the same malady--lack of joy. I get caught up in the nitty-gritty details of each day, and if I am not careful, I miss all the joy that my children can bring me daily."
Hip Mama: "that's an understatement" She ( Ms. Wellwood) goes on to say:
"Lack of joy is rooted in ingratitude for the circumstances we find ourselves in. Count it a blessing that your children are underfoot all day and you can see everything that happens as they grow.....Realize the magnitude of the ministry that the Lord has given you in training your children at home."
Hip Mama interjects " homeschooled or not...it doesn't matter, you (I/we) the parent are the most important influence in your (my) child's life.
"....Our joy is in being there each day to train our children--not in achieving some high standard of performance each day. Joy comes when we allow our selves to be a joyful mother of children instead of doing all the tasks we think we must do...."
She posed a couple of questions at the end, like many typical devotionals...
Have you found joy in being with your children today? Have you praised God for the children He has entrusted to your care?
This Mommy Myth is too often FALSE! Oh...how I wish this weren't true. Please join me next Monday, (I'll post mine Sunday) Let me know if you will be a guest blogger on "HIP MAMA" next week. I'll have to create links on Monday...to your blog. I'll work out the details but....just contact me and let me know you're "in". If you don't have a blog, just let me know you'd like to participate and I'll figure something out.
Let's Put this Mommy Myth in the (mostly) true column!
Here's the challenge (and I credit it to the Jackie Wellwood Devo):
Question: What are the Joy-Stealers in my life?
List 25 Ways your children bring you joy.
Make another List 10 Ways the children could bring you more joy if you relaxed a little and let yourself be a mother instead of doing so much (example: sit down and let a child tell you what he or she is thinking)
Maybe it was my sort of southern baptist upbringing thinly veiled in the "non-denominational" description of the church I grew up in...but being a part of the 40 Day Fast has been eye opening. I had NEVER fasted before Friday. Can you believe that? I mean I heard it in verses...but it just wasn't something we ever talked about...not that it wasn't done, I just didn't know about it, I guess. I have been wanting to fast for some time, about various things but really didn't know how to go about it. It's neither here nor there, but I'm pretty thin and I don't have a huge appetite to begin with, so I kind of thought "Well, not eating all day...no big deal" Well, since I quit smoking over a month ago (YEA GOD!) my appetite has increased a bit...not a ton but enough, so this was a good opportunity to make a go of it.
OKAY GOD! I get it. I was hungry ALL DAY, weird, I don't think I've ever been THAT hungry. I had this insane headache the whole day, but every time I felt hungry or started to "complain" to myself about the headache, I thought about and talked to Him about the ministry I was doing this for, and all the other ministries I have been reading about. I was so moved at the communication I was intentionally having with my God. I also noticed when I was reading, that I understood Him speaking to me more through his word.
I am so thankful for the 40 Day Fast, not just because of the impact we hope it will have for each of the ministries being highlighted, but for the impact on my own spiritual journey, experiencing something I've never before encountered. I feel prompted that I need to come to him like this more often. To refocus...intentionally. To be specific and to expect specific answers. To expect God to Be God and to speak to me clearly and evidently. To cut everything out and let the peace of God in my day so I can actually "hear" the still small voice that is usually drowned out by my busy schedule and meaningless grumblings.
Take a moment if you would, and read today's featured blog, or browse the Inspired to Action site. How can you join in? Pray! Pray for someone other than yourself and your needs!
When I understood what the 40 Day Fast was all about, I felt compelled to write a little about Blessings in a Backpack, a stateside organization that helps to meet the nutritional needs of children on the weekends. If you aren't familiar with the 40 Day Fast please visit the website here, and follow the fast. Kelly is on team 2 today, so check out her post too!
I walk out my front door every day without much more than a glance up at my middle class neighborhood, I quickly scan to see whose cars have left for the day, the neat manicured lawns, and I, in dismay frown at my own lawn that is in desperate need of attention. Normally I don't give much thought to any thing other than what I need to do, or what I am doing that moment, let alone thinking about what goes on behind the doors of the folks that live on my street. Occasionally I here that this house or that house is getting sold, the lady next door lost her husband 2 years ago, and the lady next to her takes care of her diabetic veteran husband, and oh, and that family 4 or 5 doors down, well, they are trying to stay out of foreclosure. But hunger? No, I don't think so. A year ago I would have laughed out (very) loud(ly), should you tell me that at the elementary school in our zoned district had 40 % of it's students basically going hungry on the weekend. No, I don't think of hunger here in my neighborhood. And to be honest, even now that I know this info, I still don't think about it. Do you? But I should, and with that large of a percentage of children living without much food on the weekends, chances are, I don't have to go very far out my front door to find one of these kids.
I am extremely blessed, and have had the priviledge to have visited approximately 10 countries, before I turned 18. Several summers of missions opportunities in my teenage years gave me this rare experience. I have been to some of the richest countries in the world, and I have been to some of the poorest areas of the world. I have seen the issues of 3rd world hunger, contaminated water and even bodies just laying decomposing on the side of a dry dirt road first hand. Most of the time the mission work was in a in a "work" capacity. While evangelism is extremely important, it hasn't really been a strength for me, at least in the traditional EE sort of way. God has gifted many people in that area, but for me personally, He [God] has always laid on my heart to "meet people where they are at". If that is building a well, or building the walls of a drug rehabilitation center, or even a simple home for an young African man in Kenya to bring his bride to as he serves as headmaster for a school in a remote area. As I graduated highschool, this is where I felt called...to missions work...in the "Go to Africa...kind of Missions work..."
Well, God works in mysterious ways and I never became a missionary in that sense, but what I have realized more and more over the past several years, is that Every Believer has a mission. Every believer is "Called". Called to meet people where they are at...meet the needs of the fatherless, widows, the elderly, the poor, and the hungry. Where am I at? Well, as a stay at home mom of 3 small kids, I am many times At My Front Door.
Right now, if you'll observe my blog a bit, I am literally At or Out (if we are outside playng) My Front Door...my mission is mainly to my children. I'm a stay at home, home schooling Hip Mama (is that even possible?), and because of that I've started to be more aware of local organizations and opportunities to serve in my own community. Something my husband and I discussed when we started home schooling this year, is looking at where we as a family can "serve" others. How can we show our children how to meet people where they are at? How to show God's love to others? How will our children learn compassion for those less fortunate? How do we show our children how very blessed we are that we have so much. How do we instill in them (and us too) the desire to serve? We hope to do this through local venues, giving our kiddos a very physical, "hands on" tangible experience of meeting someone else's needs.
Our church also happened to undergo a transformation of sorts this year: rather than trying to get new people in...and constant focus on "growing" the church, they have begun to focus more on Serving Others and Outreach both locally and abroad. My husband and I had the opportunity to serve with a ministry called Blessings in a Backpack. Our church partnered with Blessings in a Backpack by supporting the students of 1 elementary school in our city, by helping to meet their weekend nutritional needs for the school year.
My family and I are by no means wealthy (laughable in fact), however, we do happen to live in one of the most affluent cities in the U.S., so I was shocked to find out that over 60% of the students in the Elementarty School our church supported this year, eat very little for dinner (if any at all) and it's the same story for them on the weekends. The elementary school around the corner (the one my children would attend) have 40% of the students in the same boat! I just couldn't believe it. The school provides these students with lunch during the week through the Federal Lunch program, but on weekends and holidays, these students are going hungry. To find out more about our nations child hunger statistics click here.
Blessings in a Backpack is designed to meet these children's nutritional needs. Every week for the entire school year volunteers get together for the primary purpose of packing backpacks with non-perishable food, and many of these volunteers, at least in our church community, pray for the child that recieves the backpack that they are packing. During our volunteer time it took our group about 20-30 minutes to pack almost 200 backpacks...and quite honestly, we should have been more available to this part of the "mission" earlier on in the year. It was such a small task, but we know for sure the difference it is making in the lives of these precious children. And honestly, what better way to share God's love, than to first meet one of his/her basic needs?
Blessings in a Backpack is currently serving in 10 cities in the US, and plans on adding about 5 more in the next year. You can GET INVOLVED by supporting Blessings in a Backpack by:
Giving-- $75 dollars supports 1 child for an entire school year!
Raising Awarness
Doing a Food Drive
Establish a Blessings in a Backpack program in your own community.
I think one of the coolest parts of this program for us, was finding out at the end of the year that kids were so thankful! Teachers and faculty saw tangible evidence that the Backpacks were really making a difference in the student's schoolwork. The principal attended one our church services a few weeks ago. He told us that they saw the fruit of the Backpacks was that the children's test scores, reading levels and attention spans had improved....now I couldn't find much about that on the website, however, He believed the Backpacks had a direct effect on their progress. Our pastor made the comment, that he wasn't sure if it was the food, or the prayers that really made the impact! What a testimony to the students, parents, and faculty that a local church is not just concerned with themselves, or one our "more chalk mark on God's blackboard," but we are also concerned for the physical welfare of others...giving us a greater opportunity to serve their spiritual welfare as well.
Now that my kids are a little older, this is one of the areas of service we'd like to do together in the next year. My kids can put granola bars and canned goods in a backpack! My kids can pray for other kids their age...and what a testimony, not just to the children and community that we serve, but to the hearts of our own children as we raise them to be compassionate servant leaders serving the Lord in whatever they do as adults! Sometimes we think we can't make a difference in this fallen world, or we look so far ahead or always to the 3rd world, when just under our noses God has given us opportunities! I look back at the times when I have either missed or ignored God's call. Usually my excuse is busyness...or selfishness. Certainly, God calls many of us to support and/or go to a foreign mission or cause, but I will be fasting and praying today that I don't forget to look a little closer to home too, just out my front door.
To find out more about US Child hunger and Blessings in a Backpack....see the video and website below
As we fast, I challenge each of you, even as God challenges me, look around. Let us ask God where we can serve in our local community. It may be through Blessings in a Backpack, or foster care, volunteering at a local homeless shelter, or whatever...it may be as simple as teaching the local neighborhood kid how to skateboard when you are outside playing with your kids...you never know what kind of an impact you have right out your front door!
Just want you all to check out the website http://www.inspiredtoaction.com/ I submitted to be a part of the 40 day fast, and hope all of you will join in June 23-August 1, 2008 ...each day a blogger was picked to write about an organization that cares/gives/supports etc...the needy. I would love for you all to be involved as well and tell your friends and family about the Fast and the website. I think it will be a great 40 days of sharing and getting inspired to help others...and find out about new and exciting opportunities for us to give and/or serve.
Please join me on, June 27th I will be one of the featured bloggers and will be writing for the 40 Day Fast. Please be praying for people to get INSPIRED TO ACTION and believers to realize even in their day-to-day grind they CAN make a difference and serve the Lord even to the least of these.....
HOMEBOYHas yet another Bruise if you must know...on his eyebrow. He has the need to constantly wrestle with his big sisters, and in the excitement he bonked his eye...so it's a bit swollen now. Little man seems to be especially crazy this weekend... I don't know...but for some reason, I have been feeling like they are not quite so well behaved when the hubby is around...I think he tries to give me a break...but isn't 100% "into them"...or he gets distracted and wonders why they aren't listening or destr0y the room...don't get me wrong, he is an AWESOME daddy, no one plays with them like he does, however, it's a bit difficult on the weekends sometimes. Does anyone else experience this? If so, what do you do about it? Is it something you live with or has it been resolved. What do you think is the root cause?
I hope you don't get the wrong idea...I'm not complaining...just stating the facts. Weekends are fun, I'd just like "home time" to have a bit more Peace.
Hip Mama
(Something was wrong with my camera...this is earlier this year, not 2007)
This morning while I am laying in bed, (rather late) I look over at my son, who is screaming at me "mommy, get up...mommy get up NOW...mommy com' on....eww who who...MAWWWWWMEEEEE" needless to say I just wanted to lay there and stay in my coziness and pretend my only responsibility to the world today was to lay there and get my beauty sleep...okay maybe I was still dreaming at that point....
Okay back to laying in bed and being awakened by my cute red headed bruiser...i told him i just wanted to snuggle...so he reached out his arm, and I see this bruise...I'm like buddy, how did you get that bruise? He says I don't know...and proceeds to get on the bed give me a big snuggle and...ask me to wrestle...I say no...i'm too sleepy, the Red Head has a lot of energy, and is anxious for mommy to get up and so he proceeds to jump up and down on the bed...okay, so while he is standing there in his shirt and need-to-be-changed-pullup, i notice more bruises....i'm thinking to myself, wow, i wonder if he is anemic or something? Geez, people are going to think i abuse him or something...hmmm....as I'm thinking about all this he proceeds to Belly Flop right on top of me like some World Wrestling Champion....
bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, belly flop (on mommy) and he is a big boy... and rough! (mind you, nothing clicks...yet)
an hour later, after everyone is dressed and belly's full...do your kids do this?
Put socks on and skate around the house on the tile? Well, we happen to have this hideous 1980's slick white tile (that doesn't stay clean longer than 5 minutes) and the kids like to do this.
So HD#2(hip daughter), and the Red Head start skating around the house...well HD#2 is skating, Homeboy (as we sometimes call him) is running and sliding in to 1st base with a loud WIIIIIPE OUUUUUT....'ah ha ha ha ha.' As I picture him sliding into the hutch and cracking his head open on it and then slamming onto the white tile, which will then match his hair and subsequently racing to the to the ER, it clicks, "that's how he got all those bruises...duh!"
As I write this (no joke) he is trying to jump from coffee table to couch and back....AH!
Boys are so different from girls...it astounds me. I have to have like an Eagle on this child, it's unbelievable!
But I love it....I just hope EVERYONE understands why so many bruises? Anyone else worry about this?
uh oh, better go, he just threw the "club house" over that he was underneath...I mean coffee table.
This site is by request due to my new 3 column blogger site. I thought I'd pass it on...they had a ton of other blogger sites and detailed info on how to change the code instead of downloading a template from some random website.
So today...I have totally revamped my blog...3 columns and found a great website that teaches not so hip mama's a little bit about HTML and adding cool things to blogs...I actually would like to expand my blog to a larger "site" that I could have different sections for different things that I am interested...but I'm not sure where to start, so...we'll see.
On a side note, I, in my never ending quest to become organized and stay that way (that would be the key word...stay) used a great tip from my all time favorite mag...REAL SIMPLE and bought a new tool...a ROLODEX...just the smallest one you can find, while there are many uses for it such as : Recipe holder, Address/Phone #...the mag had the great idea of writing websites, user names, passwords, even a description of the site. I suspose this wouldn't be so good if a robber came into your house and took it? But what is the liklihood of that? And in my case, they wouldn't get that far! Ha! Even if they got all my info....
Anyway how often are you forgetting usernames, passwords and the like? Maybe you only visit the site once a month or once a year...whatever...I needed it and thought it was a great idea...
So, you'll be glad that I spent some time at the computer, trying to get back in the habit of blogging...i sure have missed it!
Wow, has it been a crazy couple of months...and yes Nichole I am coming back...from the grave. Ha! I don't know why I thought things would settle down with the end of school and all. I guess this is a busy time of year with any family...but it seems especially busy this year with homeschool stuff. I attended our state homeschool convention and before that, we were rapping stuff up with various end of year activities with our co-op.
Lastly, Queen-E has been involved in a local (well we get people from all over 2 counties) homeschool theater troupe this year which culminated in an amazing performance of The Music Man. It was awesome...it was actually better quality than my highschool put on, which was pretty good. I was amazed last year and this year...the talent and time that went into it was amazing! On top of all that, my fitness club got new equipment installed, the day after memorial day, and corporate training after that, so between all of that and shuttling kids around...i have had absolutely no time to do much more than answer my email...I hope I can get back into the swing of things...this is my outlet...and I think it helps me from being depressed. :)
I overcame a big accomplishment...thank God for healing...this relates to my last post..."in the Doldrums.." Anyway, here comes the big confession...I have been a smoker for about 13 years, off and on...and I finally Quit...and it has big this big "secret" that probably everybody knows about already...well, tomorrow it will be 3 weeks! Awesome. It's only been with the strength of the Lord. I have tried before, and failed...but I really know this time is different. I believe God is healing me of this addiction. So I give thanks to Him! Keep me in your prayers & Happy Summer!
I'm Autumn, a 30 something Mommy of 4. I'm Married to my One & Only...My best friend for over 10 years. Trying to keep it real. Laughing, loving, and living a full life the best I can with what God's entrusted to me.
So at the last minute I'm adding this to Mommy Myth Mondays, It's so late it might end up on Tuesday...Typical!
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