Mission Accomplished (Sort Of!)

The culmination of our semester is upon us. We hope we have inspired you to see motherhood as the God-given calling it is. For this final teaching lesson, we encouraged you to write a mission statement to help you define what is important to you, instead of just going through the day trying to make it until bedtime.
Here are the steps we went through to begin our mission statements:

1.    Pray: Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.  Psalm 127:1

2.    List your roles, then put them in order of importance to you.

a.    Things you do

b.    Things you are

c.    Then, Simplify!

3.    Dream and Define!

a.    Think about your dream goal for this role

b.    Ask yourself what you want others to say about you in this role (Think obituary here, as morbid as that sounds)

4.    Create Action Statements: What will you accomplish in each role?

a.    Write in the present tense

b.    Find a verse to accompany it, if you wish

c.    Should be a challenge, a chance to grow from where you are today.

5.    When you’re done:

a.    Post it where you will see it

b.    Measure your life against it

c.    Review and revise it regularly

Remind yourself that “I AM NOT WHO I WILL BE!” You are in the act of becoming, a change in the making, and remember, your change and growth are not only a product of your own strength and determination, but also God’s grace. Align yourself with Him and step into the flow.

Welcome to your revolution!

Roles	Action Verbs	Adjectives/Adverbs
Christian	Develop	Consistently
Wife	Maintain	Loving
Mom	Pursue	Safe
Writer	Learn	Simply
Teacher	Provide	Purposefully
Friend	Create	Inspiring

 A great resource for writing a mission statement is an e-book available for free on a mom-focused blog called http://inspiredtoaction.com/  which is where I got the worksheets from that we used.

When you make your mission statement, leave a comment and tell us what it is!

Easter Ideas for the Kids

Hey there! Here are the promised Easter "recipes" from Jenn. The first is to make resurrection eggs out of plastic eggs. The second is for resurrection buns, yummy treats that bake up hollow signifying the empty tomb. Let's remind the kids that Easter is about more than chocolate for breakfast and fluffy bunnies!

Resurrection Eggs

1. Palm leaf

Mark 11:7-9  When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.  Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.  Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!”  “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

2. Dimes

Matthew 26:14-16  Then one of the Twelve-the one called Judas Iscariot-went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?”  So they counted out for him thirty silver coins.  From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

3. Communion cup

Matthew 26:26-28  While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying “Take and eat; this is my body.”  Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

4. Praying hands

Mark 14:32-42  They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit Here while I pray.”  He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.  “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them.  “Stay here and keep watch.” 

Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.  “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you.  Take this cup from me.  Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.  “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep?  Could you not keep watch for one hour?  Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.  When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.  They did not know what to say to him.

Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting?  Enough!  The hour has come.  Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Rise!  Let us go!  Here comes my betrayer!”

5. Leather strip

Mark 15:15  Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them.  He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

6. Crown & Purple cloth

John 19:1-5  Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.  The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head.  They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 

7. Nail

Luke 23:32-33  Two other men, both criminal, were also led out with him to be executed.  When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals-one on his right, the other on his left.

8. Black cloth

Luke 23:44-46  It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining.  And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”  When he had said this, he breathed his last.

9. Spear

John 19:33-34  But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.  Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.

10. Linen cloth

Matthew 27:57-60  As evening approached; there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus.  Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him.  Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock.  He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.

11. Stone

Matthew 28:1-2  After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.  There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.

12. Empty

Matthew 28:5-8  The angel said to the women, “do not be afraid , for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.  Come and see the place where he lay.  Then go quickly and tell his disciples:  ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.  There you will see him.’  How I have told you.”  So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

Resurrection Buns

Frozen bread dough

Butter

24 large marshmallows

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Let the frozen dough thaw.

Melt the butter.

In a separate bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon together.

Divide dough into 24 uniform balls.  Roll each ball out until flat.  Wrap each flattened ball around a marshmallow, making sure to seal all openings.  Dip the ball in melted butter, then in the sugar and cinnamon mixture.

Place in a large, greased baking pan.  Cover and let rise until double (about 35 minutes).  Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

 



A Big Pot of Stew

Who doesn't love a good stew...especially here in the northern climates? I am picturing a big pot bubbling on the stove of some beef, carrots, potatoes, onions (don't tell the kids...), topped off with homemade dumplings. Stew definitely makes my top ten favorite foods.

There's another kind of stew, and I'm not talking about chicken. I'm talking about a big cauldron of "I can't believe you...", "and then he..." with a little bit of "how dare you..." thrown in for good measure. I'm talking about the kind of stewing we do when things don't go our way. We rehash. We think of everything we should have said, and will definitely say next time it comes up. We simmer with the lid barely on, just waiting for the right time to spill our bubbly mess all over the one who has it coming. As I write this, I am picturing a pot of potatoes almost ready to boil over, starchy water caked on the outside of the pot, the lid jiggling in anticipation of sending angry torrents of water all over my stove. I hate that kind of mess because it just gets everywhere.

Kind of like stewing about something does. But I'll be honest...I used to like the stewing about something almost as much as the eatin' kind of stew. I am a natural brooder. I chalk it up to my highly analytical, need-to-be-right nature, so I know firsthand what a mess stewing makes. I used to stew for just the right amount of time...long enough to make the other person feel bad, which was the goal, but not long enough that they got mad back at me and I ended up having to apologize for stewing. Which I wouldn't have had to do if they didn't deserve it in the first place...can you just see the stainless steel lid on my head starting to jiggle with the threat of boiling over again.

The antidote is forgiveness, plain old grace. It is choosing (yes, Virginia, there is a choice) to look past the offense. Not easy, I know. Sometimes the easiest explanations are the hardest to implement. It is remembering that love covers a multitude of sins...his, mine, and ours. Focusing on the whatever's is a good place to start too. Whatever is good, true, noble, praiseworthy, parking your mind on these things instead of the not so good stuff that seems to be more readily available sometimes. Choose to see the positive, regularly, and the negative starts to fade. Not because it isn't there, but because you aren't always looking for it. Make a habit of pointing out one good thing, every day, about the people who drive you nuts. Soon you will see them in a different light.

Like Luanne and Jon taught this week, marriage takes work. A good solid marriage is intentional. It requires feeding and nurturing, like raising a child. Consider all the work we put into raising our kids to make sure they turn out just right, but how much conscious effort do we put into our marriages? Let's practice good communication and friendship building with the relationship that is supposed outlast all others this side of heaven.

I pray that as you go forward, you will see your husband in a new light, with less bubbling going on under  your lid...

 p.s. Moving on isn't always easy. I posted a devotional on forgiveness over on my personal blog. Click here to read it.

For Better or Worse

Luanne Glass, Director of Women't Ministry, taught the first week of a two part series on marriage. Marriage is one of those places in life guaranteed to show you your weak spots. It can also be a refuge, a safe place to flourish, learn, and grow.

She gave us some tools to use that will apply whether you have been married one year or fifty, and tools that are practical enough to apply to other relationships as well.

• Recognize that we can't change our husbands, only ourselves. Most conflict occurs because we are all selfish. We want what we want when we want it, and now there is an equal partner with the same feelings, but we don't want the same thing. What's a girl to do? Seek God. Seek to understand. Learn to put your own desires second.
• Remember that we are not the same. God has wired us differently, from the way we look to the way we think, process, and communicate. Men take up to 7 hours to process something that we can sort through in just a few minutes. That doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with them, but their gears shift differently. It's not a bad thing...can you imagine if both of us made decisions without a cooling off period, for good or bad scenarios?
• Build up your husband instead of tearing him down, especially in front of other people. It is not God-honoring or respectful to your husband to make him the butt of a joke with your friends.
• Pray for his strengths and your weaknesses. Keep your focus on the things you need to work on instead of his shortcomings. When you do focus on the positive, it reroutes the circuits in your brain and cuts down on the ugly nagging chatter that can fill your head when your frustrated. (Or is that just me...?)
• Being designated as his "helper" is not a secondary role. The Holy Spirit was given to us as a "helper", and is our connection to communication with God. Obviously being in a "helper" role is very important, so lean into it. You will be blessed.

Here are some outside links to marriage:

• We will have the book Sacred Influence for sale for $10 at the cart.
• Shelley Gallamore blogged about 10 Things About Marriage here.
• Elmbrook Church is hosting a Love and Respect Conference. Check out the details here.
• Luanne mentioned the boxes in men's brains. Here is the video on that:

The best gift you can give your kids is to love their dad and model that for them. It is not easy, but it is totally worth the effort. Next week Pastor Jon Glass, Luanne's husband, will join us for Mom Time, and give us some insight into the men's perspective.

Thank You For Being a Friend...

This past week we learned about friendship in Mom Time. In case you missed, or just need a refresher, here is the acronym we came up with:
F: Be First-reach out to others first
R: Be Readily Available-make time for your friends
I: Be Inclusive-lose the clique!
E: Expect Trouble-be ready for frustration occasionally and assume the best
about your friends.
N: Know Me-be real and transparent
D: Diversify! All of your friends don't need to be the same.
S: Be Second-Be more concerned with your friend's needs than your own.

We should all have a few categories of friends:

• Friends who sharpen: Those friends will always encourage us to be better, and challenge us when we need it.
• Friends who mentor: Titus 2:2-4 is all about older women leading younger women in the art of marriage, childrearing, and Christian living. "Older" may not necessarily be in age, but in wisdom.
• Friends who need friends: Be on the look out for the new person to the group, or perhaps someone with a need that you can meet.
• Friends who need salvation: It is easy after attending the same church, school, and recreational activities for a number of years to get caught in the holy huddle. While there is nothing more fun to me than hanging out with my girlfriends telling awesome God stories, evangelizing to each other does little to further the Kingdom. If we are all pointing our lights inward, there is a great darkness left untouched. Shine your light outward, and look for friends who don't know Jesus. Yet.
• Friends we need to leave: Occasionally we have a friend who brings out all of the worst in us, who doesn't see life the same way, and isn't interested in "getting it." After prayerful consideration, that might be a friend to not hang out with for a while. I would challenge you that the example you set might go further than standing in the pit with them.

I read a blog by a friend about what Proverbs has to say about friendship. You can check that out here. I pray that as you pursue friendships in life, you are blessed with some girlfriends who just "get you." There is a richness and bond in the sisterhood of Christian friendship that just fills me up to overflowing. Knowing that I have friends I can pray with, who will stand with me in prayer, holding my arms up when I get tired, is a comfort and a joy to me. I pray that you will find that too.

“Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you; love him with all you've got!  Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.”                           Deuteronomy 6:5-9 MSG

At Mom Time this week, guest speaker Shelley Gallamore talked about discipline of our children. Biblical Discipline is a 2 part process that must both train the child to be obedient and address the heart issues that cause disobedience.  The above verse from Deuteronomy talks about the best way to achieve this process with our kids – by living out our beliefs alongside and with our kids. We cannot make discipline something that happens for a specific moment of the day, we must make it a part of all we do throughout the day.

Teaching your kids within the context of their life gives you the opportunity to help your child translate the facts you are giving him from his mind to his mouth and hands. It places the knowledge in context and shows a child how it can be applied. As your children see you learning, growing and living as a follower of Christ, they will better understand how to live as a follower of Christ.

But, how do you teach a young child about the bible? Taken from the book Teach Them Diligently by Lou Priolo, here is some practical advice.

• 1.       Extend teaching opportunities beyond the moment of incidence. If your child asks a question or has an experience which you are not immediately able to relate to scripture, do a little research and bring it back later that day or the next.
• 2.       Be sure to use vocabulary your child will understand. Break down complex and abstract theological terminology into more age appropriate, easily understood concepts.
• 3.       Keep conversations relatively short depending on your child’s attention span. If more time is needed, try for several short conversations at a pace the child is comfortable with.
• 4.       Use role-play to apply what you are talking about with your child. Especially when you are talking about what could have been done differently or what should be done in an upcoming event; this allows you to test their understanding and makes the lesson much more practical.
• 5.       Encourage questions.  Many parents get all shook up when their kids ask questions because they are unsure of the answers. Don’t be afraid to learn alongside your children by looking up and thinking through their questions.
• 6.       Teach in the context of a loving relationship. A good teacher is personally involved with the student. Your relationship with your child should include plenty of one-on-one communication time and assurances of love. This type of environment is essential to create an atmosphere of trust.
• 7.       Use child- oriented videos, CD’s, DVD’s and books to help teach biblical concepts. There are so many great materials available now that will help fill your child’s mind with scripture. These resources can be very effective in helping your child internalize God’s word and will make learning much more enjoyable. 

If I Could Put Time In a Bottle...

It is highly possibly that Sherry Judy will be the only one that could finish this song, so that was for you, girlfriend! Regardless if you know this song from the 1970's, this points directly to our lesson this week. Time is the one thing we really can't put in a bottle and save for another day. Each day comes to us fresh with possibilities, but never shows up again. We are often far more intentional with how we spend our money, which is a semi-renewable resource, than how we spend our time.

This week in MT we discussed the traps of overcommitment, disorganization, and just plain old time-wasters, and how the enemy will use these to his full advantage. The number one challenge of most women with families to tend to is not enough time, which is a lie.

Now, before you get in a huff and call me nuts and think "She has no idea how much I have to do everyday", know that I am not judging. I am holding the door wide open to a biblical truth though...

I have time to do everything that God wants me to do.

That radical idea comes straight from the Bible, which we already know is the ultimate source of truth and perspective.

• God made time.
• God made you.
• God has a plan for you in this time.

Consider if the things you are filling your time with are investments that lead you to the goals you've set for your family and yourself. Do the goals you've set for yourself honor your family? I talked Tuesday about training for the Danskin Triathlon last summer. Two workouts five days each week don't leave a lot of time to think about anyone else's needs but my own, and while it was fun and hugely rewarding, it isn't something I should make a priority every summer.

I know I have a habit of being reactive instead of proactive throughout my day. Here's a practical tip I found in the book Shopping for Time by the Girl Talk Blog Girls: practice the 15:4 rule. Spending 15 minutes planning and thinking through your activities will save you four hours of wasted time. Also, when you sit down and write out your list of things you need to get done, do the one you are most likely to avoid first.

Some advice from the book is how to handle busy seasons, because some times of our lives are just plain old hectic. Shopping For Time breaks down priorities like this:

1. Separate the really-do-matter things from the really-don't-matter items. The first priority would be spending time with Jesus in the morning. That might be a devotional reading, or even just seeing what the Klove verse of the day is and pondering that throughout your day. Get a word from the Word. Then, ask what one thing would please your husband. Next, what one issue in my children's life needs attention today. Last, food and laundry. If they have a meal and clean clothes, you have met their basic needs for today.
2. Simplify: Ask how you can make each task easier...paper plates, utilize the dry cleaners occasionally, grab a $5 pizza for dinner. Lower your expectation of yourself for this busy season.
3. Size Up your limitations. Remember that only God is God. You will not live a life of perfection, and allow yourself to be ok with this.

This is just a quick reminder to value the time you have and to not clutter it up like a junk drawer in the kitchen. Figure out what needs to stay, what should go, and what could be done by someone else. Challenge yourself to make one change. If you are not yet connecting to God, make that your priority. Proverbs 31 sends out a devotional each morning to the emails that you can subscribe to through their website. Don't be intimidated by the idea. God is a great big God waiting to meet you where you are at today, just the way you are.

Getting up before the family will help you focus on your upcoming day without distraction. I found a blog called http://www.inspiredtoaction.com/ be a good encouraging resource. Inspired To Action is all about living proactively, and she has a free e-book that you can download by clicking here to start your mornings out right. Check it out if you want.

I will be praying that God will fill each of you with all wisdom of His plan for you, that you will be growing in your knowledge of Him, that you will be strengthened with all power that gives endurance and patience for this life He has set you in. (Colossians 1:9-11). You can do this, girlfriends, with God's help.