Book: “Speaking Mom-ese” by Lisa Whelchel
This book was given to me after I had the girls, Speaking Mom-ese by Lisa Whelchel. The first few months after the girls were born were a blur after having 12 weeks of bed rest, followed by an early delivery, complications, and time in the NICU. It was encouraging to have a devotional from a Mom’s perspective even though a lot of the stories were regarding older kids. The devotionals were short, sweet, and hit home during those exhausting months. Since then I have gone through the book again and different devotionals touched my heart this time around.
Song: “I Want to be Just Like You” by Phillips Craig & Dean
What a great song! It is not always easy being a parent. We will leave an imprint on the lives of our children. What will that imprint look like?
Thankfully we have a wonderful heavenly Father that helps us daily demonstrate God’s love to our children. The amazing part is He still loves us (and our children) even when we fail, which is often. Our children watch us everyday. My prayer is that our words and actions have a positive eternal impact on their lives and hearts. May we learn to be better examples of Christ’s love and grace to those in our lives.
Twin Sisters Productions
Our girls have enjoyed many of the Twin Sisters Productions CDs and products from the ABCs, relaxing, fun, learning languages (German & Italian) and more. Since we have fraternal twin daughters of our own we are thrilled to support a wonderful business started by fraternal twin sisters. To get an idea of what their songs are like you can listen to them prior to purchasing. Sing & Learn (Multipacks) by Twin Sisters Productions is a good mix that of songs that the girls have been listening to for several years even though they know their Alphabet, Numbers, and so forth. These make great gifts for little ones that like music and they have a variety of neat products for a reasonable price.
Raising Young Children Together
Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending a local area MOPS group. The topic was on “Honoring Your Parents”. Many times we think this is a topic for our children, however, it continues to have applications for us as adults when interacting with our parents and in-laws. We all grew up in different homes and have encountered a variety of situations throughout our lives. Every one of us is on a our own journey and we need God’s grace to get us through each day. He is continuing to do great things in our lives as well as in the hearts and lives of people around us. When our hearts are changed it should have an effect on the relationships in our lives (including our immediate and extended family). The decisions that both parents, extended family, and friends make impacts on the lives of our kids. Are our reactions helping or hurting others? What a great message! Thanks Jay!
If you are a Mom of young children I encourage you to check out a MOPS program in your area. Being a Mom of little ones is a busy season in our lives so having the opportunity to spend time with other Moms is a true blessing. Surrounding yourself with Moms going through a similar stage in life uplifts the spirit and provides a common bond.
What is MOPS? The initials stand for “Mothers of Preschoolers”. Any Mom that is pregnant or has kids up through kindergarten is welcome to participate in a MOPS program. The goal is to bring Moms together to have fun, encourage each other, and be the best Moms we can be. Click here to find a MOPS group located near you. I hope you enjoy your time of fellowship with Moms in your area!
More information about the organization can be found on the MOPS website.
No referrals are received by sharing this information. This information is to help encourage Moms as they raise little ones. I cannot guarantee that every group will be perfect and/or tailored to your specific needs. It has been beneficial for me and I hope it will be for your family as well. Please contact MOPS directly for more detailed information on MOPS and for a list of groups in your area.
The Joy of Giving – Operation Christmas Child
The girls are really excited about participating in Operation Christmas Child this year. As parents it is great when we find tangible ways to demonstrate to our children the blessing of giving to others. We want our kids to learn early the importance of helping people. Brina is putting together a box for a little girl and Karlie is doing a box for a little boy. Last week they took money from their piggy banks to pay for several items that they handpicked to put in the boxes. Even though the girls are only 5 it is never to early for them to experience firsthand the blessing of sharing with people in need.
Here is a little background information on Operation Christmas Child for those who do not know what it is about. Operation Christmas Child is part of Samaritan’s Purse Organization. In 2009 they sent shoe boxes to 8 million children. The shoes boxes have been sent to over 95 countries around the world since it started. Their mission: To demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to needy children around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
The children who receive these boxes live in poverty and / or in crisis areas of the world. You may not have the ability to travel to a foreign country but by sending a shoe box full of goodies to a child you will help encourage the families in these countries. We are excited to be a part of such a wonderful ministry.
It is always a blessing to have the opportunity to share with others both locally and all over the world. For more details how you, your church, and community to get involved in this great ministry go to their website at Samaritan’s Purse If you are looking for a way to spread the Christmas cheer and give to others I encourage you to check out this opportunity.
