My Mom likes to remind me, on a regular basis, that it is wonder that I acutally survived childhood - what with all the dangers around me. I posted an email below that struck me funny because it is, at its very core, what my Mom has been saying to me since I got pregnant over 2 years ago. It started with my research for the safest and best crib. When I say research, I truly mean I speant hours upon hours reading about all of the cribs. That's when my Mom knew I went over the deep end.
While I love and my child benefits from all these new things we have to protect our precious little ones, I do think we have gone a bit overboard. It makes me a little sad that my precious little one won't know what it's like to ride in the back of a truck on a warm summer day!
TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking. As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat. We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this. We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING! We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem. We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms. WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever. We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them! Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL! If YOU are one of them, CONGRATULATIONS! You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good. While you are at it, share it to your kids so they know how brave (and lucky) their parents were. Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!
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Showing posts with label Stay Home Moms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stay Home Moms. Show all posts
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
An Enemy Called Average by L.L. Gibson
Are you on the couch? Are your dreams and goals sitting there with you? You are in the fight of your life, and you must defeat the enemy, the enemy called average. What is average? Are you an average middle class woman? What exactly is that? Is your favorite pastime taking care of the kids or working eight to five Monday thru Friday, then plopping down on the sofa every night watching mindless sitcoms, or is watching CSI your thing? Is that average?
Let's face it, Moms are tired. Every day you take care of kids, do laundry, buy groceries, pick up dry cleaning, clean the house, make dinner, pay the bills, and on and on and on. Or, maybe you work full-time AND do all of the above. But, you love being a Mom. You enjoy every minute you spend with your kids but it is also important to take time out for yourself. You are overworked and underappreciated, but you are not average.
What are your dreams? What is important to you? Would achieving your dreams affect your life, your children's lives, and your grandchildren?
Every great achievement begins with a dream, or vision of something exciting or different, a feeling deep inside that inspires and motivates you to aim higher that you ever have before. What is your vision for your life?
Allow yourself to have big dreams, huge dreams, and gigantic dreams. What others have done before you can do as well. What others have never even thought about, you can do! You may be comfortable. You may plan on retiring in 10, 20, or 30 years, putting a little into a 401k, or IRA and with social security, you plan on being comfortable. Don't be comfortable. Do something great with your life.
Being a modern, 21st century mom is about attitude that is muted only slightly by 2 a.m. feedings. A Hot Mama is a woman who radiates confidence and a woman who loves herself and her family but isn't consumed by the madness of motherhood. She knows how to balance her needs as well as the needs of her family. A Hot Mama has big dreams and goals. A Hot Mama does not settle for average.
Ask yourself these 5 questions, the answers will change your life: 1. If you continue what you're doing now, will you have the kind of life you dream about? 2. What kind of life do you dream about? 3. If the way you are living today is OK, if you are comfortable, can you accept that is all you will ever have? 4. Do you want something so badly that not having it us unacceptable to you? 5. If something comes into your life that will enable you to get what you are looking for, are your ready to go right now?
You can make a difference. You can do something great with your life. You have the power in you, the power of ONE.
Andrew Jackson said, "One man with courage is a majority." One man or woman can stand up and make a difference. George Washington, at a critical point during the Revolutionary War, gathered his men; they were freezing, hungry, they were losing the war. They were not even Americans yet. They were Hampshire men, Virginians, Marylanders. What were they fighting for? Washington looked at his troops and said, "Let only Americans stand watch this night." He gave breath to our Declaration of Independence. The power of One man.
Think back to 1996. Are you where you wanted to be back then? A decade passes quickly. More importantly, you should ask yourself how you are going to live the next ten years of your life. What actions can you take today in order to create a tomorrow that matches your dreams? The year 2016 will surely arrive; the only important question is where you will be.
You don't have time. If you are eighteen do not wait until you are twenty-eight. If you are 60 do not wait until you are seventy, do not wait. There is not enough time to wait to do something great with your life.
Tonight, when you are home, sit down with the one's you love, look them in the eye, tell them you love them, tell them what keeps you up at night, tell them what moves you, tell them what you dream about, then the next day go out and do something great with your life.
Make today the first day of the rest of your life. Get up off the couch, and leave your old friends, dreams and goals. Make new friends like Achievement and Glory, Go for It! If you can dream it, you can do it. You can be anything you want. Do not be comfortable. Be great. Make a difference. There is power in the number One. There is power in You! Do not be average, defeat the enemy. Do something Great with your life.
Aude Aliquid Dignum "Dare Something Worthy" See www.HotMamaBeautyandStyle.com for more articles.
About the Author
L.L.Gibson is the Director of Marketing and Communications for HotMamaBeautyandStyle.com, a top web boutique destination for the active mom. This web site provides a wealth of motivational articles for the mom of today.
Are you on the couch? Are your dreams and goals sitting there with you? You are in the fight of your life, and you must defeat the enemy, the enemy called average. What is average? Are you an average middle class woman? What exactly is that? Is your favorite pastime taking care of the kids or working eight to five Monday thru Friday, then plopping down on the sofa every night watching mindless sitcoms, or is watching CSI your thing? Is that average?
Let's face it, Moms are tired. Every day you take care of kids, do laundry, buy groceries, pick up dry cleaning, clean the house, make dinner, pay the bills, and on and on and on. Or, maybe you work full-time AND do all of the above. But, you love being a Mom. You enjoy every minute you spend with your kids but it is also important to take time out for yourself. You are overworked and underappreciated, but you are not average.
What are your dreams? What is important to you? Would achieving your dreams affect your life, your children's lives, and your grandchildren?
Every great achievement begins with a dream, or vision of something exciting or different, a feeling deep inside that inspires and motivates you to aim higher that you ever have before. What is your vision for your life?
Allow yourself to have big dreams, huge dreams, and gigantic dreams. What others have done before you can do as well. What others have never even thought about, you can do! You may be comfortable. You may plan on retiring in 10, 20, or 30 years, putting a little into a 401k, or IRA and with social security, you plan on being comfortable. Don't be comfortable. Do something great with your life.
Being a modern, 21st century mom is about attitude that is muted only slightly by 2 a.m. feedings. A Hot Mama is a woman who radiates confidence and a woman who loves herself and her family but isn't consumed by the madness of motherhood. She knows how to balance her needs as well as the needs of her family. A Hot Mama has big dreams and goals. A Hot Mama does not settle for average.
Ask yourself these 5 questions, the answers will change your life: 1. If you continue what you're doing now, will you have the kind of life you dream about? 2. What kind of life do you dream about? 3. If the way you are living today is OK, if you are comfortable, can you accept that is all you will ever have? 4. Do you want something so badly that not having it us unacceptable to you? 5. If something comes into your life that will enable you to get what you are looking for, are your ready to go right now?
You can make a difference. You can do something great with your life. You have the power in you, the power of ONE.
Andrew Jackson said, "One man with courage is a majority." One man or woman can stand up and make a difference. George Washington, at a critical point during the Revolutionary War, gathered his men; they were freezing, hungry, they were losing the war. They were not even Americans yet. They were Hampshire men, Virginians, Marylanders. What were they fighting for? Washington looked at his troops and said, "Let only Americans stand watch this night." He gave breath to our Declaration of Independence. The power of One man.
Think back to 1996. Are you where you wanted to be back then? A decade passes quickly. More importantly, you should ask yourself how you are going to live the next ten years of your life. What actions can you take today in order to create a tomorrow that matches your dreams? The year 2016 will surely arrive; the only important question is where you will be.
You don't have time. If you are eighteen do not wait until you are twenty-eight. If you are 60 do not wait until you are seventy, do not wait. There is not enough time to wait to do something great with your life.
Tonight, when you are home, sit down with the one's you love, look them in the eye, tell them you love them, tell them what keeps you up at night, tell them what moves you, tell them what you dream about, then the next day go out and do something great with your life.
Make today the first day of the rest of your life. Get up off the couch, and leave your old friends, dreams and goals. Make new friends like Achievement and Glory, Go for It! If you can dream it, you can do it. You can be anything you want. Do not be comfortable. Be great. Make a difference. There is power in the number One. There is power in You! Do not be average, defeat the enemy. Do something Great with your life.
Aude Aliquid Dignum "Dare Something Worthy" See www.HotMamaBeautyandStyle.com for more articles.
About the Author
L.L.Gibson is the Director of Marketing and Communications for HotMamaBeautyandStyle.com, a top web boutique destination for the active mom. This web site provides a wealth of motivational articles for the mom of today.
Monday, January 8, 2007
Meditation
This article is a lesson for all of us. We could all use more time in meditation.
Is Christian Meditation a way to speak to God? by Jake Aubin
Christian meditation is a way of communicating with God. Christians can use this meditation to clear their minds of the busy thoughts of the day and concentrate solely on worshipping God and learning the truths of the Bible.
Centuries ago, monks began practicing Christian meditation by reading over verses in the Bible and then thinking about the truths in these verses. Often, they would say the verses to God as a prayer. In this way, the monks learned to speak to God in prayer, and learned how to tell God their own thoughts and concerns. By meditating on Bible verses and praying to God, the monks trained their minds to always think about God. They called this "contemplation", and it helped them to have a close, loving relationship with God.
By following this method of communicating with God, the monks created what is called the "ladder of prayer". The rungs of the ladder included reading Bible verses, thinking about the truths in the verses, praying to God, and learning to think about God always.
In the 1900s, two types of Christian meditation were used. Using a mantra, or word that is repeated to help the Christian focus on God, was one type of meditation. An example of a mantra would be the word Maranatha, which is an Aramaic word for "come, Lord". Christians would also use what is called a Centering Prayer, which uses a sacred word or words to bring the Christian into God's presence. These two types of Christian meditation helped the people using them to take their focus off their own problems and to turn to God to hear what He had to say to them.
A woman named St. Theresa of Avila created five steps to help Christians focus on God when praying. These five steps are known as the five R's.
- The first R is Ready: this is the step in which the Christian realizes that he/she is in the presence of God. To be ready to continue in prayer, the Christian thanks God for the many blessings He gives, and confesses any sins. - The second R is Read, and includes reading prayers, spiritual books, and the Bible. - The third R is Reflect. In this step, the Christian focuses on what he/she has just read in order to come closer to God. - The fourth R is Respond. It is at this step that the Christian speaks with God in an open and honest way about what he/she has been reading and thinking about. It is the most important step, as this is when God can share His wisdom and thoughts with the Christian. - The fifth and final R is Resolve. This is when the Christian thanks God for what he/she has learned, and closes the time of prayer.
These different types of Christian meditation can all be useful in helping Christians to meet with God, come close to Him, and learn His truths. Christian meditation does not save a person from their sins; it is a tool that can be used by people who are already saved to build a stronger relationship with God.
Is Christian Meditation a way to speak to God? by Jake Aubin
Christian meditation is a way of communicating with God. Christians can use this meditation to clear their minds of the busy thoughts of the day and concentrate solely on worshipping God and learning the truths of the Bible.
Centuries ago, monks began practicing Christian meditation by reading over verses in the Bible and then thinking about the truths in these verses. Often, they would say the verses to God as a prayer. In this way, the monks learned to speak to God in prayer, and learned how to tell God their own thoughts and concerns. By meditating on Bible verses and praying to God, the monks trained their minds to always think about God. They called this "contemplation", and it helped them to have a close, loving relationship with God.
By following this method of communicating with God, the monks created what is called the "ladder of prayer". The rungs of the ladder included reading Bible verses, thinking about the truths in the verses, praying to God, and learning to think about God always.
In the 1900s, two types of Christian meditation were used. Using a mantra, or word that is repeated to help the Christian focus on God, was one type of meditation. An example of a mantra would be the word Maranatha, which is an Aramaic word for "come, Lord". Christians would also use what is called a Centering Prayer, which uses a sacred word or words to bring the Christian into God's presence. These two types of Christian meditation helped the people using them to take their focus off their own problems and to turn to God to hear what He had to say to them.
A woman named St. Theresa of Avila created five steps to help Christians focus on God when praying. These five steps are known as the five R's.
- The first R is Ready: this is the step in which the Christian realizes that he/she is in the presence of God. To be ready to continue in prayer, the Christian thanks God for the many blessings He gives, and confesses any sins. - The second R is Read, and includes reading prayers, spiritual books, and the Bible. - The third R is Reflect. In this step, the Christian focuses on what he/she has just read in order to come closer to God. - The fourth R is Respond. It is at this step that the Christian speaks with God in an open and honest way about what he/she has been reading and thinking about. It is the most important step, as this is when God can share His wisdom and thoughts with the Christian. - The fifth and final R is Resolve. This is when the Christian thanks God for what he/she has learned, and closes the time of prayer.
These different types of Christian meditation can all be useful in helping Christians to meet with God, come close to Him, and learn His truths. Christian meditation does not save a person from their sins; it is a tool that can be used by people who are already saved to build a stronger relationship with God.
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Helping Your Children Grow
As the mother of a 21 month old, I am reminded that it is never to early to set an example for my son. Just praying that I am raising him to be a God-fearing Christian man is not enough.
Helping Your Children Grow in a Sinful World by Eric Engel
So your kids are getting older and you're worried about how to deal with the world outside your door. When you open it, you're flooded with a multitude of temptations...all inviting your children to join the new order of instant gratification. The seduction is hard enough for adults to deal with, so how can the underdeveloped Christian mind ever hope to resist. Especially when the don't understand the serious harm some of these things can do.
It Starts with Example
Needless to say, it all starts with example. Johnny might not buy into Mom and Dad's strict life policies, but he'll at least always remember it. It'll gnaw at the back of his conscience and continue to urge him towards holiness throughout his life.
And it works the other way too. A bad example from parents will always be an excuse for poor behavior from young adults. Think of how many times you've thought to yourself, "My dad used to do it...it can't be that bad."
But it Doesn't End There
Parenthood calls for more than example. After all, many selfless parents have raised selfish (spoiled) brats. There has to be more. There has to be some intervention. But how much? Do we keep them in a bubble until they're eighteen? Or do we allow them to experience and learn from the world?
This subject is much too large for one article. But there's an important aspect to parenthood that was probably not passed on from our own parents...because when they were parents, it wasn't as big an issue.
The fact is, we're no longer living in a Christian world...and we have to adjust our approach to life. We can no longer rely on any sort of rating system from the entertainment world. We can't trust that our schools (even the Catholic ones) are going to provide a Christian education.
This means that you'll have to pay more attention and teach your kids what it means to be Christian. You have to make them realize that they are different. They have to feel separated from the rest of the world. At first, this could mean something as simple as teaching them not to pay attention to the Jones's. But eventually, they need to know their unique position. They are children of God...and that carry's responsibility.
Telling them once isn't a cure-all. There has to be a continuing reminder that our duty to God comes first. And of course, it'll only work with prayer and example.
Helping Your Children Grow in a Sinful World by Eric Engel
So your kids are getting older and you're worried about how to deal with the world outside your door. When you open it, you're flooded with a multitude of temptations...all inviting your children to join the new order of instant gratification. The seduction is hard enough for adults to deal with, so how can the underdeveloped Christian mind ever hope to resist. Especially when the don't understand the serious harm some of these things can do.
It Starts with Example
Needless to say, it all starts with example. Johnny might not buy into Mom and Dad's strict life policies, but he'll at least always remember it. It'll gnaw at the back of his conscience and continue to urge him towards holiness throughout his life.
And it works the other way too. A bad example from parents will always be an excuse for poor behavior from young adults. Think of how many times you've thought to yourself, "My dad used to do it...it can't be that bad."
But it Doesn't End There
Parenthood calls for more than example. After all, many selfless parents have raised selfish (spoiled) brats. There has to be more. There has to be some intervention. But how much? Do we keep them in a bubble until they're eighteen? Or do we allow them to experience and learn from the world?
This subject is much too large for one article. But there's an important aspect to parenthood that was probably not passed on from our own parents...because when they were parents, it wasn't as big an issue.
The fact is, we're no longer living in a Christian world...and we have to adjust our approach to life. We can no longer rely on any sort of rating system from the entertainment world. We can't trust that our schools (even the Catholic ones) are going to provide a Christian education.
This means that you'll have to pay more attention and teach your kids what it means to be Christian. You have to make them realize that they are different. They have to feel separated from the rest of the world. At first, this could mean something as simple as teaching them not to pay attention to the Jones's. But eventually, they need to know their unique position. They are children of God...and that carry's responsibility.
Telling them once isn't a cure-all. There has to be a continuing reminder that our duty to God comes first. And of course, it'll only work with prayer and example.
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Spend Your Morning With The Lord
It's amazing to me how a gentle reminder to spend time with the Lord can be such an inspiration. My husband gets out of bed at 5:30 each day to get ready for work. Instead of continuing to sleep until 7:30 when my son gets up, I should (and plan to) get up and spend time with the Lord. Like the author says, I will do this for 21 days and see how things change.
Practicing Early Time With God by Demetria Zinga
"Spending time with God is something every Christian woman should set aside time for." Perhaps this is a fairly common statement that we've heard all too often. We all know this to be true, and yet it still seems to be a most incredible struggle to obtain that blessed time with God each and every day of our lives. So, how do we wear all the hats and still have time to be still and quiet in God's presence? How do we make the time to sit quietly before our Savior when our toddlers are stampeding through our living rooms with permanent markers only inches away from our furniture and walls? When do we find the time to say a prayer long enough to our Savior before we are interrupted with "MOM! She hit me!", or "Honey, I can't find my keys!" True, we all wear different hats--some of us are mothers, some of us are married, many of us work from home or have full time jobs outside of the home…but one thing we all have in common is our need for the peace of God in our lives. We ALL need the Lord!With that said, let's talk for a minute about some practical things we can do each day to allow the Lord first place in our lives. We are not only discussing our time in general with God each day, but the fact that we can also give God the first of our day. "Impossible!" you might exclaim…but it's true. We can do this! I am a living witness that despite the busy-ness of each morning, it is VERY possible for me and anyone else to give God the very first few minutes of each of my day. Try the following steps for 21 days and see if you'll notice a difference in your outlook on life. Also note any changes in your relationship with God (you'll most definitely feel more aware of how close the Lord really is to you, especially during many of your stressful times)! In addition, take note of your relationships to your family and friends, and to people around you. As you spend time, and EARLY time with the Lord, you will find your relationships with others changing as YOUR heart changes. Your heart will change because you start to become more like Christ as you draw closer to Him in fellowship each and every morning when you first awake. Here's how I do it:1.)Upon awaking each morning, thank God for a brand new day. Believe it or not, this very small act of gratitude takes you a long way during your stress throughout the day. 2.)Look out your window. Appreciate the nature. Thank God for what you see. Observe the weather. Whether it be raining or sunny, thank God for the weather. If it's raining, don't complain, but thank God for the rain. Thank Him for the sun. Thank Him for the birds in the air, and the trees. Thank God for His handiwork. 3.)If your children and husband are still asleep, that means you still have time to spend with God! So get started! Open your bible and read some scripture, then MEDITATE on it. Think about what it means to you. Consider how you might apply the scriptures to your life that day. 4.)Journal your thoughts and prayers to the Lord. Haven't invested in a journal yet? Get yourself one--it doesn't have to be the cutest and most expensive journal. You could even buy an inexpensive notebook…but do keep one on hand for your prayer times. Keeping a journal will help you monitor your growth in your relationship with Christ throughout the years. 5.)And if you are STILL the only one up for the morning, NOW you can take the time to retreat to a place in your house where you won't awaken anyone, and talk out loud to the Lord. Talking out loud does several things for you. Haven't you noticed that when we simply keep our thoughts inward and never verbalize them, many times they don't feel real to us? But once we verbalize our thoughts, they become tangible. It's the same with our prayers to our Savior. When we can, we should try talking out loud to Him as we would anyone else. It helps us to realize the tangible-ness of our Lord, and that He is as real as talking to our friends and family, and actually hears us. Talking out loud also cements our prayers and thoughts in reality. As our voice echoes our resounding prayers and conversations with God, we are able to hear these prayers with our own ears, and are confirmed with our hearts the truth and reality of our relationship with God, because after all, we were just talking to Him! Do you see how spending time with God first thing upon awaking each morning is not only possible but quite do-able, even for those of us with the most hectic schedules? We can do this! The benefits of spending time with our Savior each morning are awesome. We'll begin to notice our hearts become more pliable to His word. We'll start to notice a difference in our feelings toward others and our relationships with family, friends, and co-workers. We'll find the peace of God transcending our thoughts and minds. We'll begin to notice how strong and steadfast we are as we stand firm in our faith. As God becomes our rock and our fortress, we'll find ourselves unmoved by the chaos and stressors of life. Let's aim to strive for EARLY time with our Savior. Once you begin to implement this discipline, your life is sure to change!-- Demetria Zinga is the founder and owner of www.faith-media.com, a technology and consulting firm which specializes in web design and hosting, graphics and print designs, internet marketing, and e-training. She is also the founder of www.christianladies.net, an interactive ezine, blog, and podcast for Christian women.
About the Author
Demetria Zinga is the founder and owner of www.faith-media.com, a technology and consulting firm which specializes in web design and hosting, graphics and print designs, internet marketing, and e-training. She is also the founder of www.christianladies.net, an interactive ezine, blog, and podcast for Christian women.
Practicing Early Time With God by Demetria Zinga
"Spending time with God is something every Christian woman should set aside time for." Perhaps this is a fairly common statement that we've heard all too often. We all know this to be true, and yet it still seems to be a most incredible struggle to obtain that blessed time with God each and every day of our lives. So, how do we wear all the hats and still have time to be still and quiet in God's presence? How do we make the time to sit quietly before our Savior when our toddlers are stampeding through our living rooms with permanent markers only inches away from our furniture and walls? When do we find the time to say a prayer long enough to our Savior before we are interrupted with "MOM! She hit me!", or "Honey, I can't find my keys!" True, we all wear different hats--some of us are mothers, some of us are married, many of us work from home or have full time jobs outside of the home…but one thing we all have in common is our need for the peace of God in our lives. We ALL need the Lord!With that said, let's talk for a minute about some practical things we can do each day to allow the Lord first place in our lives. We are not only discussing our time in general with God each day, but the fact that we can also give God the first of our day. "Impossible!" you might exclaim…but it's true. We can do this! I am a living witness that despite the busy-ness of each morning, it is VERY possible for me and anyone else to give God the very first few minutes of each of my day. Try the following steps for 21 days and see if you'll notice a difference in your outlook on life. Also note any changes in your relationship with God (you'll most definitely feel more aware of how close the Lord really is to you, especially during many of your stressful times)! In addition, take note of your relationships to your family and friends, and to people around you. As you spend time, and EARLY time with the Lord, you will find your relationships with others changing as YOUR heart changes. Your heart will change because you start to become more like Christ as you draw closer to Him in fellowship each and every morning when you first awake. Here's how I do it:1.)Upon awaking each morning, thank God for a brand new day. Believe it or not, this very small act of gratitude takes you a long way during your stress throughout the day. 2.)Look out your window. Appreciate the nature. Thank God for what you see. Observe the weather. Whether it be raining or sunny, thank God for the weather. If it's raining, don't complain, but thank God for the rain. Thank Him for the sun. Thank Him for the birds in the air, and the trees. Thank God for His handiwork. 3.)If your children and husband are still asleep, that means you still have time to spend with God! So get started! Open your bible and read some scripture, then MEDITATE on it. Think about what it means to you. Consider how you might apply the scriptures to your life that day. 4.)Journal your thoughts and prayers to the Lord. Haven't invested in a journal yet? Get yourself one--it doesn't have to be the cutest and most expensive journal. You could even buy an inexpensive notebook…but do keep one on hand for your prayer times. Keeping a journal will help you monitor your growth in your relationship with Christ throughout the years. 5.)And if you are STILL the only one up for the morning, NOW you can take the time to retreat to a place in your house where you won't awaken anyone, and talk out loud to the Lord. Talking out loud does several things for you. Haven't you noticed that when we simply keep our thoughts inward and never verbalize them, many times they don't feel real to us? But once we verbalize our thoughts, they become tangible. It's the same with our prayers to our Savior. When we can, we should try talking out loud to Him as we would anyone else. It helps us to realize the tangible-ness of our Lord, and that He is as real as talking to our friends and family, and actually hears us. Talking out loud also cements our prayers and thoughts in reality. As our voice echoes our resounding prayers and conversations with God, we are able to hear these prayers with our own ears, and are confirmed with our hearts the truth and reality of our relationship with God, because after all, we were just talking to Him! Do you see how spending time with God first thing upon awaking each morning is not only possible but quite do-able, even for those of us with the most hectic schedules? We can do this! The benefits of spending time with our Savior each morning are awesome. We'll begin to notice our hearts become more pliable to His word. We'll start to notice a difference in our feelings toward others and our relationships with family, friends, and co-workers. We'll find the peace of God transcending our thoughts and minds. We'll begin to notice how strong and steadfast we are as we stand firm in our faith. As God becomes our rock and our fortress, we'll find ourselves unmoved by the chaos and stressors of life. Let's aim to strive for EARLY time with our Savior. Once you begin to implement this discipline, your life is sure to change!-- Demetria Zinga is the founder and owner of www.faith-media.com, a technology and consulting firm which specializes in web design and hosting, graphics and print designs, internet marketing, and e-training. She is also the founder of www.christianladies.net, an interactive ezine, blog, and podcast for Christian women.
About the Author
Demetria Zinga is the founder and owner of www.faith-media.com, a technology and consulting firm which specializes in web design and hosting, graphics and print designs, internet marketing, and e-training. She is also the founder of www.christianladies.net, an interactive ezine, blog, and podcast for Christian women.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Here's more great advice on getting started as a work at home mom. What I like most about this article is that the author, Kara Jankowski, is in New Hampshire. She will be a great contact for me.
7 Ways To Guarantee Success For WAHM (Work At Home Moms) by: Kara Jankowski
Are you a WAHM (work at home mom)? Or maybe you’d like to be one? You’ve made a great decision. As a work at home mom you get the best of both worlds. You are home with your kids so they are being raised by you instead of a daycare worker, and you also are making an income to support your family. Work at home moms have it all – the joy of their children, the mental stimulation of a career, and a stress-free, comfortable work environment. “Wait!” You say, “WAHM jobs are not stress-free!” Well ladies I’m here to tell you it can be done. Consider me your personal WAHM resource for solutions to your work at home problems. Follow these simple steps to create an organized and effective work at home environment. Key to Success #1: Create A Flexible Schedule Babies need to be on a schedule right away. In fact they thrive and actually cry less knowing that they can count on their needs being met regularly. For most babies you can follow a simple schedule of feeding time, followed by activity time, then sleep time. The length varies for each step depending on the age of your child. Activities also vary according to age. Your baby could be staring at a mobile turning above her, playing with brightly colored toys, reading a book with you, or banging away on a drum and singing. Here’s the key – your baby needs to learn how to play on their own as well. So during part of activity time you should allow your baby to enjoy playing alone. This will give you a little “you” time. You can keep a watchful eye on them from across the room, or depending on their age and if they are in a safe area, you can use a baby monitor. Be sure to watch for signs of your baby getting tired. If you delay putting them to bed you can actually miss the window of opportunity and you’ll have a very fussy baby who won’t go to sleep. At the first sign of a yawn or face and eye rubbing, it’s time to put them down for a nap. Then you can knuckle down and accomplish your work tasks. It’s very important for you to list your goals and action steps and do the most important tasks first. That way if baby wakes up early you have already done the most important thing for your day! Repeat this schedule throughout your day so you and your baby know what to expect and when. They won’t adapt to this overnight, be patient and keep at it. And remember that the length of each cycle will continually change as they grow. Stay flexible while still maintaining the cycle of feeding, activity then sleep. Key to Success #2: You Can Only Do What You Can Do This is so important for WAHM work at home moms. Think about it a second. You can only do what you can do. There is no sense in worrying that your day didn’t go as planned and you didn’t achieve this or that. Get used to it! You have an important job here, and that is taking care of your little one. Work is important and has its place but you have a responsibility to keep yourself healthy and sane. If your baby has a meltdown and you’re unable to get to your work for another hour, so be it. Don’t waste energy worrying or fretting about it. If you’re going to be successful you’ll have to work at odd times and make sacrifices here and there. Maybe you’ll do a little work after baby is in bed for the night, maybe you skip some TV time. Do what you can, when you can, and feel proud that you are taking steps every single day towards your goal – a happy baby and a successful mommy! Also, consider working for yourself in a home business instead of working an at-home “job”. You’ll have much less stress because you’ll answer to you, not your boss, and you won’t feel like you’re trying to compete with the others at the office. Plus, you’ll be earning money for yourself and growing your business instead of working to make your boss rich. Key to Success #3: Practice Good Self-Care During your baby’s alone activity time and his sleep time you can get a lot of work done. But don’t forget that you need to take care of YOU! Without you at your emotional best even the smallest thing can turn you into a walking time bomb. Take the time to relax in a hot bath, read an inspirational book, get a massage, take a walk alone, or whatever helps you to clear your mind and focus on you. You are the most important part of this equation! Key to Success #4: Ask For Help So often we think we’re alone, or that we’re weak if we ask for help. This is a time in our lives that we need help more than ever. We just can’t possibly do it all. So ask your family, friends and neighbors to assist your efforts. Whether it’s for babysitting (even if you’re there at your desk working) or buying groceries, enlist the support of others so you can have a break or accomplish a task. You deserve it! Key to Success #5: Exercise It doesn’t matter if you do yoga, go to the gym, walk the neighborhood, hike the trails or use a climbing wall. Be active every day. Exercise keeps you young, stimulates those “feel good” hormones in your body, refreshes you mentally, and helps get rid of those pregnancy pounds too. Don’t beat yourself up with an unrealistic exercise program. Just work it into your day. You can even space it out. Studies show that 10 minutes of exercise three times a day is just as beneficial as 30 minutes at one time. The important thing is to do it regularly, and preferably every day. Key to Success #6: Be Grateful Every Day This is so important. Do this in the morning while you brush your teeth, shower, or even while feeding baby. Run through in your mind everything you are grateful for. You can begin thinking “I am so happy and grateful that…my family is healthy, we have this roof over our head, we are warm and safe, my parents live close by, we have food in the pantry, I have the ability to work from home, I have the skills I need to succeed, I have access to the internet to maintain a business” etc… Don’t skip this step. It will put you in the right frame of mind to accomplish your goals every day. Key to Success #7: Maximize Your Work Time As a work at home mom your attention is constantly being pulled in many directions. It’s so important that the time you spend working is maximized. What do I mean by maximizing your time? I mean be sure that your efforts have a clear and substantial reward. It makes no sense to take time away from your children if you’re not well compensated. In my business I make at least $1000 per transaction, so I always know my time is well spent. You also want to utilize the concept of leverage in your business. There should be a system in place so that you do the work once, but keep benefiting from those initial efforts later on, without more time or input from you. Using these keys to success will create a happier and healthier you and baby, as well as a more productive business. As a work at home mom you need to be so careful to maintain balance in your life. Using a WAHM resource such as this, as well as other books or articles, can help you eliminate stress and accomplish more each day. For more information visit http://www.FollowALeader.com/wahm Remember these keys to success to protect your sanity and live at your best, and your personal and business success will grow every day.
About The Author
Kara Jankowski is a WAHM who specializes in teaching others how to build a successful home business in their part time. If you would like to speak to Kara or learn more about her home business experience visit http://www.FollowALeader.com/wahm or call her directly at 603-664-3553.
7 Ways To Guarantee Success For WAHM (Work At Home Moms) by: Kara Jankowski
Are you a WAHM (work at home mom)? Or maybe you’d like to be one? You’ve made a great decision. As a work at home mom you get the best of both worlds. You are home with your kids so they are being raised by you instead of a daycare worker, and you also are making an income to support your family. Work at home moms have it all – the joy of their children, the mental stimulation of a career, and a stress-free, comfortable work environment. “Wait!” You say, “WAHM jobs are not stress-free!” Well ladies I’m here to tell you it can be done. Consider me your personal WAHM resource for solutions to your work at home problems. Follow these simple steps to create an organized and effective work at home environment. Key to Success #1: Create A Flexible Schedule Babies need to be on a schedule right away. In fact they thrive and actually cry less knowing that they can count on their needs being met regularly. For most babies you can follow a simple schedule of feeding time, followed by activity time, then sleep time. The length varies for each step depending on the age of your child. Activities also vary according to age. Your baby could be staring at a mobile turning above her, playing with brightly colored toys, reading a book with you, or banging away on a drum and singing. Here’s the key – your baby needs to learn how to play on their own as well. So during part of activity time you should allow your baby to enjoy playing alone. This will give you a little “you” time. You can keep a watchful eye on them from across the room, or depending on their age and if they are in a safe area, you can use a baby monitor. Be sure to watch for signs of your baby getting tired. If you delay putting them to bed you can actually miss the window of opportunity and you’ll have a very fussy baby who won’t go to sleep. At the first sign of a yawn or face and eye rubbing, it’s time to put them down for a nap. Then you can knuckle down and accomplish your work tasks. It’s very important for you to list your goals and action steps and do the most important tasks first. That way if baby wakes up early you have already done the most important thing for your day! Repeat this schedule throughout your day so you and your baby know what to expect and when. They won’t adapt to this overnight, be patient and keep at it. And remember that the length of each cycle will continually change as they grow. Stay flexible while still maintaining the cycle of feeding, activity then sleep. Key to Success #2: You Can Only Do What You Can Do This is so important for WAHM work at home moms. Think about it a second. You can only do what you can do. There is no sense in worrying that your day didn’t go as planned and you didn’t achieve this or that. Get used to it! You have an important job here, and that is taking care of your little one. Work is important and has its place but you have a responsibility to keep yourself healthy and sane. If your baby has a meltdown and you’re unable to get to your work for another hour, so be it. Don’t waste energy worrying or fretting about it. If you’re going to be successful you’ll have to work at odd times and make sacrifices here and there. Maybe you’ll do a little work after baby is in bed for the night, maybe you skip some TV time. Do what you can, when you can, and feel proud that you are taking steps every single day towards your goal – a happy baby and a successful mommy! Also, consider working for yourself in a home business instead of working an at-home “job”. You’ll have much less stress because you’ll answer to you, not your boss, and you won’t feel like you’re trying to compete with the others at the office. Plus, you’ll be earning money for yourself and growing your business instead of working to make your boss rich. Key to Success #3: Practice Good Self-Care During your baby’s alone activity time and his sleep time you can get a lot of work done. But don’t forget that you need to take care of YOU! Without you at your emotional best even the smallest thing can turn you into a walking time bomb. Take the time to relax in a hot bath, read an inspirational book, get a massage, take a walk alone, or whatever helps you to clear your mind and focus on you. You are the most important part of this equation! Key to Success #4: Ask For Help So often we think we’re alone, or that we’re weak if we ask for help. This is a time in our lives that we need help more than ever. We just can’t possibly do it all. So ask your family, friends and neighbors to assist your efforts. Whether it’s for babysitting (even if you’re there at your desk working) or buying groceries, enlist the support of others so you can have a break or accomplish a task. You deserve it! Key to Success #5: Exercise It doesn’t matter if you do yoga, go to the gym, walk the neighborhood, hike the trails or use a climbing wall. Be active every day. Exercise keeps you young, stimulates those “feel good” hormones in your body, refreshes you mentally, and helps get rid of those pregnancy pounds too. Don’t beat yourself up with an unrealistic exercise program. Just work it into your day. You can even space it out. Studies show that 10 minutes of exercise three times a day is just as beneficial as 30 minutes at one time. The important thing is to do it regularly, and preferably every day. Key to Success #6: Be Grateful Every Day This is so important. Do this in the morning while you brush your teeth, shower, or even while feeding baby. Run through in your mind everything you are grateful for. You can begin thinking “I am so happy and grateful that…my family is healthy, we have this roof over our head, we are warm and safe, my parents live close by, we have food in the pantry, I have the ability to work from home, I have the skills I need to succeed, I have access to the internet to maintain a business” etc… Don’t skip this step. It will put you in the right frame of mind to accomplish your goals every day. Key to Success #7: Maximize Your Work Time As a work at home mom your attention is constantly being pulled in many directions. It’s so important that the time you spend working is maximized. What do I mean by maximizing your time? I mean be sure that your efforts have a clear and substantial reward. It makes no sense to take time away from your children if you’re not well compensated. In my business I make at least $1000 per transaction, so I always know my time is well spent. You also want to utilize the concept of leverage in your business. There should be a system in place so that you do the work once, but keep benefiting from those initial efforts later on, without more time or input from you. Using these keys to success will create a happier and healthier you and baby, as well as a more productive business. As a work at home mom you need to be so careful to maintain balance in your life. Using a WAHM resource such as this, as well as other books or articles, can help you eliminate stress and accomplish more each day. For more information visit http://www.FollowALeader.com/wahm Remember these keys to success to protect your sanity and live at your best, and your personal and business success will grow every day.
About The Author
Kara Jankowski is a WAHM who specializes in teaching others how to build a successful home business in their part time. If you would like to speak to Kara or learn more about her home business experience visit http://www.FollowALeader.com/wahm or call her directly at 603-664-3553.
Wooo Whoo - I am hitting a jackpot of information. All I needed to do was sit down and look for it. Of course, I did need to sort through all those phony/scam sites, but once I did....
Here's another article on working from home. The author, Judy Taylor, gives good information to know before you start.
Stay at Home Moms and Dads; Let's Make Money from Home! by: Judy Taylor
I am always advised by some of my friends and relatives that I'd better to find a job and spend some time out of home. I really don't know why they advise me to do that while they are not happy with their jobs, getting up early morning everyday, taking the kids to daycare or leaving them with the babysitter and ... . The worst part of their life is the money they make with their full time jobs. The luckiest one can have 10 bucks per hour after paying tax. They also have to pay for gas and other expenses that their cars have every month. So what advantages does working out of home have for them? Why do they encourage me to do something that they are not happy with it? The advice I always give them is much better. I advise them to stay at home and let their kids grow under their nose. They don't know how pleasant it is when you see your baby takes his first step or says his first word. Most of them are used to hear these news from their babysitters. You may be a mom or dad with the same issues and problems with your full time job. I don't want to ask you to quit your full time job right away, stay at home and think about working from home. I always try to teach people on my weblog and articles to be broad-minded and not to make any limitation for themselves. They can use their extra time they will have when their kids are slept or at the weekend to find some extra streams of income. Even if you don't need to make any more money and you are happy with your current income but sooner or later you will need some more money. Your children will grow up and there will be many new things that you will have to provide for them. So it does worth if you spend some of the time you are used to spend to take nap or watching TV on finding good ways to create some new streams of income. But how to get started? 1- First of all please keep in your mind that I do not want to tell you that you will become rich by working from home in a few weeks or even months. In fact you have to avoid all the get rich quick programs. I emphasized on this because I know as soon as people decide to try a working at home business, they turn on their computers, look for a easy work at home job that fits stay at home mothers or dads. It is the time that they can be cheated by scammers. So this is the first thing that you have to take into consideration if you want to work at home and make some extra money. 2- You need to get organized for spending some time on this business every week. This is like other businesses. Only serious and organized people can succeed. If you are a person who starts several businesses and becomes interested in different things but gives up at the first steps or if you become interested in different things just because one of your friends or relatives calls you and talk about it for a few minutes and then you lose your interest even before trying, just because one of your other friends calls you and says she doesn't like it because of this and that, then you have to change yourself before you start a work at home business and become a stay at home mom (or dad). I have been working from home online for many years. I could achieve to refer 22,000 people to one of the legitimate work at home programs and teach them everything that I knew but only few of them could make money. Not that it was hard to do. It was not hard because I could do it and a lot of other people could do it before me. Just because they were not serious and organized. They had not made a serious decision. This is the most important step. If you decide seriously and then take action and don't give up, you will be able to become a successful stay at home mom who not only enjoys being with her family and children - and of course her children enjoy her presence at home - but can make reasonable amount of money. 3- Improve some of your computer skills. You don't have to be a rocket scientists to work at home but you need to know the basics of computer and internet. When you want to work online and through the internet, you will be dealing with these terms very frequently: - website - weblog - web directory - email - link - search engine - search engine optimization - electronic newsletter or ezine - autoresponder - forums or discussion boards - internet marketing - advertising - email advertising - banner and banner advertising - pay per click advertising and pay per click search engines (PPC) - joint venture - link exchange - domain registration - web hosting - auction websites; e.g. eBay Do not scare if you have not heard about some of the above terms. They are very easy. Soon you will know that working from home and through the internet is much easier than what you thought. Just open one of the main search engines like Google and enter any of the above terms that you are not familiar with. You don't have to learn in detail. Just the basics is enough for getting started. 4- After improving your knowledge, decide what you want to do to make money. There are zillions of ways to make money from home by using your computer. You will have main options: - Sell your own products or services - Sell others' products or services Don't think that you have to have a factory for having a product which can be sold through the internet. Your product can be very simple things from candle, wooden cross and ... to your articles, cookie recipes and e-books. It is also as easy as 1, 2, 3 to promote others products and earn commissions. There are thousands of affiliate programs that you can join and become able to promote thousands of different products. Some affiliate programs pay as much as 75% commission to the affiliates. Good Luck! =============================== Copyright 2006 Judy Taylor. She is a stay at home mom who has been working from home since 2001. Visit her new weblog: Stay at home mom.
Here's another article on working from home. The author, Judy Taylor, gives good information to know before you start.
Stay at Home Moms and Dads; Let's Make Money from Home! by: Judy Taylor
I am always advised by some of my friends and relatives that I'd better to find a job and spend some time out of home. I really don't know why they advise me to do that while they are not happy with their jobs, getting up early morning everyday, taking the kids to daycare or leaving them with the babysitter and ... . The worst part of their life is the money they make with their full time jobs. The luckiest one can have 10 bucks per hour after paying tax. They also have to pay for gas and other expenses that their cars have every month. So what advantages does working out of home have for them? Why do they encourage me to do something that they are not happy with it? The advice I always give them is much better. I advise them to stay at home and let their kids grow under their nose. They don't know how pleasant it is when you see your baby takes his first step or says his first word. Most of them are used to hear these news from their babysitters. You may be a mom or dad with the same issues and problems with your full time job. I don't want to ask you to quit your full time job right away, stay at home and think about working from home. I always try to teach people on my weblog and articles to be broad-minded and not to make any limitation for themselves. They can use their extra time they will have when their kids are slept or at the weekend to find some extra streams of income. Even if you don't need to make any more money and you are happy with your current income but sooner or later you will need some more money. Your children will grow up and there will be many new things that you will have to provide for them. So it does worth if you spend some of the time you are used to spend to take nap or watching TV on finding good ways to create some new streams of income. But how to get started? 1- First of all please keep in your mind that I do not want to tell you that you will become rich by working from home in a few weeks or even months. In fact you have to avoid all the get rich quick programs. I emphasized on this because I know as soon as people decide to try a working at home business, they turn on their computers, look for a easy work at home job that fits stay at home mothers or dads. It is the time that they can be cheated by scammers. So this is the first thing that you have to take into consideration if you want to work at home and make some extra money. 2- You need to get organized for spending some time on this business every week. This is like other businesses. Only serious and organized people can succeed. If you are a person who starts several businesses and becomes interested in different things but gives up at the first steps or if you become interested in different things just because one of your friends or relatives calls you and talk about it for a few minutes and then you lose your interest even before trying, just because one of your other friends calls you and says she doesn't like it because of this and that, then you have to change yourself before you start a work at home business and become a stay at home mom (or dad). I have been working from home online for many years. I could achieve to refer 22,000 people to one of the legitimate work at home programs and teach them everything that I knew but only few of them could make money. Not that it was hard to do. It was not hard because I could do it and a lot of other people could do it before me. Just because they were not serious and organized. They had not made a serious decision. This is the most important step. If you decide seriously and then take action and don't give up, you will be able to become a successful stay at home mom who not only enjoys being with her family and children - and of course her children enjoy her presence at home - but can make reasonable amount of money. 3- Improve some of your computer skills. You don't have to be a rocket scientists to work at home but you need to know the basics of computer and internet. When you want to work online and through the internet, you will be dealing with these terms very frequently: - website - weblog - web directory - email - link - search engine - search engine optimization - electronic newsletter or ezine - autoresponder - forums or discussion boards - internet marketing - advertising - email advertising - banner and banner advertising - pay per click advertising and pay per click search engines (PPC) - joint venture - link exchange - domain registration - web hosting - auction websites; e.g. eBay Do not scare if you have not heard about some of the above terms. They are very easy. Soon you will know that working from home and through the internet is much easier than what you thought. Just open one of the main search engines like Google and enter any of the above terms that you are not familiar with. You don't have to learn in detail. Just the basics is enough for getting started. 4- After improving your knowledge, decide what you want to do to make money. There are zillions of ways to make money from home by using your computer. You will have main options: - Sell your own products or services - Sell others' products or services Don't think that you have to have a factory for having a product which can be sold through the internet. Your product can be very simple things from candle, wooden cross and ... to your articles, cookie recipes and e-books. It is also as easy as 1, 2, 3 to promote others products and earn commissions. There are thousands of affiliate programs that you can join and become able to promote thousands of different products. Some affiliate programs pay as much as 75% commission to the affiliates. Good Luck! =============================== Copyright 2006 Judy Taylor. She is a stay at home mom who has been working from home since 2001. Visit her new weblog: Stay at home mom.
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