What is a Mother - Part 2

Below is part two in the Godly Mother series. This article has made me stop and question my life. Am I an honorable woman? Are you an honorable woman?

What is a Mother? part #2 by Sue C.
Characteristics of a godly mother:
A godly, virtuous mother is an honorable woman. Proverbs 31:28 says, "Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her." A mother should cause her children to honor her by being honorable, that is, by living a life deserving of honor.
The Bible gives many characteristics of an honorable woman. Following are some of them:
1. An honorable woman deserves a place of dignity or distinction. Psalm 45:9 says, "Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir." I realize that this passage is partly allegorical. However, all true believers are children of the King of Kings, and a godly mother is one of God's honorable women, decked out in God's riches.
2. An honorable woman seeks to live holy. She is not focused on fulfilling her own pleasures and her own desires; rather her heart longs to honour God. "If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD." (Isaiah 58:13,14a)
3. An honorable woman is humble; humility brings her honor. Proverbs 15:33 says, "The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility."
4. An honorable woman is content. Humility and a contented heart go together. In I Corinthians 12:23-25 God's word says, "And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another."
These verses are specifically talking about Christian members which serve in the church. They make reference to both the physical and spiritual body. Some members of the church body are women. Women are also members of a family unit. A body part or member that is humble does not adorn herself in gaudy apparel or go about looking for attention. She is quiet and content, doing her job faithfully and without complaint. When others see this, they look upon her with respect and honour.
I Peter 3:7 says that the wife is the weaker vessel in the home. She is a body part that has need. Therefore more abundant honor is bestowed upon her, and respect and care is given her which makes her more comely.
5. A honorable woman is highly esteemed by others. In Proverbs 31:31, God says, "Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates."
6. An honorable woman is gracious. The first part of Proverbs 11:16 says, "A gracious woman retaineth honour." According to Strongs Concordance, to be gracious means to be kind and pleasant. Proverbs 31:26 says this about an honorable woman, "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." A kind, pleasant woman is able to maintain honor. People remember her for her godly example and for her helpful words and works.
7. An honorable woman does not cause strife or contention and does not meddle in the affairs of others. Proverbs 17:14 says, "The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with." When a woman shows thoughtful concern for others without trying to interfere in their lives, others respect and honor her. They know that she truly cares about them.
8. An honorable woman is righteous and merciful. According to Proverbs 21:21, a person "...that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour." Honor comes from an upright life and merciful kindness to others even when they don't deserve kindness.
There are several more characteristics of a godly, honorable mother; and these will be enumerated in part #3. What a tremendous responsibility it is for a mother to be a godly woman. But a godly woman reaps the honor of others, the respect of her husband and children, and a life that leaves an example for others to follow. A godly mother lives a life that causes others to see how great and good God is.
(All Scripture verses quoted from KJV)
by Sue C.
About the Author
I was born to missionary parents in the country of Papua New Guinea. Because my parents faithfully taught me God's word, I accepted Jesus as Saviour at an early age. The Lord gave me a godly mother, and her life helped me to see the things described in this article. May this article encourage you.

Your Relationship with the Lord

I loved this article so much that I read portions of it out loud to my husband. It is so important for us to seek out a personal relationship with the Lord. It's what He wants!

Worship Through Relationship....Are You Seeking God's Face or His Hand? by Karen Wolff

Have you ever spent time with one of your kids where all you did was just "hang out?" If you have grown kids, and you ask them what they remember most about their childhood, I would bet they recall a time where you spent an afternoon participating in some fun activity.

As parents, it sometimes takes a while for us to discover that the thing our kids want most from us is our time. But oh, time always seems to be the thing we find in short supply.

I remember when my son was about 4 years old. He attended a local preschool, but it was only a few mornings a week so, very often, I had this four year old who wanted my time. Every day. All day.......

So I would play board games with him in the afternoons. I remember he and I would always claim to be "Champion of the World" when one of us would win. Of course, beating a 4 year old isn't exactly something to brag about on my resume, but nonetheless, I always made sure the title passed back and forth....sometimes.

My son and I both fondly recall those days as very special times when we built a relationship. And the truth is....I had a hard time saying no to my son after all that relationship building. I knew my son wasn't hanging out with me just for what he could get me to buy him, but the relationship we built meant that when he did ask for something, my heart was more than willing to consider it.

Why is it so difficult to see that as a parent, God is no different? There are some who see God as a giant Santa Claus. You simply submit your wish list and wake up one morning to find that all is well. They fail to realize that relationship is everything. It's the one thing God wants more than anything else. And it's when we take the time to seek God's face, which is simply that ongoing relationship with Him, that He extends His hand because His heart is open to hear all we have to say.

A few weeks ago I read an amazing book called, "Daily Inspirations for Finding Favor with the King", by Tommey Tenney. In this book it talked about the importance and relevence of Christian praise and worship in building a relationship with God. What impressed me was the author's insistence that praise and worship must be directed to God's face and NOT His hand. If your motive is to love God, to spend time with God, to truly want to be in God's presence, then your praise and worship will be met by God with open arms.

If, however, your motive is to try to earn a blessing, or to impress those around you, or even to fulfill some sense of obligation, you've missed the boat....Completely.

So how do you know if your relationship with God is centered around His face or simply His hand? What can you do to make sure your motive is pure as you praise and worship God?


Spend most of your time with God in praise and worship. Letting God know how much you love and appreciate Him never gets old to God. In fact, praise and worship is the key that opens God's heart.

Come to God just as you are with an open heart. Letting God see ALL that's in your heart, good or bad, lets God know that you value your relationship enough to let Him see it all and do whatever He needs to do.

Look for opportunities to offer God praise and worship in things around you. All you need to do is see a beautiful sunset or one of the many other wonders of nature to offer God praise and thanksgiving for that miraculous blessing. God appreciates a grateful heart.

Don't be afraid to show God how you truly feel as you worship Him. There are those who don't feel comfortable raising their hands or showing any emotion during worship services. Yet those same people can be found at sporting events or concerts whooping, clapping, and hollering as if it really mattered.
I'm not saying you have to jump up and down or shout, but simply standing with open hands shows God that your heart is open and you want to feel God's presence. And most importantly.....

Don't judge, look down on, or criticize someone else because they want to show emotions and energy as they worship. Just because you aren't in the same place in your spiritual walk as they are doesn't mean what they're doing is inappropriate or wrong. Concentrate on worshipping God yourself so your focus remains on building your own relationship with God.
Christian praise and worship can be one of the most powerful ways to help you build your relationship with God. There is nothing better than feeling the love, peace, and acceptance that you feel when God's presence is all around you.

But just remember, like a parent, God is looking for that ongoing relationship. When He sees your open heart and your desire to get to know Him for who He is, His heart opens to hear all you have to say.

What a concept......seeking God's face and then feeling the blessings from His hand.

For more help on this topic, go to "The Key to Unlocking God's Door"


About the Author
Karen Wolff is the founder of www.christian-books-for-women.com, a place where women will find info, tips, and help with issues like overcoming fear, jealousy, and building self esteem. Find book reviews, recommendations, and submit your favorite books so you can be a blessing to someone else.

Verse of the Day

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
Matthew 7:7 (Read all of Matthew 7)
New International Version

My Thoughts:
Our God is an Awesome God. He continually answers our prayers. Prayers may not be answered right away or in the way we think they should be answered, but they are answered never-the-less.
Prior to getting married, I asked the Lord to strengthen my relationship with my soon to be husband. Shortly after, my finance was diagnosed with cancer. I know what your thinking, that's not an answered prayer. Believe me, it was hard for me to see at the time. I had to take a step back from the situation and a particulary tough moment during the bout with cancer to see that it really was an answer to a prayer. Was this the way I wanted my prayer to be answered? Of course not. However, it made me see what was really important in life; our love for the Lord and our love for each other! I believe, in my heart of hearts, that the cancer brought us closer together and made us stronger. After dealing with cancer at such a young age and so early in our relationship, we realize that there is nothing that we can't handle together.

Something to think About

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?!


Christian mom
Christian women
stay at home mom
stay home mom

Believe!

This article was screaming at me. It was saying, "Read me, you need to read me. This is you. You have done these things. Do you always seek God first in every situation?" Recently, we have been struggling with our budget and have come to the conclusion that I need to return to work by February. The first week, I did nothing but worry about it and fret over it. Then, a light went on. I knew I needed to trust that the Lord would provide and make something happen for me. Things are happening now that just might allow me to stay home with my son. Trust and Faith are all it takes.

Christians in America - An Unbelieving Generation?
In a lot of ways I'm pretty average. I may be a bit taller than some, and probably weigh more than I should, but there isn't really anything extraordinary about me. So when I read the stories in the Bible, and think about how the majority of the people who were there reacted, I assume that I would have done what everyone else was doing. One example is the story in Mark 9:14-29 about a father who brought his demon-possessed son to be healed. When the father came to the disciples, Jesus wasn't there. He was with Peter, James, and John and they were on their way back from the mountain where they had seen Jesus transfigured before their eyes. As they approached the other disciples they noticed that a large crowd had gathered, and that the teachers of the law were arguing with them. When Jesus asked what they were arguing about, the man whose son was demon-possessed came and explained to Him how his son was being tormented by the spirit, and that he had asked the disciples to cast it out, but they hadn't been able to. It's at this point that Jesus says, "O unbelieving generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me." (Mark 9:19) Like I said, I'm pretty average. If I had been one of the disciples it's a good bet that I would have been in the middle of the crowd, arguing with the teachers, and trying to figure out why I hadn't been able to cast them demon out. And it's not like casting out demons was a foreign concept to them. When we look at Mark chapter 6 we see that Jesus sent them out, two by two, and gave them authority over demons. This was actually something that they had done before. But when I look at my life, I realize that even though there are things that I've done before, it doesn't mean that it will be easy for me to do it again. All I have to do is look at how I spent the last few days, or weeks, in my life and realize that Jesus could very well look at me and say, "O unbelieving Rob, how long will I have to stay with you? How long will I have to keep reminding you of all that I've already taught you?" I don't know about you, but when I'm faced with a new problem, or just an ongoing old one, I tend to forget all that God has already done for me. When struggling with financial issues I usually get discouraged and depressed. I focus too much on the problem, or what I don't have, and I forget that all things are possible with God. One of the scriptures that I battle with the most is in Matthew 6:28-34, especially verse 33 which says, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." I find myself worrying about what I'll eat, or wear, or how I'll pay my mortgage this month. In other words, I worry about "all these things." This verse isn't hard for us because God is asking to do something that is impossible. We have difficulties with it because it's so unnatural. If we look around us we can see dozens, hundreds, maybe even millions of examples of people who worry about how they are going survive, let alone doing any better than that. The fact that we worry about it is normal in the sense that it's something everyone does. But I wonder if Jesus would look at us, those of us in America and other countries where the Word of God is readily available, and just shake His head in frustration. Would He look at us and say, "O unbelieving generation, when are you going to finally understand? When are you finally going to believe?" We are surrounded with God's word, it's being preached in our pulpits, over the airwaves, and at us in our daily email devotionals, but do we believe it? In all fairness it is a frightening thing, the prospect of really believing God's word, or really trusting Him. And it's not about us having to do anything that is really crazy, or risky, but just trusting Him with our daily battles. It's sad to think that Christians in America are just as likely to get divorced, struggle just as much as everyone else financially, and are just as unhappy with their lives as people who don't believe in God at all. But I know that taking a step to trust God, to begin to pray with the expectation that He will answer and do amazing things in our lives, won't be easy. Too often we end up like the disciples who watched helplessly as a demon-possessed boy fell to the ground and foamed at the mouth. We end up overwhelmed by our circumstances and unable to see how God can change things. Because I'm not particularly extraordinary, I'm just an average Christian; I have to realize that the same thing applies to me that applies to everyone else. I have to allow God to change me. I need to ask Him to open my eyes so that I can see beyond what's happening to me and finally see what's possible with God. I must let Him put my faith to the test so that He can remove my doubts. And even though that will be hard, the reward is that I will finally begin to truly have faith in God. About the Author Get two chapters from Rob Marshall's book, "Taking On Goliath - How To Unleash The David In All Of Us" when you sign up for his free weekly Faith-Full Life Newsletter. Visit: http://www.takingongoliath.com/

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.

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.

MOPS

Today was my MOPS day. MOPS, if you don't already know, stands for Mothers of Pre-Schoolers. I found MOPS after moving to New Hampshire and feeling a bit isolated. I had just quit my job, which was a tough decision for me to make, and moved to a small town where I didn't know anyone. The women I did meet were other mothers at town mommy and child activites. These other women were not fast to warm up to the idea of a new mommy in town. With these feelings of isolation (and feeling like I was on the outside of a high school clique) made me reach out to friends out of town via email. Both friends were (and still are) stay at home moms. One was in California and the other in Florida. Both mentioned MOPS to me. After getting both of their emails, I decided it was time to Google MOPS. I learned that it is an organization for women with pre-school aged children to get together and learn about a variety of topics. In an effort to make it all about the moms, MOPS has a child care program that allows each mom to put their child(ren) in the care of responsible adults while the mom gets to enjoy herself with other women.

The only MOPS in my area is a 45 minute drive. I must say, however, that the 45 minute drive is so worth it for me. The group of women that I met the first year were wonderful. Each of them had their own individual thing to offer and inspire. I found it to be a wonderful time of fellowship with other Christian women. The bonus for me was this: most of the women were not originally from the area, so they understood what I was going through and were very supportive. In addition to these things, I have made some very dear and close friends.

Today's discussion was about communication. Communication with your children, spouse, and family. The guest speaker has a 15 year old, 18 year old and 20 year old. She was very effective and gave some helpful information. Communication with your children I found to be the most informative of all. As my son is growing in his verbal communication skills, I am looking forward to engaging him in meaningful conversation. The one point I found most impressive was that she started a routine with her kids at a very young age of debriefing them about their day each and every day. They sit around their kitchen table and have a snack after school and talk about interesting things that happened during their day. She has been doing it since they have all been in pre-school. What this set into motion was a routine, so that when she asks her kids the same questions now, in their teenage years, her kids do not view her as an interferring mom. It's a simple idea, but a very effective idea. It has built an open and honest household where the kids feel comfortable sharing information.

MOPS
Christian+Mom
Stay+Home+Mom
Stay+At+Home+Mom

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.

Be Careful What You Say

In my search today, I am focusing on being a Christian mother more than on what I can do to earn money from home. I found this article by Lara Velez about the way we speak to our children and husbands. How our negative thoughts directly influence what comes out of our mouths. My goal, after reading this, is to take a deep breath when I have reached the end of my rope; to step back and look at the little person I love or my husband and think about the reasons I love them before I speak harshly. If I make the effort often enough, maybe it will become a habit.

A Mother's Battle by Lara Velez
A Mother's Battle By: Lara VelezThe tongue is such a tiny little organ. Yet, it can be one of the most powerful weapons. James 3 has a lot to say about the tongue… I suggest that you read the entire chapter. (It's very short)… Anyway, verse 6 says; And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is a world of wickedness set among our members, contaminating and depraving the whole body… Whew, those are some strong words…but, wait, that's not all. Proverbs 18:21 tells us; Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it for death or life. It is scary to think that my mouth has that much power. As Christian Mothers we have a great call on our lives to train our children up…Are we speaking life to them? If not, it is never too late with God. He makes all things new. I know that in my own life…I do not always choose my words wisely. I get angry and say stupid things. Do you? Proverbs 29:11 says; A self confident fool utters all of his anger, but a wise man holds it back and stills it. The original Hebrew word for "utters" is ruwach (roo'vakh). It means a violent exhalation, anger, unsubstantiability, blast, and whirlwind. That means, when we lose our temper and spew out our anger…it's like what a hurricane does when it hits land. It destroys everything in its path. I don't know about you, but I can have some pretty nasty storms come out of my mouth at times…Ephesians 4:26 says; When angry do not sin; do not let your wrath last until the sun goes down. This tells me that it's OK to get angry…it's normal. We don't have to walk around holding everything in. We do however, have to express our anger without yelling, cursing, violence, name calling, etc. That is where the anger becomes sin. How do we accomplish getting angry without sinning?Well, before we can learn that, we must explore the subject of anger more deeply.There are two types of anger mentioned in the Bible; justifiable and unjustifiable. Here are some examples of both:UNJUSTIFIABLE ANGER Cain - in Genesis 4:5-6: His anger came from not getting praise and approval that he felt was deserved. He thought too highly of himself and, was filled with jealousy.Jonah - in Jonah 4:1-9: His anger came from rebellion. First, he ran from doing what God told him to do. Then, when he finally did, he had distain and apathy towards the people that he was called to minister to. He thought too highly of himself and lacked pity.The Sadducees - in Acts 5:17: They were filled with jealousy, indignation, and rage. Why? Because, the Apostles were held in high regard, for the signs and wonders God gave them the power to perform.JUSTIFIABLE ANGER Moses - in Exodus 32:19: Moses was up on the mountain pleading with God, not to destroy the Israelites. And, there down below building a golden calf to worship. When he came down and saw their disobedience, he got very angry…and burned it!Samuel - in I Samuel 15:16-31: Samuel was angry with Saul because, he had disobeyed the Lord. He had become rebellious and stubborn. Samuel then told Saul that God had rejected him as king…high price for disobedience.Jesus - in Mark 3:5: Jesus became angry with the Pharisees because, of the hardening of their hearts. He was going to heal a man on the Sabbath. They had a religious spirit.When I looked at these examples, it became clear to me what sinful anger is…Cain wanted praise for himself. Jonah was a snob. He looked down on others who didn't perform the way he thought that they should. And, the Sadducees were jealous because they wanted to have the admiration and respect of the people.What do they all have in common? They all had a selfish, self-centered anger.On the other hand, Moses got angry at the lack of faith and the disobedience to God's ways. Samuel was angry for the exact same thing. And, guess what? Jesus was too! They all had a righteous anger. Anger at sin and disobedience.Now, we will look at a couple of examples of unjustifiable anger…. how it begins…and how to counteract it. (I have left out justifiable anger, because, we just learned that justifiable anger has to do with a righteous indignation at sin. None of the examples are rage filled.)Example One:Your child spills a drink for the twentieth time, on the carpet that you just cleaned from the last spill. Grrrr. You explode. You begin a full verbal attack with questions the child is unable to answer, and comments that will leave them in tears. This is selfish anger. It is about you. Who cares about a rug, tablecloth, or broken dish? Are they going with you when you go to Heaven?In this example you need to stop…bite your tongue…and leave the room. Take a deep breath, and think; "OK, this is my beloved child. God gave me this child to love and care for. I must show grace…after all, God has shown me more Grace than I could ever deserve. I love this child. I love my child. Thank you Lord, for this wonderful and precious child." I know what your thinking. "Yeah, right!" What you need to understand is that you must train yourself to do this…write it down, and keep it near by. Pull it out when you feel the anger building up inside. If you continue to do this over and over again, it will become your natural response…instead of an outburst of anger.Example Two:Your husband comes home from work and plops down in front of the television. He puts on some program that he enjoys (or in my case plays Nintendo;). Grrrr. You begin to think: "Doesn't he know how hard I work to keep this house clean and take care of his kids?" "I wish I could just plop down on the couch…but, noooo, I can't even go to the bathroom without an audience!" You blow up. Look out…here comes Hurricane Mom!As you can plainly see in this example, you have thought your way right into a melt down. Does any of this sound familiar? I'm sure you can think of some of your own examples. In a situation like this, it would be a good time to start thinking about how thankful you are to have a husband that goes out and works, so that you can stay home (if you're a stay at home Mom)…or how you love his smile, laugh, whatever. ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE!Any time that we feel rage, for any reason, we need to think about what we're thinking about. The Word says in Colossians 3:2 - …set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on the earth. In verse 13 of the same chapter it says; Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference, a grievance, or a complaint against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has freely forgiven you, so you must also forgive. I encourage you to read the whole chapter. It is very good."But, I cant do all this!" you say. Yes, you can! You have the Mind of Christ (I Cor. 2:16). "How" you ask. The Word tells us to renew our minds (Romans 12:2). You must get into the Word…and, study the Word. That is the only way that you can renew your mind.Can you see how the mind affects the tongue? First, it becomes a thought. Then, we allow that thought to pour out of us, and…BOOM! The mind is the root of most of our fears, low self esteem, some forms of depression, doubt…it all starts in the mind…then we speak it into existence. Renew your mind!Please, understand that if you truly want to gain victory in your life, and you begin to pursue it, the enemy WILL attack! When he does…you must go straight to the Word. Fill your mind with Truth. And, when you fail, don't beat yourself up. Pick yourself up, and press on! Here are some Weapons to get you started:II Chronicles 7:14Psalm 103Psalm 139Proverbs 3:5-6Proverbs 14:1Proverbs 15:4Proverbs 16:24Proverbs 31:26Isaiah 54:17Mark 11:24Romans 8:31-39Philippians 4:13I hope that these Scriptures are helpful to you in the battle of your mind and mouth. As you study the Word for yourself…you will find more. Write them down. Keep them with you. Memorize them. I know that you and I can overcome this battle! If you need prayer, please feel free to contact me any time. I will stand in prayer with you. Simply fill out a prayer request at this address; http://www.momsoffaith.com/prayerrequests.htmlGod Bless You! Note: All Scripture references were from the Amplified TranslationLara Velez Lara@momsoffaith.comCopyright ©
About the Author
About the Author: Lara Velez is a Christian Homeschooling Mother of two. She owns two websites. Moms of Faith - http://www.momsoffaith.com/ And, The Recipe Finder - an Online cooking and recipe magazine. http://www.therecipefinder.com/

I like this article very much an am hoping I can make something like this happen for me.

Make Money Online by Building Momentum by: Liane Bate
The past month has been a very successful one for my online business in terms of traffic going up, number of new affiliates going up, and money in my pocket getting heavier. This really inspires me because after admitting to being lazy about my business over the hot summer months, I am just slowly starting to get back into the swing of things. I am just slowly starting to return to my daily to-do list after having made it more manageable and motivating for me to complete on a daily basis. I am not fully back where I should be in terms of work I need to be doing, and yet, it was my most profitable month ever. I have to say this really motivates me to work even harder, and be more consistent if I really want to make money online. I've realized that you can do this too by building your business momentum. Many people who want to make money online start a new program with the hope that they will make millions overnight. This just isn't realistic no matter what some online business owners may tell you. I've seen the effects that building momentum can have on your business. I've been through some ups and downs and everyone will experience these. But if you give up on your online business even before a year has passed, you don't even have the chance to get the momentum going, or see that next upward swing in your results, and it will come if you put the time and effort in! Let me explain by example what I mean by building momentum so that you can make money online…There are four ways I have done this, which are: Forum posting; Article writing; Blog posting; and Link generating. Forum posting means that you join some discussion forums on business related topics, or topics related to whatever your website is about. It's free to join these forums, and a great way to get yourself into a community of other people who are doing exactly what you are doing. You can share ideas, ask questions, look for information, help others, make new friends, and find out what all the top dogs are up to. At first you may think this is not at all really vital to your business and a waste of time. Well, think again! I have made sales simply from offering helpful advice in forums after someone followed my signature link to my site. A friend of mine who frequents a fishing forum told me that people won't even pay attention to you unless you have made over 500 posts. I thought he was full of it, until I had 500 posts, advanced in my status, and then had 1000+ posts. Believe me, people will pay attention to your posts the more you have because they can see that you have been around for a while and must know what you're talking about. This isn't to say you should go and spam the forums. That is a no-no! Make useful contributions to the forums and offer something of value on a consistent basis, and you will be building momentum for your business through forum posting. Article writing is the next way I have built momentum for my business. Again, this is something you don't do overnight – not if you write your own original articles like I do. This is one of the best ways to advertise your business these days. Provide an article with useful information, and submit it to an article distribution service that will distribute your article to thousands of publishers with your online business links at the end in the author bio-box. You'll be amazed at how fast your links get dispersed around the net – One-way links pointing back to your site! I have also found that the more articles you write, the more of an authority you become in your niche. The more articles you have to your name, the more people will realize that you have something valuable to offer, you can be trusted, and your readers may decide you're worth buying from. Similar to article writing is blog posting. The more frequent your posts, the more traffic you will get to your site. I recently found a tool on the net that allows you to type in your blog address to get a monetary value of what your blog is worth. Now I have posted my own articles, as well as other people's articles to my blog, and have added special news and reports in addition to that. According to the value I got for my blog, I need to beef up my blog even more! Obviously this takes time, and that is my point when I refer to "building momentum". If you quit early on, you will never have the chance to make your online business work for you or make money online. Finally, link generating is another means I have used to build momentum for my business. The search engines don't even like it if you gather links too quickly because they see it as a deliberate attempt to get a link back to your site. It is recommended that you gather links slowly, maybe 10-15 new links per week, and you want thousands of links pointing back to your site! This, too, will take time, and over time, you will see your link popularity grow if you continue to gather links by writing articles, posting your URL to the link directories, linking to the internal pages on your own site, commenting on blogs, posting in forums, and so on. Building momentum means taking the time, and making the consistent effort to build your business. It means not giving up pre-maturely, thinking nothing is working for you, and that you are not making any money online. If you take consistent action over time by posting in forums, writing original articles, making frequent posts to your blog, and getting as many quality links pointing back to your site, then have what it takes to make money online!
About The Author
Liane Bate owns a Plugin Profit Site web business, and is a member of Success University and the IAHBE. Visit: http://www.honestmoneymaking.com/ and http://www.HonestMoneyMaking.com/blog/

Okay, so this article came to me at a perfect time. Just as I am starting to consider an at-home business. Knowing these steps and putting them into place before I begin will help me manage my time and help me remember the reason for doing it in the first place. Thank you Jill Hart! She also has a wesbite for me to look into - Visit www.CWAHM.com.
I am so excited! There is more information out there for Christian Stay At Home Moms than I thought.

Steps To Get Your Priorities Straight At Home And In Business by Jill Hart
Operating a successful home-based business is a time-consuming endeavor. This is doubly true as work-at-home moms in that we are responsible not only for the success of our business, but for our family as well. We must be self-reliant, self-motivated, and discipline ourselves in order to attain success in both areas.
When running a business from home, it's easy to let the phone calls, emails and paperwork keep you tied down, making you feel that you don't have time to take a break or to spend quality time with your family. Maybe you've noticed that you spend a little more time than you'd like in front of your computer or on the phone. Maybe you see your kids acting out, trying to gain your attention. Perhaps you are seeing that this isn't the work-at-home dream you envisioned. You started out with such noble intentions, but maybe the excitement of success in your business has caused you to lose sight of the REAL reason do what you do each day. It happens to so many of us, but don't worry, help is on the way.
Below are five ideas to prioritize your life and business:
1. Be honest - You probably didn't start your work-at-home career to climb the "corporate ladder" of your at-home business. Chances are that you started your business with the best of intentions - to be able to be at home with your children, to contribute financially to your family, or simply to have a little spending money of your own. Spend some time in prayer and ask the Lord to show you the things that you need to change.
Take a moment and honestly ask yourself how you've been handling the time commitment of owning a business:
* Are you spending too much time on the phone, the computer, etc? * Are your kids spending more time than usual in front of the TV? * Do you snap at your children because of the stresses of your business? * Do you worry about your business - to the point that it distracts you when you are with your family?
2. Make a list - Sit down and write out a list of things that you see that you'd like to change. This can be a list of things you can do differently to limit the time you spend on your business; or a list of ways you can "de-stress" so that you can deal kindly with your family.
3. Log your time - Buy a notebook or create a spreadsheet that you can use to log the time you spend on your business each day. Make a column for each day across the top and a row of half an hour increments down the side. Every time you sit down at your desk, write "IN" in the box that corresponds to the time and day. Every time you leave your desk (or complete a task), fill the appropriate box with the word "OUT."
At the end of the week, total up the hours each day that you have spent on business tasks. Are you surprised or is it about where you thought you'd be? This can be a real eye-opener and show you in black and white if your priorities have gotten off track. Take special note for how much time you spend on e-mails and things that aren't billable.
Diana Ennen of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com/ also recommends that you plan ahead and schedule your time. Prioritize things and have the work that will require the most effort and concentration scheduled for your peak time. Try and not get sidetracked and stay on task focusing on what you need to do. You'd be amazed how much more work you can get done by simply changing how you work e-mails. If you only answer them at set hours, you save yourself from being online all day and not accomplishing much.
4. Take a break - If you get to the end of the week and your time log has you in shock, it's time to take a break. If you normally work during the weekend, make it a point to take this weekend off. Shut down your email, turn off the ringer on your phone and shut the door to your office. You'll be surprised at how refreshing this will be.
Use this time off to re-evaluate how you need to be spending your time. Try to plan out when you can work on your business without losing out on time with your children. If your children are in school, make it a point to stop working when they get home. If your children are still small, maybe you can limit work hours to naptime or, if possible, have a grandparent watch them once or twice a week to allow you a bit more work time.
5. Plan an activity - Now that you're ready to make a change in your routine, why not plan an activity once a week? This can be an outing with your child or just something simple like setting aside time to make cookies together.
If possible, find another work-at-home mom and hold one another accountable to keep to your new schedules. Make a weekly play date where your children can spend time together - you can talk business if necessary or decide to make it a "no business talk allowed" discussion time.
The years that you have at home with your children are a gift as is your business. The time necessary for each will be different for every family and situation. Take the time to find what works for you and set your schedule accordingly. Make it a point to evaluate your priorities every few months to make sure that your time in spent properly. The rewards will be well worth it, when your family not only is proud of your accomplishments in your business, but also more importantly your accomplishments as their mom. Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com. This site is dedicated to providing work at home moms with opportunities to promote their businesses while at the same time providing them spiritual encouragement and articles. Visit CWAHM.com for additional information. Jill and her husband, Allen of CWAHD.com (Christian Work at Home Dads) reside in Nebraska with their two children.
About the Author
Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms. CWAHM is dedicated to work at home moms. Jill & her husband, Allen of Christian Work At Home Dads reside in NE with their 2 children.

Home-Schooling???

Here is an article I came across in my search for Christian Stay at Home Moms. I was pretty sure I have already made my decision about home schooling. As a former public school teacher, I am pro public school. That being said, however, I have many friends and acquaintances that home school their children. In almost every instance, their children are the most well behaved and considerate children I have ever come across. The moms also seem very organized and peaceful with their decision.
So, this article scratched the surface of something that I didn't realize needed scratching. Do I need to reconsider my personal perference? Perhaps I should visit author's websites and do more research of my own. The websites are listed at the bottom, but I will list them here for quick reference: www.momtime.net & www.FamilySuccess.org


What am I doing? by Cheryl R. Carter
What Am I Doing? By Cheryl R. Carter
As we make educational decisions, I think most of us often forget just how vulnerable we are to criticism. Within our human psyche is the need for approval, acceptance and affirmation. This need has long been documented by counselors, psychologists, and clergy. In fact, great literature is ripe with humankind's struggle to be accepted by others. Shakespearean readers will recall Othello closing soliloquy. He goes on and on attempting to validate himself. Sadly, it is clear he longs for the validation of others. His own insecurity gave birth to his ravenous jealousy. Even though he had a prominent position he still felt unsettled; he had to prove something. Ultimately, this unsettling leads to his demise and unfortunately the death of others. So, how does this relate to us as Christian home-schoolers?
Most of us still look for approval, affirmation and acceptance for the different educational decisions we made. I see this so clearly in the home education movement. I call it a movement because everyday our numbers are increasing and "nontraditional" home educators are joining our ranks. I see the need for approval, affirmation and acceptance in the area of competence particularly we unconsciously compete with traditional schools. No one will say that but they will point to test scores and model curriculum and our schedules after typical schools.
It is said you can tell a lot about a person by looking at the way he spends his time and his check book. I think we home educators might do well to slow down our schedule a bit and assess what we believe and to become more solidified in our decisions. Many home educators run their children from activity to activity and because we too wrestle with the school question and how we measure up. Oh, we deny it. We laugh at those who ask us such a question, but in our quiet moments, we struggle. We, too, wonder about our educational decisions. We wonder if we are doing the best for our children. We wonder if we are good enough as teachers, as parents and even as people. How do we teach our children patience when we throw a fit because they do not get the distributive principle the first time we teach it?
You know what I'm talking about. Am I being too personal? I know I'm in your private closet -the solitary place where only you go. Sometimes even God, Himself cannot get in there! We wrestle with our decisions and wonder about our competence and depend on others to validate us. When they do not validate us, then, we set upon a journey to prove them wrong. It's a vicious cycle we have to validate ourselves and this can only happen when we are honest with ourselves. That is the hardest part. New home educators are particularly vulnerable to a rigid school schedule. This rapid flurry of activity brings with it many other problems including physical exhaustion and burn-out. The problem with being in bondage to others criticisms is that we keep working to prove them wrong. However the most insidious thing is in the process to prove others wrong often we may lose our own identity or convictions.
A few years ago, I did something very radical involving my convictions, for five months I did nothing. That's right I did nothing. Nothing. No hockey games. No ice skating lessons. No soccer, no karate, no swimming, no coop, no dancing, no nothing! This decision was not made in haste. It was preceded by a very active school year and an exhausting summer. It was great. We got lots of schoolwork done, took trips alone when we wanted and sometimes we just spent the afternoon doing nothing! The kids developed new hobbies and even started to do a bit of creative writing and drawing. We were happy and at peace. I had nothing to prove to anyone. It wasn't long before the telephone calls started. What surprised me were the telephone calls from other home educators. One day a friend called
"Cheryl, what are you doing?'
"Nothing"
"You're serious about this nothing thing, aren't you?' No response. I do not answer questions for which there is an obvious answer.
"Cheryl, the kids need to do things with other kids"
Obviously, she did not include the neighborhood kids, nor her kids who were just over two nights ago, or the kids at the park, or the kids at church, or...well you get the picture.
"Cheryl, doesn't it bother you that your kids are missing out I understand wanting to do nothing but sometimes we have to do things for our kids socially" she pleaded, attempting to evoke a response from me.
No response. I as I like to evoke thought.
"Are your kids really enjoying doing nothing...? Just what are they doing? Be honest"
Okay. She had played the honesty card. Now I could have answered literally that I did not know at that moment what my kids were doing. You moms know what I mean when the house is too quiet either your bedroom is being painted with peanut butter, or your son is trying to retrieve his lizard from your hand held vacuum cleaner. Instead I opted to ask her a question, have you ever asked your children if they would like to do nothing."
"Well they have to do play basketball and the piano if they stop them will lose their skills.... (long pause obviously she was trying to convince herself she was correct) I mean I wouldn't know what to do if I did nothing"
Therein was the real issue. She had revealed her own uneasiness on the issue of being good enough for her kids. Haven't we been there? She had filled their time with so many other things to fill in the gaps she thought they were missing. I do not want to suggest that everyone who runs their kids around from activity to activity is wrestling with the affirmation issues, some are keeping up with the Joneses' (those invisible children who might do better than our children), others are just caught in the web of activity and still others are still trying to find the ebb and flow of their home school schedule. I am just suggesting that we be real with ourselves about why we are doing something all the time.
We have to face our fears head on. So let me be the first to confess. I am finite in my ability to school my children. I must lean on God. It is in my dependency albeit my confession of weakness that I reach out to Him. And you know what? When I call Him, He is there! He takes my hand and provides for me and pours intangibles into my children. He graces me with patience when I cannot understand why 5x + 4y= 17 cannot be graphed until I put it in the y = mx + b form. I do not trust that I will always have the answer to every school question my children ask, but I do trust I will always be able to get them an answer.
In the book of James we are promised wisdom and we only have to ask for it. Moms, we only have to ask. Can it really be that easy? Yes, it almost seems too simple. We must learn to stand strong and realize that with God nothing shall be impossible. (Luke 1:37) And if he can part the Red Sea, surely he can help me understand how to multiply binomials...augh...in four different ways. Home schooling is really a faith walk for us at times. The challenge is to embrace our struggles in such a way that God can redeem them. As my Pastor often says God's glory is released when we give ourselves totally to Him. For truly in our weakness God shows He is strong. Ultimately we have to let go for Him to take hold.
That's why I often stop and take the time to assess what I'm doing. I am neither in a race nor competition with any school. I want to be anchored in what I believe because true strength is breed in stillness. God's voice is not found in the flurry of activity but in quietness. May I offer you a challenge? Look at your beliefs and examine whether or not what you say you believe lines up with your daily activities. Can you close the science book and sit at the feet of Jesus without thinking about the missed lesson? Can you sit in stillness with your children and not just follow a regimented schedule? Ultimately, we have to learn to say no to something to say yes to God. Should that surprise you?
God always tells us to be something before we do something. We think we have to do but God tells us to be. Hard concept for us adults to grasp...right? May we help our children to understand who they are is more important than anything they do. May our children be so purposeful and powerful that the enemy trembles when their feet hit the floor each morning. May they pursue the enemy and preserve in their faith. May they take back this country for God! May we all see it in our lifetime! In Jesus' name! Amen.
Cheryl R. Carter is the "crown" of her husband and the joy of her children. She and her husband serve the New York State Christian Homeschool community as NYC and Long Island LEAH Regional Representative.. Visit her website www.momtime.net . and www.FamilySuccess.org She is also the author of Chasing God and the Kids Too, Balancing a Mom's Most Important Pursuits. She illustrates how to best spend our time in her new book keeping God and family a top priority.
About the Author
Cheryl R. Carter is the "crown" of her husband and the joy of her children. She and her husband serve the New York State Christian Homeschool community in NYC and Long Island.Visit her website www.momtime.net . and www.FamilySuccess.org She is also the author of Chasing God and the Kids Too, Balancing a Mom's Most Important Pursuits. She illustrates how to best spend our time in her new book keeping God and family a top priority.

Networking Tips for Moms At Home by Demetria Zinga

Plenty of christian moms today stay at home. After a year of battling the decision to quit my job, I finally "put my foot down", as they say, and returned home to raise my daughter. It wasn't the easiest decision, but, let me tell you, it sure wasn't the toughest! I enjoy every minute of being home to raise my child. Furthermore, being home has done wonders for my family as a unit, and drawn us closer together. When I was working my full time job I barely had time to prepare a decent meal. But today? I'm a health nut, and so is the whole family (ha)!But now, there's another dilemma. Being a stay at home mom has not affected my personality, of course, so I still have a lot of creative energy pent up inside! I thought to myself one day, "what better way to use this energy than to work towards a goal--perhaps start a business?" Not only would it bring in a nice supplementary income for my family, but having a business (or craft or hobby) would enhance my creative skills and strengthen my business expertise. I call it the project of my lifetime.The first thing I did was a little soul searching to seek God's direction for the type of business or project He would have me to embark on. I realized right away that although my personality was suited for several types of business ventures (selling crafts, designing websites, or providing secretarial services), I would soon either have to narrow it down to one choice, or start a business that combined all or most of my skills and interests. For me, choosing the right business was the hardest part. Once I settled on freelance web design and writing, it soon became my ultimate goal to find out as much as possible about these particular industries. In my thought, education and information is what separates the amateurs from the professionals. My goal was to be a professional in my field. This is where networking is highly important.If you're like me, the internet is probably one of the very best tools you can use for research. Not only is it a few feet away from me as I embark on my daily chores, but I keep my computer on at all times. Thankfully, we are using a broadband connection and can stay online 24/7 without having to worry about tying up the phone line. This, I should stress, is very important for moms who have businesses that require them to be online quite often, but who will need access to the phone as well. Once online, I begin my networking research by going to a search engine. My favorite one is Google (www.google.com) just because of its enormous searching capabilities. As a former library assistant, I can attest that Google is highly recommended in the academic and librarianship fields. I search for information in my fields using as many search terms and combination of terms as possible. With each result that I feel is important to me, I visit its webpage and bookmark it for future reference. Once I've bookmarked a bunch of pages, I go through each of these websites and study them, taking notes on what I feel is important to me in my field. I promise, you will find contacts this way, and it will be so much easier to network once you have a list of people whose companies and organizations you have researched online. In addition to an internet search, I feel that it is also important to find any books or other publications that are related to your industry. Study them and find out more about the authors. Find out if they have websites and how to reach them. Now that you have a compiled list of contact people, it's time to work the list! Before contacting these people individually (they are probably very busy), see if they offer newsletters, or other mailbits. You are looking for information on how they got where they are today. Remember, you are the amateur. They are the professionals. So, any information you receive from this contact list regarding their biographies and information on the field itself is important enough for your notes. Take plenty of notes, and keep them in a file folder. Every time you find a new piece of information on your subject matter, drop it in your file folder. And finally, if you absolutely need to contact your list of professionals for more information, I would recommend sending an email.But don't forget about networking with fellow amateurs! You can make some of your best friends and closest contacts online by joining mail lists such as Yahoo groups or MSN groups. These groups along with technologies such as Instant Messenger make it easier for you to find people with similar personal and professional interests and literally network with them on a regular basis. You will find out so much about your industry and probably learn more from each other regarding your profession than in any other way.Last but not least, be sure to network with the most important contact of all: your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Remember that it is He who gave you the passion and the calling, and it is He who will be with you each step of the way on your new journey.Happy networking!-- 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.