Disclaimer

I want to re-emphasize my main purpose in "Mama Mondays". It is this quote:

"I would rather be what GOD chose to make me than the most glorious creature that I could think of: for to have been thought about, born in God's thought, and then made by God, is the dearest, grandest, and most precious thing in all thinking."

I truly believe that every woman that God made is unique and a composite of so many different sources--that should give us reason to celebrate, not compare. My goal is to open eyes to every woman's uniqueness in Christ, not to make us think: "I wish I were like that" or any of those thoughts that can so naturally happen in blogdom.

I also feel the need to state a disclaimer of sorts. Tonia's post has been weighing heavy on my heart lately. As I state in my sidebar "This is a place where my thoughts get their voice.....I also preach to myself here." Most of the things I write about on here are things that I have been talking with/thinking about with the Lord. Just because *I* think them or say them does not make them right--for *you*. They could be wise and good things, but ultimately, we must consult the Lord *individually* for His plan in our lives. I won't say anymore on that because I believe Tonia says some really good things on her post. Go read it!!

As I've said many times lately, my focus now more than ever is on living in His grace, love, and freedom. This often means I have to let go of control immensely and painfully, and embrace what is filtered through His loving hands for me. It is a hard place to get to, but a wonderful place to rest and be.

Ladies, there is so much advice and words out there--in blogs, books, media, whatever.....things that look lovely and wonderful, but are often portrayed one-dimensional. I urge you to listen to the One who knows you best and knows what is best for you, though you may never have chosen it for yourself.

Blogs are a wonderful tool for perhaps confirming what the Lord is already speaking to you about, but please don't make changes just because of what you read on them. There are so many factors involved to make those kinds of changes: consulting your husbands, life circumstances that we have no control of, uniqueness of ourselves.....the list goes on.

So....while my blog might portray a peaceful Sabbath, I don't include the burning biscuits or the harsh words spoken or impatientness on my part to sometimes make that happen. A disclaimer.

Ladies....live, love, and learn in His freedom, His grace, His love, and His mercy. That is my prayer for all who read here!

Good reads

This might help solve some of my laundry woes. But I really think I need to get a robot that puts away all the laundry......

This post by Tonia is my favorite this week.

This family has seven children and an amazing home? Inspiring. Look for an interview with them soon on Design Mom.

Mama Monday

I am so excited to present to you the first "Mama Monday" here at Flourishing Mother's.

The first Mama I have the pleasure of introducing to you is my very good friend

Betsy

Betsy is the wonderful mother of two beautiful little girls.

She is a stylish "urban mama" living in the heart of New York City.

She knows the best places to stay, where to eat, what shows to see.

She can tell you the best parks to take your kiddos.

She is the ultimate "girl's girl." 

Doesn't every mama need that "girl's girl" for a friend?

I am blessed to know her.

Ladies, I bring you Betsy:

Greatest thing about being a mom – That’s easy – the love, of course! When you teach, when you play, when you hit a milestone, when you soothe, when you heal, when they finally “get it”, when you hear the belly laughs and feel the snuggles…I just can’t get enough. Cheesy but true!

Hardest thing about being a mom-- Realizing that I am my children’s first example of Christ in their lives. It’s a daunting task and I’m constantly failing. But I’m thankful for the challenges it brings as it always increases my faith and gets to the core of who I really am in Him. Not always a pretty picture.


Style icons/inspirations—My husband-- as he is a purist when it comes to true style. Also Kate Spade, Gwyneth, Audrey H, and my stylish girlfriends who always keep me up to date when I get in a rut.

Favorite blogs/websites—I’ ve toned down my blog reel as it was taking up way too much time…

Blogs: KJ the DJ, Flourishing Mother, The Sartorialist, The Selby

Websites: Just the usual, nothing new and different....but I will plug my church, Redeemer.com.

Greatest thing about living in NYC—Too many to list! The way NYC can feed your soul like no other city. Being surrounded by so many strangers yet feeling like you can call each one of them your neighbor. Being in the minority the majority of the time can bring humbleness and give you such a great perspective on how great God’s Kingdom really is. There is such beauty in the raw and I love raising my family here to appreciate that every time they leave the apartment. We never have to go far for an adventure!


How do you find balance in your life—what balance??? Call the “flourishing mother” for an impromptu gab session! I pretend to make lists, organizing charts, and I’m still a mess. I take it day by day. Plans seem to make a fool out of me.

One word that describes you--- Interested

Hobbies/interests--- I’m a washed up ballet and modern dancer but I still love to dance - In my house, at weddings, or at night out on the town, just give me a beat. I also love collecting old nursery rhyme books for my daughters.


One thing that has been on my mind lately--- Am I ever going to figure out the show LOST.


I couldn't live without--- Cereal – even after the biggest dinner I still have to have a bowl around 9 o’clock. And I’m not picky, Lucky Charms to Kashi – I’ll eat whatever you’ve got!


What helps me through tough days--- Calling my sister for sympathy and my mother for a pep talk. Repeating His Power is made perfect in my weakness over and over and over and over again. And maybe a nice cold glass of Hitachino White Ale with my hubby at the end of the day.


Thank you, Betsy!!!

Weekend reads

Psalm 34

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Mama Monday

Do you have a mom-friend in your life who inspires you? Maybe it's the sewing they do, maybe it's the cute way they design their abode, maybe it's the perspective or encouragement they bring to you. All mamas inspire us in one way or another. A friend shared this quote with me:

"I would rather be what GOD chose to make me than the most glorious creature that I could think of: for to have been thought about, born in God's thought, and then made by God, is the dearest, grandest, and most precious thing in all thinking."

This quote is the essence of "Mama Mondays". We were all created uniquely in ways we could never, ever, figure out. What fits or works for one mother, may not work for another. We have different passions, experiences, and ways of doing things. This is the beauty of God's creativity. I hope that the Mamas I feature on "Mama Mondays" will inspire you to be the person that God chose to make--You!! I hope it opens your eyes to the personal uniqueness of your talents as a mother and as the woman God created you to be. 

*thank you to Kristi for designing the "Mama Monday" blog button.

Mama Mondays will start next Monday!

Coming soon......

Mama Mondays

at Flourishing Mother's

Weekend reads

Rest and Peace...Ahhh
I couldn't have said this better.

Grace on the Hudson River
My good blogging friend Aimee's husband was in the plane that went down in the Hudson River yesterday. What a miracle! Please pray for their family right now.

Have a wonderful, peaceful, weekend. Stay warm as I intend to do--with temps a high of 14 degrees here. Ack!

Re-entry

Wow, I feel like I am slowly re-entering the Land of the Living!! I am looking at recipes online, sending my husband a grocery list, and Cheese-Its and Coke are no longer my craving or staple. I'm out of the first trimester, and I notice improvement! This is exciting and huge for me. My morning sickness all day, all night sickness has let up immensely, and I am sooo happy! So how do I celebrate? Why making cookies, of course! I am actually GOING into my kitchen to today to bake cookies. I call this recipe "Thank-you-God-I'm-feeling-better-Peanut-butter-cookies". Enjoy!!

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

DIRECTIONS
Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in eggs.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into batter. Put batter in refrigerator for 1 hour.
Roll into 1 inch balls and put on baking sheets. Flatten each ball with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Slightly under-cooked is okay.

Image from Martha Stewart

Blog love

I am always humbled and surprised when a blog reader notifies me that they "awarded" me a blog award. For one, lately I've been a very lazy blogger, and two, I am pleased and surprised that someone actually enjoys my ramblings and rants. =)

Rachel nominated me for a "Premio Dardos Award".
"Premio Dardos" means 'prize darts' in Italian. This award acknowledges the values that EVERY blogger displays in their effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values with each message they write. I am supposed to award this to 15 bloggers who I feel show these values. Well, I'm going to stick to five.

Breathing Grace 
High Desert Home
Seedlings in Stone
Making Home
With Great Joy

This next blog award made me snicker. I'm a grammar snob. It says, "For the coolest blog I ever know." Shouldn't it say, "for the coolest blog I ever knew"? Hee. No mind. Cheryl nominated me for the "Coolest Blog I Ever Know" award. 

I'm going to share some blogs that have really blessed me over the past few months:
Most Inspiring: The Beloved Nie Nie
Encouraging Freedom in Christ: Aimee
Most Gracious: Tonia
The Blog that helps me Breathe: Katherine
Gentle Words Blog: Jewels

Relationship over.......

One sad thing I notice in the church body these days is people's lack of choosing relationships over...whatever. I'm not pointing fingers, I know I've been just as guilty.

A lot of my focus this past year and hopefully in the years to come is focusing on the relationships in my life. A mother shared a story with me about how she sometimes deals with her daughters' fights. If the fight happens to be about a particular toy, she will remove the toy from the situation and ask the girls: "What do you love more, the toy or your sister?"  Well, what can you say to that? *smile* Most children (and adults), given the chance would say they love the human right there instead of the inanimate object.

Sadly, this doesn't always play out in our real lives.

Schedules, to-do lists, *whatever* is more commonly chosen over relationships in our busy lives.

This frustrates me in myself and in others. I'm asking myself this year--In what ways can I nurture the relationships in my life? Sometimes the choice is my family over commitments. Sometimes it means not cleaning the kitchen that night to meet with other mothers who are desperate for connections. (Aren't all mothers?) Even though I may be an introvert by nature, I am still created as a social creature who needs interactions with others, whether I feel like it or not.

When can I choose a relationship over rules in dealing with my children? I am making more of a point to throw out controlling "rules" and focus on relationships with my children. Maybe that means letting them have ice cream at 9:00 at night or letting a teen have a Facebook page,  if it means I can learn to trust them and let the control be to God. Often times, especially with my teen, I have found that when I let go of my tight rules, and begin to learn how to live in relationship with them, that it is often the harder way, but so much more satisfying. Who do I love more? My "rules" or my child?

So, here's to choosing Relationships over....whatever it is that is holding you back.

Weekend reads

Going along with my word for the New Year: "Health", I like what Elizabeth says:

"It is not "laying down your life for your child" when you skip meals, skip sleep, skip exercise, skip showers, and skip private time for prayer. It's suicide.You have to put on your oxygen mask before you can help them with theirs. Took me nine babies to learn that."

Keep reminding me of that, ok?

Along the same lines: Take a little time for you

Have a wonderful weekend!

The greatest thing

Why is it, as Christians, we are drawn to the "do-ing" more, instead of the "BE-ing"?

Why do we make these "rules" and strive to DO more for Christ?

As if our plans and schemes and "DO-ing" all the "right things" are what ultimately grow and change us, or please God?

I have learned a hard lesson this year, and it is one of "letting go".

I have been stripped of what I thought was "right" and "good" and the "best choices", and I am realizing that, in the end, He's done it all.

I've been taken to a place where the only thing that I can DO is TRUST and PRAY.

I can't make things happen. I can't change circumstances.

I'm stuck in bed or the couch with morning (all day) sickness, so all semblance of a schedule is out the window.

What am I DOING?

Listening. Talking to God. Praying.

It's all I can do for Him.

Often I hear, after all avenues are exhausted: "Well, all I can do is pray."

Sisters--this is the wrong way!

Prayer should be the first thing we DO, as it's the GREATEST thing we can do.

That child we are worrying about?

Do we know the inner workings of his/her heart?

Do we know how to change it?

Can we go deep, deep, into their soul and cause change?

No.

Only the Lord who knows all things and DOES all things can DO it.

Instead of giving up in surrender to our "DOING" by saying, "Oh well, I'll just pray. It's all I can do."

I am looking at prayer as the GREATEST THING I can do.

It is the FIRST THING I should do, in any given circumstance.

It will cause the greatest change in so many different ways.

So, for this new year, my word, along with "Health" is "Prayer".

Will you join me?

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.~Phil. 4:6-7

Related: Nine Ways to Pray for Your Soul
How to Pray for Our Children
A Mother's Greatest Weapon
Praying for Our Children Calender (this from Elise)

Vámonos!

My grandmother used to say, "You want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans." ~Jose in Bella the movie

Wanna hear a "funny" story?

My husband and I went away on our ten year wedding anniversary trip to Mexico in mid-November.

We've been planning this, oh.....about ten years.

Mind you, we've never gone away like this.

Sure--we took one night getaways (and if we were really lucky) two-night getaways.

Within driving distance, of course.

But this was Mexico.

I was dreaming of white sand beaches, sleeping in, precious one on one time with my husband, and all that fresh Mexican food.

But something "funny" happened.

That food?

Nauseated me.

All I could eat was guacamole, chips, and bread. And rice. Blech.

What the heck was going on? (Trust me, I didn't want to say, "heck")

I guess I was dumb because I didn't immediately associate nauseous with pregnancy. I was thinking more along the lines of "Montezuma's Revenge".

But something was nagging at me.

So on the last day of our trip, we stopped at a Mexican grocery store to get a Needful Thing.

You know, that Thing you get when you miss your period and are nauseous?

Yeah, that one.

It was in Spanish.

So, after immediately buying the Thing and "No neccesito BAG"-because-I-am-going-into-the-restroom-immediately-to-try-this-thing-out---

---With tinny Mexican music playing over the small speaker in the restroom--(can't leave that odd little detail out)

The test said: "Si".

But you already knew that, didn't you?

Well--it certainly was a shock to me!

So, yes..this is an announcement.....

We are expecting our fifth child!!!

We just knew we couldn't go away without a rugrat interrupting us. ~smile~

That's just our life.

So.... there is nothing else to say but...Vámonos!

*edited to add: I am by no means a proficient Spanish speaker, but I always thought that "Vamanos" meant "Let's go!". Which is to say in response to this surprise pregnancy: "Let's go!".

Also, lest you ladies think otherwise, I use the term "rugrat" very endearingly, and very tongue in cheek. ~smile~

Sabbath read

"Playing Church"
bt: Janel