Ministry Review: Moms In Prayer International
Is praying for an hour straight hard or easy for you? “Moms in Prayer International impacts children and schools worldwide for Christ by gathering mothers to pray.” This tagline says it all and it’s probably one of the best parenting decisions I ever made. For many years, I joined like minded moms in praying for our children, their schools, and their teachers. What started as two moms praying together in 1984 has now grown to groups in over 150 countries with the vision that eventually every school in the world would be covered by a group of praying moms. The premise is to pray for your kids and their schools for an hour each week. I really liked the format they provide weekly, which is an outline for your prayer time and starts with highlighting an attribute of God. Since the groups are organized by schools, it’s not likely that everyone is from the same church which I found to be a strength. The best part of my week was the hour spent praying with sisters in Christ, passionate about our kids, schools and teachers. When I went back to work as a teacher, I also really appreciated knowing that…
The Middle Years: The Consequences
What consequences are appropriate for the middle years? When it comes to consequences for kids, I know that some of the typical ones felt like punishment for me as a parent! The emotional roller coaster of the middle years was also accompanied by the hard task of establishing appropriate consequences. Restricting all television meant you had to give up the half hour of dinner prep calm. Taking my kids driver’s license away for a while meant I had to rearrange my schedule to drive her places. I tried to find creative solutions that either directly tied in with the problem or took away something the child valued. There might need to be different consequences for each child. If you are looking for a list of consequences, this blog post won’t give you one. Each child is a unique individual and it takes time and conversation to figure out what works for your child. This is the hard and necessary work of parenting. Digging to the heart of the issue will also help you get creative about the consequences because you will begin to understand what behaviors need to change. If you look back at the blog post about the put…
Book Review: Blazing New Homeschool Trails
Are you more of a trailblazer or a trail follower when it comes to raising and educating kids? No matter how you answer this question, this BRAND NEW book, Blazing New Homeschool Trails: Educating and Launching Teens with Developmental Disabilities, could be for you! My friend, Natalie Vecchione, did not set out to be a trailblazer. She set out to be a wife and mama and along the way, realized that the path was no longer clear for her as a mama of a child with FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a brain based disorder). She unexpectedly became a trailblazer and is now leading others down the path though FASD Hope. I had the privilege of tutoring Natalie’s son, so I got to walk a little bit along their path. So many hindrances to their path could have broken their family, instead, it made them stronger. When Natalie said she was co-authoring a book, I couldn’t wait to read it. In fact, I happily volunteered to be on the launch team so I could read it early! I also looked forward to reading the story of Cindy LaJoy and the business, Buckaroos Slices and Scoops, that her kids launched.…
Trust and Obey
Who is it harder to obey – teachers or bosses? Trust and obey. It is a lot harder to obey someone you do not trust. As a teacher, it’s important to establish a culture of trust in your classroom as soon as the year starts. I explained my classroom rules and set high expectations that my students would follow them. I had clear consequences for not following the rules or for disrespect of others. What I didn’t expect was perfection. We all make mistakes and need safe places to learn and grow. My students could trust that I had their best interests in mind and that I would listen to their thoughts and opinions. I often told my students that as long as they obeyed the rules of my classroom, I’d have their backs. As long as they spoke respectfully to whoever was correcting them, I’d listen to their side of the story if there was an issue. We all know that rules vary from classroom to classroom or house to house so sometimes a little conflict resolution is necessary. I wanted my students to trust and obey at school. I wanted them to have a sense of belonging and…
Memorizing Scripture
What was the last Bible verse you memorized? Memorizing anything can seem tedious and even though memorizing scripture is the most important thing you could memorize, it can seem the most difficult. This blog post is a guest post about memorizing scripture from my oldest daughter, Jessica. She is the best memorizer I know. Let’s look at why memorization important and get some practical tips to get into this spiritual discipline. The first reason to memorize scripture is because God says to do so. In Deuteronomy 11:18, God tells His children to “lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between our eyes.” Since 2 Timothy 3 tells us that “all scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” we can assume that God’s command to put His word in our heart and soul is for all of scripture and to all of His children. Also, memorizing scripture helps us to avoid sin as is stated in Psalm 119:11. It helps us to know what is wrong by…
The Magic of Bug Stick
What’s your placebo method of dealing with little boo boo’s or mosquito bites? We have a magic placebo called “the bug stick.” It’s been in our family for years, possibly the same few green containers have been around until they literally dried out from years of sitting in the glove box, bathroom bags, or first aid kits. This waxy tube, slightly larger than chapstick, with its mild ingredients, allows for repeated self-application. The smell reminds me of a citronella candle, so I’m pretty sure it not only calms the minor itch of a bug bite but also wards off the cousins of that bug from returning to the site. While some moms liberally dole out band-aids, I uncapped the bug stick. The camphor, tea tree oil, menthol, and lavender provide pain relief and reduce discomfort. After years of using this homeopathic remedy, we moved on to a roll-on herbal blemish stick that provided similar treatment for pimples, skin bumps, and teenage angst. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and skin care solution. The magic of bug stick and blemish stick was as real as we believed it to be! Isn’t that what magic is all about? As a mom, I…
Get Up, Get Dressed, and Make Your Bed
Does your morning routine involve getting dressed and making your bed? Get up, get dressed, and make your bed. Starting your day with a little bit of productivity will boost your sense of accomplishment and give you momentum for whatever is next on your to do list. It doesn’t mean I don’t occasionally spend half my day on my computer in my pj’s writing a course or creating a slide deck for my summer tutoring. Or that I judge people who take sick days and binge-watch tv in bed. But in general, getting up and getting dressed is a good way to start your day. While I’m giving advice, let me suggest you also make your bed. It will look nice and you will feel accomplished. That little bit of productivity will carry over to your next task. It’s just about putting a little care and thought into your day. It’s setting the expectations for your day. It’s wanting to look good for your spouse or to set a good example for your kids. A little mascara and a little lip color go a long way. I’ve gotten lazy. It’s time to step up my game again. It’s time to…
Smooth Transitions from College to Home
What was your experience living at home after high school or college? Today’s blog post is a guest post from my youngest daughter, Jill Donaldson, with tips for smooth transitions from college to home. Having just graduated from college and returning home for her last summer before grad school, I asked Jill to give tips for parents and students for coming home from college and transitioning back to family life for the summer or winter break. The biggest way to create a smooth transition from college to home for the whole family is through clear communication of expectations. As a parent, what way do you expect your child to help around the house or what meals do you expect them to participate in? As a student, what freedoms do you expect to have? Having those conversations will greatly improve the transition, especially if the student has work or school obligations on top of family expectations. Parents: One of the things that parents can do to adapt to their child’s level of college independence is to set clear expectations of their time. It is reasonable to ask your child to let you know what days they will be home for dinner…
Summer Education Ideas
What do you look forward to doing in the summer when school is out? What are some ways to bridge the gap between the school years or the Bible study you attend that doesn’t meet in the summer? Private tutoring, summer classes, day trips, book clubs, or Bible studies are great summer education ideas to bridge the summer gap. A quick google search is sure to pop up a few fun things to do in your area this summer. While it’s nice to take a break, it’s also the perfect time for learning because you do not have other expectations and homework on your plate. Gather a few friends at your house, in your car, or virtually. Life’s more fun with a friend! This is true for you OR for your kids. When was the last time you and a friend signed up for a class together? This is the time to hone those writing skills, brush up on math facts, learn how to make cheese or arrange a cheese plate. Have you ever taken a sketchbook to a museum? Take a car load of kids and sketch books to a museum. Let them pick any piece of art in…
Charcuterie Board Tips
What’s your top choice for meat and cheese on a charcuterie board? My answer to the question about what is the best meat and cheese for a charcuterie board is whatever’s currently in the fridge or on sale at the grocery store. This is probably why I’m not an influencer. While Instagram influencers have much to teach me about food and fashion, I do not have much time to watch endless reels to get to the actual tips. Raleigh Cheesy is my favorite Instagram account to skim through for cheese inspiration and small business start up tips that do not involve cutting corners when it comes to ethics. I took a charcuterie class with Courtney from Raleigh Cheesy in early 2020 and learned SO much. But how I use what I learned is a bit different. It’s like wandering around Pottery Barn for inspiration and awe then shopping for one or two affordable items at Target or even a thrift shop to add to what you already own. It’s learning about style and design then using those ideas and your financial and time budget to add a little flair to your family room or charcuterie board. I started making my…