101 Tips to Become a Better Christian Mom

I just had to share this article I found by Lara Velez.  I sincerely hope that I will take every opportunity to show my sweet girls how much I love them and be the Christian example to them that God wants me to be.  Enjoy!


1. Smile more. Believe it or not our children need smiles from us…not scowls!

2. Make eye contact when communicating with them.

3. Read to them. Even when they get older, read Scriptures out loud. Even older children like this.

4. Do devotions together…age appropriate, of course.

5. Do a project together. This can be arts and crafts or a school project.

6. Help them with their homework.

7. Cook or bake with them.

8. Create family traditions. They not only help bring the family together, they also provide stability and opportunity to keep the family together.

9. Listen more.

10. Ask more.

11. If you are married, honor your husband. This is vital for your children to see. Strive to be a better wife and pray for ways to improve your marital relationship.

12. Pray with them.

13. Pray for them.

14. Get silly.

15. Laugh at yourself.

16. Go to the movies together and see what they want. (morally and age appropriate)

17. Have a girls night. (Moms of daughters)

18. Have a date night. (Moms to sons)

19. Try new things and activities together.

20. Play with them.

21. Have a tickle fest. You are never to old to be tickled!

22. Say ” I love you” often. Do not assume they know. SAY it. A LOT.

23. Speak positive words over them and to them.

24. Criticize less.

25. Live by example.

26. Read the Bible to them and in front of them. They need to SEE you have a personal walk with Jesus. They will only do what they have learned.

27. Take lots of pictures. They love to look at old pictures and see the memories and ways you took the time to capture the moments.

28. Scrapbook their lives.

29. Attend their important event and activities. It means a lot when you are in the stands cheering them on!

30. Write them a love letter.

31. Make their favorite dinner for no reason.

32. Cheer for them. We need to be their biggest fans in life. Make sure they KNOW it!

33. Encourage them.

34. Hug them.

35. Kiss them.

36. Put little “thinking of you” notes in their lunch box.

37. Leave a special prize where they are sure to find it when doing their chores or other activity.

38. Allow them to mess up.

39. Forgive them.

40. Apply 38 and 39 to yourself as well. You will never be perfect. There are NO such things as perfect Mothers!

41. Encourage open communication. They need to know they can talk to you and share without fear of your reaction.

42. Let them be individuals. Do not try to live your dreams through them. LET THEM BE THEM!

43. Dream with them.

44. Encourage them to go after their dreams.

45. Be consistent in discipline.

46. Hold them accountable.

47. Reward them for a job well done.

48. Dedicate a song to them on the radio.

49. Compliment them often. We are responsible for teaching them good self esteem.

50. Bring them to church.

51. Get them involved in church.

52. Encourage a life of excellence. Teach them to do well and not settle for mediocre.

53. Teach them to appreciate learning and the importance of a good education.

54. Encourage creativity.

55. Tell the truth. If they hear you lie or you lie to them…they will lie.

56. Expect honesty from them.

57. Teach them the importance of Scripture memorization.

58. Apologize when you mess up. They deserve an apology when needed.

59. Support them.

60. Accept them.

61. Know their friends and parents of friends.

62. Keep track of what they do and who they are with.

63. Nurture their relationship with their dads. It is important that our kids have a relationship with their dad that is separate from ours.

64. Go on trips and vacations as a family…big and small.

65. Have family fun nights.

66. Make them feel special all year long…not just on special occasions.

67. Provide boundaries.

68. Encourage them to have personal boundaries.

69. Follow through.

70. Give them chores. Our daughters need to learn how to be good wives and our sons need to learn how to be helpful husbands.

71. Respect their privacy. (Unless you feel they are in danger)

72. Give them age appropriate responsibilities.

73. Teach them how to resolve conflict.

74. Spend time with them one on one…this is especially important with multiple children.

75. Help them develop a spiritual life.

76. Put them in a youth group at church.

77. Never take ANY church activity away from them as a form of punishment for bad behavior. Even if it is a fun event. It is still with their Christian peers and leaders. They may get convicted and/or it will allow God to work on their hearts. They NEED church.

78. Volunteer as a family.

79. Encourage giving.

80. Learn their love language and love them accordingly.

81. Lighten up!

82. Make a family time capsule and put a time limit on it of about 5 years…that is long enough…you want them still home when you open it! Talk about it…laugh and remember. Great bonding experience.

83. Prioritize them. They need to be a top priority in your life. First comes God (not ministry…relationship)…then husband (if married), then they are next. They need to see they are important…BUT…if married they also need to see that you are lined up Biblically and united with husband.

84. Do not give them everything they want. That can be very dangerous.

85. Teach them to be thankful for what they have.

86. Teach them good work ethics. Encourage hard work.

87. Involve them.

88. Teach moral values. Use the Word of God as your standard…not the world.

89. Pray for their friendships and future spouse.

90. Teach them good hygiene. LOL! Yes…I think it is important!

91. Promote healthy eating and fitness.

92. Yell less.

93. Say “thank you” more.

94. Never take them for granted.

95. Cherish them and your moments together…you only get so many.

96. Pick them up when they fall.

97. Let them vent.

98. Love them unconditionally.

99. Be available when they need you.

100. Limit media influence. The world we live in is a mess. Be vigilant in what you allow into their eyes, ears and hearts.

101. Repeat 1-100 as often as possible!

I hope these tips encourage you to be all that you were created to be as a Mother. God loves us SO much and gave us the precious gifts of our children…let’s be good stewards with the lives He entrusted us with!

Reevaluating....Me by Jill Hart

Reevaluating... Me by Jill Hart


I found this really great article on Christian-Mommies.com and posted this on my other blog, but I wanted to share it with my Mommy friends as well.  This really spoke to me and what I've been going through lately as a Mom trying my best to build a business from home. I truely LOVE what I do, and I could "work" every hour of every day & be happy, but I know my husband and children need attention from me too so it's great to have a reminder of why I chose to build this business in the first place. I loved Jill's 3 H's...they are in complete alignment with what I do each day and with my goals. I just love that my "work" centers around motivation and encouragement, loving and helping others, and being home with my children. Can you say the same about your job?

"Mom"

"What?" (Said with my eyes on the computer or chore I happen to be doing)

"Mom"

"What?" (Said while my attention is still on said chore)

"Mom"

"WHAT!?!" (Said with full attention....and frustration)

Sadly, that's been the typical conversation around my house lately. One (or both) of my kids trying to get my attention and me trying to complete a task and listen to them at the same time. I know that I can't give them my full attention 24/7, but it struck me the other day that if, at times, I looked at them, gave them my full attention for a moment when they were trying to speak to me - maybe these interactions wouldn't end with me in my frustrated tell-me-quick-and-get-it-over-with mode.

As a mom it can be hard to find time to breathe, let alone find the time to ponder - to reevaluate and see what needs to change within me. (It's easy for me to see what needs to change in everyone else!) However, there are 3 H's that I believe we can use to look inside and see what needs an overhaul:

Head Check

What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' Matthew 15:11

What are you putting into your head? Think about the tv, radio, and books in your life - are they inputting positive messages? Or negative? Chances are what goes in will come back out.

Hand Check

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Matthew 22:37-38

Are you DOING? Or BEING? I so often need reminded that God is pleased when I simply rest in His presence. I exhaust myself DOING so many things - trying to please Him and everyone around me when all I truly need to do is what He has laid out for us: LOVE GOD and LOVE OTHERS. Sometimes that does take doing (reading my Bible, visiting a friend), but many times I need to hit 'reset,' take a deep breathe and spend some quiet time alone with the Lord.

Heart Check

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:20-21

What are you thinking about right now? If you're like me, your mind is probably miles away planning out tomorrow's menu, business calls or simply what you're going to do next. I challenge you (and myself) to make time to really focus on what you're doing in the moment. Listen to your kids - even if all they talk about are bugs (or boys). Hug your husband - really, really hug him. Read God's Word slowly and savor it - even if you only have time for 1 verse.

I think we'll all be surprised at what we've been missing.

Weekend in Natchez

I wanted to do something special for Wayne this year for our anniversary and for his birthday because he does so much for me throughout the year.  I am truly blessed to have a husband who supports my being home with our children, and who does his very best to make me happy each and every day.  I knew I could go out and buy him something nice, prepare him a nice dinner, etc., but none of that seemed like a good enough way to show him how much he is appreciated and loved.  So, a few weeks before our anniversary I made reservations for us at a bed & breakfast in Natchez, MS.  When searching for romantic places to visit in MS, it's at the top of the list, and since neither of us had ever been, I thought it might be fun.  On the actual day of our anniversary, I gave Wayne a letter I'd written (3 pages & I had to make myself stop there!) telling him what I'd learned from him in our 8 years of marriage.  I kept the trip to Natchez a secret and just told him in the letter that I couldn't put a monetary value on how much he means to me.  He loved it, of course!

On Friday morning when he woke up for work, I told him he could go back to sleep because he wasn't going to work that day.  If you know Wayne, you know he's always at work lol, so he was a little confused.  I had called his boss the week before to schedule time off for him, and while he wasn't too happy about missing work, he was curious as to where we were going.

In Natchez, we stayed at The Burn Bed and Breakfast.  If you ever get a chance to stay here, you'll love it.  Read THIS book before you go.  It tells you the story behind the house and the family who built it and lived there.  Very neat!

We stayed in the Laura room. The room had all of the latest amenities while continuing to provide the ambiance of the antebellum home- a neat experience to say the least. We had a balcony over-looking the gardens, a pool, and a great breakfast each morning. What could be better? It was such a nice, relaxing get-away!

We were able to tour the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians our first afternoon there.  They have a small museum and walking trails.  Needless to say, it was HOT! But, we enjoyed getting to see the Indian mounds and reconstructed house anyway.

That night we had dinner at The King's Tavern, the oldest building in the Natchez territory.  It was built prior to 1789, and the food there is wonderful.  Of course, like many other historical places in Natchez, the Tavern claims to have resident ghosts one of whom is a young woman named Madeline.  Apparently, she was the mistress of the man who owned the Tavern, and when his wife found out about their affair she or someone she hired, killed Madeline and hid her body in the house.  In early 1900, her skeleton was found with a jeweled Spanish dagger thought to be the murder weapon.  Crazy stuff!  

Anyway, after dinner we decided to go up to the 3rd story and have a look around.  According to those at the restaurant, Madeline's ghost haunts a bedroom up there.  We made our way up to look around, and I noticed a dollar bill on the portrait hanging over the fire place.  I also noticed another dollar bill lying on the bed.  I thought both were odd, but the one on the portrait was placed in a very odd way, and I thought I'd just snap a picture of it.  No sooner had I snapped the picture, I heard screaming.  I dropped my camera it scared me so bad!  Come to find out, the mirror on the wall beside the portrait had some kind of sensor and a skeleton appeared (hence the screaming) when my flash triggered it.  Wayne got a BIG kick out of me getting freaked out and dropping my camera! LOL

On Saturday, we took a tour of Natchez.  We were able to view the antebellum homes and grounds.  Sooo beautiful.  I loved hearing the history behind each place.  We went back to the B&B after the tour and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing by the pool.  It was sooo great to be able to just spend time together and not have to worry about anything else. 

If you don't make time to get away with the hubby every now and then, you are missing out!  It's a great way to strengthen your marriage while also taking the time to just enjoy time alone together.  Special thanks to everyone who helped keep this a secret! We had a great time!

Bible School Kick-off

For this year's bible school kick-off, Julie rented a slip-n-slide.  The kids had a BLAST playing.  Makenzie, of course, was one of the big kids while Presley put both hands on her hips and defiantly stated she wasn't going near that thing!  She was content playing in the kiddie pool with Britlee.

Makenzie's older cousins took turns sliding with her.  They thought it was fun trying out different ways to slide.  I think Makenzie even went down once on one of their backs lol.

Even Tucker joined in the fun on the slip-n-slide!

Vacation 2010- Panama City Beach, FL

For Christmas, as part of our gift, my parents gave us a trip to FL. So, this past week we loaded up and headed down to Panama City to this awesome beach house that my parents rented. It was really nice & had 3 stories so we had tons of room. Hanna, Brent, and Britlee had the 3rd floor to themselves while my parents, Tyler, and Brooke (who sweetly shared with Makenzie) each had their own bedroom and bathroom on the second floor. Wayne, Presley, and I had the 1st floor. We also had a private pool which was great because our kids practically lived in it!

We had SUCH a great time that none of us wanted to leave!  We took the girls to Gulf World Marine Park (their 2nd time there although they were really too young to remember it last time), and they loved watching all the shows.  They wanted to see each and every one of them too so we spent about 4 hours there that day.

Is this too sweet or what?  This is very rare lol!  Not so much for Makenzie, but for Presley.  Normally, Presley is not really affectionate.  She likes for Mommy to hold her and love on her, but that's about it. If Makenzie tries to give her a hug or kiss she usually tries pushing her away so I'm so glad I caught this moment! We had just left the Dolphin show (their favorite) & they were so excited about it that they were hugging and kissing each other lol.

We spent the majority of our time on the beach, and I must confess, on this trip we played so long and so much that I often left the camera and video camera in the house on accident.  We really didn't get much on video this year, and I really hate that.  We also never did get a good family picture on the beach like I wanted.  It really makes me sad that I didn't do a better job with this, but I CAN say that I really focused on my family, my kids especially, and didn't worry so much about anything else.  This trip was all about relaxing and destressing for me, and that's exactly what I did!  Guess we'll just have to go back again soon so that I can get the rest of those pics I wanted lol!

Ok...I HAD to share this pic because every time I see it, it cracks me up!  Presley, for some odd reason, is going through a pirate stage.  She loves them!  I don't know where her fascination comes from or who has been telling/showing her pirate things, but she'll walk around our house making this face and saying, "Argh Maties!" We get so tickled at her.  Anyway, while we were at Gulf World, we came across these hats in the gift shop, and of course, she ran right to them! Thank goodness I had the camera ready and was anticipating "the look" lol!  LOVE it!!! Can we say this one is definitely Daddy's little tomboy? Yep, I think so!!

Presley is 3!!! My How the Time Flies!

Can you believe my baby is 3 years old already? It seems like yesterday I was bringing her home from the hospital. Time flies so quickly! For her 3rd birthday, Presley really got excited. She told everyone she could for the month leading up to her birthday that she would be 3 soon! The week before, she asked me every single day if it was her birthday yet. She also was very specific about the type of party she wanted. When I asked, she told me she wanted an ice cream party so ice cream party she had! We had ice cream sundaes with every topping you can think of and brightly colored cupcakes to match. Popa and Daddy even set up a slip-n-slide and kiddie pool for the kids to enjoy.

All of the excitement took place the weekend before her birthday so of course, on her actual birthday we had to celebrate too! Presley asked for this Belle cake when she saw it in the grocery store one day so I couldn't resist and ordered it for her. She was so excited! Yes, I know...my children are a little spoiled (just a little!), but I believe birthdays are special and at our house we go all out. To me, birthdays are a celebration of life and a reminder of how very blessed we are to have our precious children in our lives so I tend to splurge more for them! Usually this means they get at least 2 parties each year (one with friends and one with family on their actual birthday).

 

Thanks everyone for helping to make her 3rd birthday so special! Wayne and I are truely blessed and so very thankful for both of our girls- if only they didn't grow up so quickly!

Easter 2010

We had a great Easter this year even if it was a little hectic! The girls and I were able to dye some Easter eggs on Friday afternoon, and of course, as soon as they were dry they wanted me to hide them outside so that they could find them!

They loved watching the eggs change color and getting to sponge paint on them afterward (I don't recommend this--it was VERY messy). I don't know what possessed me to buy this kind of decorating kit, but they had fun and that's all that matters, right?

They were so funny hunting their eggs. Makenzie was all over the place, finding eggs left and right. Presley was old enough this year to really get into it, and every time she'd find an egg, she'd scream with delight. I got so tickled watching her! Daddy came home from work while we were hunting eggs for the 3rd time, and he joined in the fun as well.

Checking out their Easter baskets... We decided to do more practical things this year instead of all the unneccessary junk so no toys this time. Instead, anything they got to play with was for outside play only, and the rest was clothes, swim suits, flip flops, and beach gear. The funny thing was that they were just as excited about their new clothes and flip flops than they were anything else they received.

After attending 3 Easter egg hunts, family dinners, and church, we were all exhausted! It was a very full, busy weekend, but it was a fun one, and we enjoyed all of the family time more than anything!