I was watching Losing it with Jillian tonight. She was talking to a mom about her son and mom was saying how proud she was of her son. Jillian replied she should be proud of herself for raising him.
This struck a chord in my heart. I always tell my kids how proud of them I am, but I never tell myself how proud I am of me for being a great mom! My kids haven't turned out the way they have on their own. I had a part to play.
I have raised two wonderful biological children who are getting their lives together. They have such strength and they deeply love the families they are making.
And yet my internal conversation is rarely that I'm a great mom. Instead, I pick apart my performance and most times, I judge myself lacking. I rarely give myself grace. I wound myself with my own criticism and then refuse to let those wounds heal.
Recently I was reminded that I have a Heavenly Father who sees me differently. He loves me perfectly, accepts me perfectly and despite how I tend to view my motherhood prowess, He gave me two more children to raise.
Today, I'm choosing to rest in His view of my motherhood. I'm telling myself what a great mom I am and I'm leaning into Him for my strength.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Nothing better than ....
being a grandma!! My beautiful granddaughter was born yesterday at 6:59 pm.
So very proud of my son and daughter-in-law and oh so grateful to my Heavenly Father for granting our family this miracle baby.
I found out on Sunday afternoon that she truly is a miracle baby....
My daughter-in-law had been told she would never have children when she was a junior in high school.
She was in the ICU at six months with severe asthma and pneumonia...so severe the question had been asked by the docs, "Who do we save?"
So Marley Marie's arrival is truly a precious, miraculous gift. And we are so very, very grateful.
So very proud of my son and daughter-in-law and oh so grateful to my Heavenly Father for granting our family this miracle baby.
I found out on Sunday afternoon that she truly is a miracle baby....
My daughter-in-law had been told she would never have children when she was a junior in high school.
She was in the ICU at six months with severe asthma and pneumonia...so severe the question had been asked by the docs, "Who do we save?"
So Marley Marie's arrival is truly a precious, miraculous gift. And we are so very, very grateful.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Seth Godin, Jack Canfield and me
I've recently subscribed at the recommendation of a friend to Seth Godin's blog and he posted something today that struck a chord with me.
You're already self-employed
It reminded me of Jack Canfield's Success Principle #1. Take 100% Responsibility.
If you're not where you want to be professionally, then you need to own that. Take 100% of the responsibility for it.
Once you do, then you'll see that no one but you is responsible for your career track...
No one but you is responsible for how your co-workers perceive you.....
No one but you is holding you back.....
No one but you.......
Hate your job? Go do something about it! You're self-employed! You don't have to stay where you are! Create a new job for yourself!
Yes you can.......
No one but you.....
You're already self-employed
It reminded me of Jack Canfield's Success Principle #1. Take 100% Responsibility.
If you're not where you want to be professionally, then you need to own that. Take 100% of the responsibility for it.
Once you do, then you'll see that no one but you is responsible for your career track...
No one but you is responsible for how your co-workers perceive you.....
No one but you is holding you back.....
No one but you.......
Hate your job? Go do something about it! You're self-employed! You don't have to stay where you are! Create a new job for yourself!
Yes you can.......
No one but you.....
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Musing today about America's young families
My bedside table is stacked high with books for me to get to, but lately those that are holding my interest have a lot to do with money. Not the love of it, mind you, but how we as a country have gotten to the point where families are staggering under a mountain of credit card debt, student loans, car payments and so on.
We're beginning a new ministry at Calvary called the Money Mentors. This team of eight will be available soon to help people get back on track financially in private sessions. So in preparation for this new ministry, I have been doing a lot of outside reading. Two books which have moved off the tables and into my hands and brain are Linda Kelley's Two Incomes and Still Broke? It's Not How Much You Make, It's How Much You Keep and Tamara Draut's well-researched tome', Strapped: Why America's 20- and 30-somethings Can't Get Ahead.
Strapped, while I am still reading it, has already provided some food for thought. My older children face the issues she addresses. According to her book, The average college student borrows $20,000 for a bachelors degree, while the average graduate student accumulates $46,000. And low-income students and students of color take on even more. Federal grants for student aid have rapidly declined since the 1980's and now federal help for college comes mainly in the form of loans.
In addition, according to a Nellie Mae study (one of the Sallie Mae student loan companies), the average college senior had six credit cards and an average balance of just over $3,200 in 2002. College students are heavily marketed to by the various credit card companies. The top 300 state schools in the country received $1 billion from the credit card companies in marketing arrangements.
It's a depressing financial picture, isn't it? You are starting your new life as an adult already deeply in debt. Putting those two debts together, debt load for new college graduates could easily reach $25,000 eating away 40 - 60% of the income from the new job. Add on to that the new car, the furniture for the new apartment and you're drowning in debt within no time!
Draut also points out that Gen Xers and Milennials have mostly retreated from the political arena so there is no one pushing for economic reform for this age group. Instead, congress is being lobbied by the credit card companies who made almost $8,000,000 in political contributions in the 2004 election cycle.
More to come.....
We're beginning a new ministry at Calvary called the Money Mentors. This team of eight will be available soon to help people get back on track financially in private sessions. So in preparation for this new ministry, I have been doing a lot of outside reading. Two books which have moved off the tables and into my hands and brain are Linda Kelley's Two Incomes and Still Broke? It's Not How Much You Make, It's How Much You Keep and Tamara Draut's well-researched tome', Strapped: Why America's 20- and 30-somethings Can't Get Ahead.
Strapped, while I am still reading it, has already provided some food for thought. My older children face the issues she addresses. According to her book, The average college student borrows $20,000 for a bachelors degree, while the average graduate student accumulates $46,000. And low-income students and students of color take on even more. Federal grants for student aid have rapidly declined since the 1980's and now federal help for college comes mainly in the form of loans.
In addition, according to a Nellie Mae study (one of the Sallie Mae student loan companies), the average college senior had six credit cards and an average balance of just over $3,200 in 2002. College students are heavily marketed to by the various credit card companies. The top 300 state schools in the country received $1 billion from the credit card companies in marketing arrangements.
It's a depressing financial picture, isn't it? You are starting your new life as an adult already deeply in debt. Putting those two debts together, debt load for new college graduates could easily reach $25,000 eating away 40 - 60% of the income from the new job. Add on to that the new car, the furniture for the new apartment and you're drowning in debt within no time!
Draut also points out that Gen Xers and Milennials have mostly retreated from the political arena so there is no one pushing for economic reform for this age group. Instead, congress is being lobbied by the credit card companies who made almost $8,000,000 in political contributions in the 2004 election cycle.
More to come.....
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Starting Over With a Clean Piece of Paper
I'm sitting this morning watching "Meet the Press", listening to a republican and a democratic congressman arguing over the gridlock in Washington. They've been talking about health care, deficits, the stimulus package and arguing over which party has the answer. The republican had a bright idea, "starting over with a clean piece of paper". I'm sorry that I don't recall the context, it was the phrase that led me here to my blog.
Doesn't that sound like a great idea? Starting over with a clean piece of paper.... There are a few parts of my life that I'd like to start over clean and at least one that I already have. Unfortunately starting over with a completely clean piece of paper isn't entirely possible. I can't completely start over my finances, for instance, I have to start where I am and make changes going forward. I can't start over raising my adult children, or start with a clean piece of paper with our adopted boys either.
Each of the pages of the book of our lives up until this point are filled, but each page going forward is a clean fresh page. I can change what will be written; I must forgive myself for the contents of each previous page.
There is a way to replace my entire book, though! The day I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour I was given a clean book! God replaced my worn out, torn, tear-stained and dirty pages with clean pieces of paper and still does each time I ask him for forgiveness.
Do you want a new book? All you have to do is ask!
Doesn't that sound like a great idea? Starting over with a clean piece of paper.... There are a few parts of my life that I'd like to start over clean and at least one that I already have. Unfortunately starting over with a completely clean piece of paper isn't entirely possible. I can't completely start over my finances, for instance, I have to start where I am and make changes going forward. I can't start over raising my adult children, or start with a clean piece of paper with our adopted boys either.
Each of the pages of the book of our lives up until this point are filled, but each page going forward is a clean fresh page. I can change what will be written; I must forgive myself for the contents of each previous page.
There is a way to replace my entire book, though! The day I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour I was given a clean book! God replaced my worn out, torn, tear-stained and dirty pages with clean pieces of paper and still does each time I ask him for forgiveness.
Do you want a new book? All you have to do is ask!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
My! How Time Flies!
I can't believe it's been almost 3 months since my last post.
Things have been crazy here with a new set of winter classes to arrange for Calvary, a new semester for the kids, basketball season in full swing and all of our other activities. I just looked out the window at my neighbor who already has all of her St. Patrick's Day decorations up. I haven't even removed the Valentine's Day welcome sign at my front door!
Speaking of how time flies, my daughter-in-law is coming up on 22 weeks into her pregnancy. We saw some create 3-D images of my granddaughter from her last ultrasound.
February 9 was the nine-month anniversary of our time with our two youngest sons, Marc and Denny. It won't be long until we're having breakfast again at the Golden Corral. The chosen venue to commemorate the one year anniversary of the day we first met each other for breakfast there.
Tomorrow begins week one of our odyssey into Financial Peace University. We've been following the principles for about 6 weeks now and have so far paid off $6,000 in debt, saved $1,000 for emergencies and are cutting expenses everywhere!
I'll let you know how that goes!
Things have been crazy here with a new set of winter classes to arrange for Calvary, a new semester for the kids, basketball season in full swing and all of our other activities. I just looked out the window at my neighbor who already has all of her St. Patrick's Day decorations up. I haven't even removed the Valentine's Day welcome sign at my front door!
Speaking of how time flies, my daughter-in-law is coming up on 22 weeks into her pregnancy. We saw some create 3-D images of my granddaughter from her last ultrasound.
February 9 was the nine-month anniversary of our time with our two youngest sons, Marc and Denny. It won't be long until we're having breakfast again at the Golden Corral. The chosen venue to commemorate the one year anniversary of the day we first met each other for breakfast there.
Tomorrow begins week one of our odyssey into Financial Peace University. We've been following the principles for about 6 weeks now and have so far paid off $6,000 in debt, saved $1,000 for emergencies and are cutting expenses everywhere!
I'll let you know how that goes!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Need a good plumber?
I find most of my home repair services through recommendations from friends and I have had great experiences with them. So I thought I would share them!
Need a plumber? Call Mooney Plumbing at 636-940-1777. Mr. Mooney is timely, has reasonable rates and is reliable!
Need an appliance repaired? Call A-Appliance Repair at 636-939-4203. Mike services washers, dryers, ranges, ovens, dishwashers, freezers, refrigerators, ice makers, garbage disposals and microwaves. He offers a senior discount and a 10% repeat discount and he offers a warranty on his work. Most of the time, he offers same day service.
Need an electrician? Mooney Plumbing told me Electrical Concepts is who he would call if needed one. Call Ken at 314-575-7868.
Need car repairs? J & D Columbia Automotive in North O'Fallon is honest and trustworthy. Call Todd at 636-272-4545.
Need a roofer? Pam Havens, a local realtor, recommended this company to me. I found their rates reasonable and their service excellent! A & M Roofing Co. Call them at 314-837-5524.
Need someone to close and open your sprinkler system? Call Outdoor Decor at 636-697-2311.
Hope that helps some of you! Have a fantastic day!!!!!
Need a plumber? Call Mooney Plumbing at 636-940-1777. Mr. Mooney is timely, has reasonable rates and is reliable!
Need an appliance repaired? Call A-Appliance Repair at 636-939-4203. Mike services washers, dryers, ranges, ovens, dishwashers, freezers, refrigerators, ice makers, garbage disposals and microwaves. He offers a senior discount and a 10% repeat discount and he offers a warranty on his work. Most of the time, he offers same day service.
Need an electrician? Mooney Plumbing told me Electrical Concepts is who he would call if needed one. Call Ken at 314-575-7868.
Need car repairs? J & D Columbia Automotive in North O'Fallon is honest and trustworthy. Call Todd at 636-272-4545.
Need a roofer? Pam Havens, a local realtor, recommended this company to me. I found their rates reasonable and their service excellent! A & M Roofing Co. Call them at 314-837-5524.
Need someone to close and open your sprinkler system? Call Outdoor Decor at 636-697-2311.
Hope that helps some of you! Have a fantastic day!!!!!
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