School Tragedies

If you follow this blog regularly, you know Firstborn transitioned from homeschool to public high school this year. His reading class reads news articles to find facts and improve vocabulary, and the above magazine article is one Firstborn brought home yesterday. Although this tragedy happened in 2000, it is still disturbing.

I'm happy Firstborn likes sharing the articles with me, but this one he could have kept to himself. His school has already experienced two deaths and a few accidents this year.

I think about Firstborn often while he is at school and wonder who he is with and what he's doing. On football game days, the team stays at school until game time. One particular game day, Firstborn was heavily on my mind and I had a disturbed feeling (mother's intuition) about him. Well, I prayed and anxiously awaited to see him later that evening at the game. When I saw him, I was so relieved, but still wondered why I had those uneasy feelings.

The next day, I found out that Firstborn was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong crowd, but thank God he realized it before he got in trouble. I especially thank God for leading me to pray for him.

The boys and I pray together every morning and my prayers give me peace. I know I can't control what happens from day to day, but one thing I do know is the power of prayer. Knowing my family is covered in prayer and safely kept in God's hands lets this mama know everything is already alright - regardless of what happens at home or at school.

Are you praying for your children each day?

Unemployed

The layoff action where Hubby works has been quite active. Fortunately, Hubby hasn’t been laid off, but he’s been sent home early quite a few times. We thank God for whatever hours he does work.

I remind hubby that although he is the prime breadwinner for the family, he is by no means our sufficiency. Hubby is the designated provider, but God is the ultimate provider. It is because of God that we eat and have shelter. It is God who gives hubby the ability to go to work everyday.

Regardless of the state of our economy or our checking account crisis, I have to keep my eyes focused on God. The economy is too shaky and I need solid ground to stand on; I choose to believe someone bigger than us is in control.

Sunday morning, I read the background of Matthew, the tax collector, and how he left his job to follow Jesus. Jesus used Matthew’s skills of keeping accurate records for His own glory. We are no different today. Regardless of what our status of earthly employment is, God wants to employ us to bring Him glory using a skill, talent, or gift He has planted in us. Hubby is an excellent handyman and can repair anything, so if gets caught up in the layoff action, God has already blessed him with employment.

Even mothers often look for creative ways to supplement income in the home by using a talent or gift to generate income. I believe we all have one whether we use it or not. Just as Matthew stepped out on faith and followed Jesus, we must do the same. The key is to put God first and follow His plan, which often appears unusual, unclear, and especially unattainable.

Knowing God is taking care of our family is comforting to me. Just as children feel secure knowing we will meet their every need, our Heavenly Father wants us to have the same security and trust in Him.

Matthew 6:32,33 (NKJV)
...For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

What Are You Teaching?

Just because a woman has a baby doesn't mean she knows everything about being a mother. Although we were given natural nurturing instincts, we learn something new everyday. Our greatest resource for learning is each other. Our own mothers, the seasoned mothers in our life, and those wise women willing to share their experiences are precious gems to be treasured on our motherhood journey.

Raising Mothers is an e-newsletter published by Momsweb, which is another avenue to encourage and offer support. The name of the e-newsletter alone reminds us regardless of what stage of motherhood we're in, we're in this lifelong learning/teaching mode together.

Several bloggers have posts highlighted in the e-newsletter that offer an encouraging word. If you have an archive or recent blog post that can help another mother, simply follow Mom's Peace Bites to make your blog available.

We all have something to offer - single mothers, step mothers, foster mothers, divorced mothers, mothers of teens, mothers of toddlers, mothers of newborns, mothers of adopted children, mothers of adult children, and especially grandmothers who have already traveled the road ahead of us.

Our encouraging words are also shared with mothers-to-be and the women with a desire to one day be a mother. Have you thought about it? What are you teaching the younger woman? Share your life lessons!

Visit Raising Mothers today and pass the word!

TOUGH LOVE

I'm realizing my teenager doesn't need just love from me, he needs TOUGH LOVE.

Not the tough love we're familiar with, but I've been introduced to another form of TOUGH LOVE designed especially for me in dealing with my teen.

- This tough love is full of mercy when Firstborn makes a mistake.

- This tough love is full of compassion when Firstborn KNOWS he has made wrong choices.

- This tough love reminds me the part of his brain that recognizes consequences hasn't fully developed yet - Oh God, please help me!

- This tough love recognizes his right of passage into his teen years - he has to go through this!

- This tough love reminds me my child is not, has not been, and will never be perfect - really?

- This tough love tells me he wants to hang with the crowd and be popular when I tell him to dare to be different - Ha!

- This tough love helps me to bend a little and be flexible - I'm too strict, stern, and straight-laced

- This tough love reminds me that in Firstborn's eyes, I'm OLD and haven't a clue of what's going on in his world - Well, I don't!

- This tough love reminds me not to become shocked, angry, tearful, or hurt by Firstborn's normal adolescent behavior - I'll just wear a bag over my head

- This tough love pops me in the head and says..."Get a grip, Mama! You've got an eleven year old coming up behind Firstborn, so get ready for the ride!"

Mothers of younger children...take heed!

We Snap in Silence

Second-born – “Mama, do you need someone to go with you?”

Me – “Sweetie, Mama is trying to get away from you guys, but thank you!”

This was a short conversation I had with my thoughtful, compassionate second-born son before I left the house Friday night.

Friday was a full day ending an extremely demanding week, and I felt the walls closing in on me. Every room I went to had something that needed my attention - cleaning. The boys’ bedroom reminded me of a battle I lost, Hubby was out of town renewing his own mind, and my hormones were trying to get the best of me. I was hungry, so I went to the refrigerator. Lucky for me, I noticed it also needed cleaning, so I did what I needed to do.

I purchased a pizza for the boys and I left the house. I ended up at a local restaurant - alone. There weren't many people there and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing my own thoughts and myself chew. Ahhh…thank you, Jesus!

It’s amazing how something so simple can give a woman the energy and strength to go on. I simply needed a change in my environment and instead of taking it out on the boys or my husband for not being there for me, I needed to take care of myself; I needed to renew my mind and get back to my secret place of peace - God's perfect peace.

We (women) are notorious for pushing ourselves to the limit. We just keep going, and going, and going and before you know it, we’ve snapped.

Friday was my reminder to take a break. This simple act of loving myself carried me through the rest of the weekend – in peace.

I invite you to read more about taking care of our self and the shameful consequences of neglecting our self. Of course, this isn’t something you don’t already know, but I’m making it plain in a book God has allowed me to write titled, We Snap in Silence, which is now available.
In this book, I part the curtains to my own life and pray you will read with benefit.

Proverbs 3:17 (NKJV)
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.

He'll Learn

Firstborn has a job to cut a neighbor's yard every other Friday. If he's busy on Friday, he cuts the grass on Saturday morning. Well, yesterday was Friday and there wasn't a lawn mower to be seen. Firstborn had absolutely nothing to do, but he was nice enough to let the neighbor know his grass would be cut in the morning.

I wanted to tell him to go ahead and cut the grass anyway, but this was a wonderful lesson for him in time management and procrastination. Well, it's Saturday morning and guess what? It's pouring down rain. I asked Firstborn how he felt about not cutting the grass on yesterday and his reply was, "I don't know. How should I feel?' Glaaaad you asked, son!

In my most lovingly motherly voice, I shared with him the popular phrase about putting off for tomorrow what we can do today. I tried my best not to preach or talk at him, but to talk to him and pour another valuable lesson in his back pocket. I even slipped in a quick lesson on keeping his word and responsibility and then I shut up. I have a bad habit of being long-winded with the boys, but this time was short and to the point. I didn't want to lose his attention; after all....he asked!

It's hard for a mother to stand by and watch her children make mistakes and wrong choices, but at a certain age in their life, we must stand on the sidelines and hope all our coaching will resurface. A mother will always offer suggestions and advice, but at the same time allow them to make their own decisions.

Hopefully, Firstborn has learned his lesson. Not only is the neighbor's yard not cut, but Firstborn won't get paid the money he was expecting this weekend. Ha! He'll learn!

The Winner Is...

The actual release date of We Snap in Silence is September 21st.

Lara of 60 Seconds of Motherhood guessed September 20th.

Congratulations, Lara!

Because Lara and I live in the same city, she feels she had an advantage, but she really didn't; the date is not printed anywhere.

I couldn't convince her that she won the book honestly and Lara wants to give the book away and purchase her own, so hurry over to her blog and maybe she'll give it to you (lol).

Thank you all for entering and thanks more for your support!

Last Day to Enter!

Win a Free Copy of We Snap in Silence

by Momsweb Founder, LaVender Williams

Click to Enter