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Encouragement

Encouragement

An Etsy Mom-ent

It’s midnight and my house is silent, so where else is a mom to go to find some action? Etsy. That’s where all the Proverbs 31 women hang out after midnight. Those girls are up all night! She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. (31:18) In fact, I am in a conversation with one right now and have been on and off all day. It’s a great way to make friends while your family is sleeping. This is how I met Rachel. Note that I am not particularly friendly but she likes me anyway and has a gracious and kind reply – all Etsies are like that, I am serious. They make great friends. She selects wool (brown gingham) and flax (tan gingham) and works with eager hands. (31:13) By now in the conversation, I am thinking we are well on the road to an inner circle friendship because look how she is accommodating me. I will probably stay at her house if I am ever in VA. We are so alike. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. (31:17) By Thursday!? That is in one week. …

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Encouragement

Clutter Catastrophe

122 BOXES of ???????? I really have no idea. It has been has been 441 days since I saw this stuff. The catastrophe part of my clutter catastrophe happened over a year ago when a black storm flew in off the Tampa Bay and turned my world box-brown. When I arrived on the scene of my flooded house, an emergency team, like an army of ants, had formed a line in and out of the front door. I stopped in my tracks when I realized that the load on the back of each little worker, as they exited my house, was my…stuff, my…junk, my…clutter. Shoes and chandeliers, lamps and letters, mattresses and magazines, pans and papers. Now over a year later as I plow through 122 boxes of stuff that I don’t need, I am overwhelmed with wonder. What was I thinking? Why did I have all this junk? How did I live with so much clutter? Just yesterday I heard a report in the news that living with clutter takes two years off of your lifespan. So far this month it has taken five days off of mine. For five days I have been sorting and purging clutter. Of …

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Encouragement

My Baby is a Big Girl Now! Sniff, Tears, Joy :)

Five years ago today we launched iMOM. What a journey, what a joy! I am deeply awed by the way God has brought so many women–5,000,000 this year to our site. It has been my deepest desire to find favor with Him and with moms. I am humbled by His provision of every single mom. He is good…so good.

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Encouragement

I Love MOPS Moms!

I love MOPS. I can’t help it, what is not to love? After 3 days of talking to thousands of mothers of pre-schoolers at the 2012 MOPS International Convention, one would think I would be worn out. I am the opposite of worn out, I am wound up! It is my desire and passion, as the director of iMOM, to inspire and encourage moms. MOPS moms fire me up to do my job with renewed fervor because: 1. They are Motivated to be the best mom possible. 2. They are Open to learning from other moms. 3. They are Purposeful in finding solutions to parenting. 4. They are Sacrificial in time and talent for the love of their children. …

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Encouragement

Cooking, Computers, Cows, Capitalism and The Constitution

I believe in the Constitution of the United States. Do you? Lately, I have been struck by the awareness that “We the People” have forgotten what “We the People” stand for. The First Amendment of the Constitution states: And Capitalism is defined as: Taking every advantage of our countries abundance of capital goods I am in the delightful process of remodeling our home. We were flooded and so the lovely goods we had were a wash. I love to cook and was somewhat inhibited by our rather small kitchen, so we took the opportunity provided by the flood and added on. I poured over new and improved cooking accessories and carefully weighed the benefits of each appliance against their cost. I landed on the good old American company of General Electric and supplied my kitchen in its entirety with the GE Monogram Line. The CEO of GE, Jeff Immelt, is the chair of President Obama’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. My political preferences do not align with Obama. But I bought the GE products, giving no consideration to that, because I believe Mr. Immelt has a good product. To buy a lesser product because of the CEO Immelt’s First Amendment right …

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Encouragement

The Sacrifices Mothers Make For Their Olympic Athletes

Every mom sacrifices for her child in countless ways, for countless hours and with countless tears. To sacrifice is part of the privilege and joy of motherhood. This video by P & G passionately captures the sacrifice and joy that make being a mom the best job in the world. For more real life inspiration watch these interviews of Olympic athletes and their mothers: Alicia Sacramone, Shawn Johnson, Henry Cejudo, Diana Lopez, Kortney Clemons, Ryan Lochte and many more! http://www.youtube.com/user/ProcterGamble

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Encouragement

Independence Day Games

The 4th of July is a great time to teach your kids about America’s Founding Fathers. Check out some of iMOM’s Independence Day Games to make this holiday fun for you and your family. Test your knowledge with our 4th of July Trivia game. Share this delicious and festive American Flag Cake with family and friends!

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Encouragement

JUMPING for JOY!

I finished! Finally, finished! The book is done or at least the first draft. But still, it is a HUGE relief because my deadline is July 1st. Everyone is pretty much jumping for joy. I have been cranky, teary, difficult to live with, short, and definitely not myself. Emily is jumping for joy because she says her “old” mom is back. I am not sure “old” is a compliment. Especially when it looks like this jump is taking a lot more effort on my part than on hers. Mark is jumping for joy because he got me into this commitment. Not that I have been whining about it or anything. He was talking to publishers about his book and introduced them to a speech I like to give. A speech! Hardly enough words for a book. Did you know how many words they like for a book? 50,000! I don’t think I wrote that many words in four years of high school and four years of college together–I was a finance major–I don’t like to write. 50,000! I’m at 52,000, just so you know. Now, if only I can finish the edits by July 1st …

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Encouragement

A Sweet Memorial Day Reunion

I was talking with a friend of mine, who’s also a mother, about whether she would let her children go into the military. “No! I would never encourage that,” she said. She went onto explain that she just couldn’t bear letting her child go into harm’s way, even if he wanted to. I understand the fears she feels. But when my daughter expressed interest in the military, I swallowed hard, and let her go. That doesn’t make me a hero, by any means, but it does make me the parent of one. Just like the mother and father of this young man, who surprises his parents with his unexpected return from the battlefield.

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