SUPER Simple Teachable MOMents - Teachable MOMents #1

First day of school 2012

To kick off the official first day of a new busy school year, I wanted to start a new weekly event called - Teachable MOMents.

Now that summer is over, I know your schedule is getting busier than ever. With all the busyness, we don't have time to plan and prepare character lessons for our kids.

Hopefully these fun and  SUPER simple ideas using objects and activities that you are already doing, will help you diligently teach your children while you "sit in your house, walk by the way, lie down, and rise-up" (Deuteronomy 6:7).  Here goes:

Teachable MOMent #1 - "Create in Me a Clean Heart"

Activity: Bathtime with kids

Lesson: Just like we clean our bodies regularly because we get dirty, we should also clean our hearts regularly because daily sin makes our hearts dirty.

Talking Points:
     1. Discuss what kinds of sins you or they may do on a regular basis or did that day.
     2. Discuss how to clean our hearts. It's as simple as asking God to forgive us.

Scripture: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."  Psalm 51:10-12

For Fun: The bathtub has great accustics. Sing along with Kieth Green to his great song - "Create in Me a Clean Heart". I like this YouTube version from TheSongsofWorship because Kieth helps the younger kids by saying what words come next part of the time.

What is your favorite fun or teachable idea for bathtime?

Wonder or Blunder Mom? - Courage to Continue to Change #1

I have always been a Wonder Woman fan. I still have the thermos and two vintage t-shirts to prove it. I like to wear these when I play on my volleyball league.  For some reason they make me feel like I can move faster and jump higher.

I enjoy thinking of myself as a strong, courageous, and beautiful woman just like Wonder Woman, but just because I like to wear wide metal bracelets and I have long jet black hair this does not make me a strong and courageous "Wonder Mom."

To be truthful, I feel like "Blunder Mom" way more than I feel like "Wonder Mom". The good news is that a "Blunder Mom" can be strong, courageous, and beautiful as well. I can still shows strength and courage by:
1. A - admitting that I make mistakes
          and asking for forgiveness
3. B - brushing off the past hurt -
        learning from my mistakes and moving on
4. C - continuing to try to again to become
          a better wife and mom.

This week I am going to share how we can learn from admitting our mistakes and move on. Do you have any mistakes you would like to admit you learned from?
Hopefully we can learn from each other's mistakes. 

Get Rid of Guilt - Mother's Day #4

If I could truly ask for anything for Mother's Day it would be for someone to take away my "Mom Guilt".  You know what I am talking about:

   1. Feeling like I am a bad mom

   2. and that I am never going to be good enough,
         and as a result neither are my kids.

   3. Second-guessing things that I have do
   4. Replaying in my head what is already over-and-done

          and feeling bad for the choices that I made.

   5. Feeling bad for falling short when I compare myself to others or what I think they expect from me.

True conviction comes from the Holy Spirit, the law, the gospel, and our conscience (John 16:8, Acts 2:37, Romans 2:15, James 2:9).  God has made us to naturally feel bad when we do something wrong so that we can ask for forgiveness and change.  However, if you are feeling bad about something that you cannot change, don't need to change, or already sought forgiveness for and changed, then you are feeling false guilt not conviction.

Stop comparing yourself to others and the world's standard.  When you feel those guilty feelings coming on, match up your actions to Christ's law and the gospel to see if there really is something you should feel guilty about. If not, then remind yourself how God put you and your kids together as the perfect match. You are the best mom for your kids. Seek Christ' strength and direction for being the best mom that you can be.

What do you do to combat feelings of false guilt that moms often struggle with?
You are great mom! Get ready to celebrate mothers day guilt free!