Mom of the Month: April

Mom of the Month: April

Lisa Yarbrough

Who is in your family?

Ben, Lisa, Jacob (9), Emily (7), Addison (3)

What were your favorite Easter traditions growing up?

My favorite Easter traditions growing up were finding the best outfit with matching hat to wear to church, followed by lunch with extended family and an egg hunt. We would also leave on Easter night every year to spend spring break in Palm Desert. We pretty much do those same things now….minus the Easter hat. :)

What is one thing you miss about being a kid?

Oh man! There are so many things. I miss freedom and playing without much responsibility. Being a kid is great!

What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

I have been blessed in my life to be surrounded by so many nice people. It's almost hard to pick the nicest thing. I would have to say that the nicest things that stand out in my mind were during a time when we were struggling financially. Monetary gifts, a meal out, groceries and diapers purchased for us. The generosity of people was humbling and so much appreciated.

Any advice or encouragement for the other moms in our group?

The advice I have is to eliminate distractions. I say this because I have fallen into the trap of distractions myself. It's easy, it happens slowly. Limit your time on Facebook, pinterest, twitter, instagram, etc. The electronic age is robbing us of time spent with our beautiful loved ones. I realized when my kids would say, "Mommy get off your phone!" that I was neglecting what was most important to me. Live in the moment with your kids, enjoy their presence! I decided I didn't want my kids to look back on their childhood and think, "My mommy sure loved her phone!" Just a thought… :)

IT WORKS FOR ME - KIRSTIN'S TABLE - APRIL

Kirstin - Uses Prince Lionheart wipe warmer to keep warm washcloths on hand (uses the bamboo washcloths that come with it.

Samantha - On busy days when kids don't get outside to play use spray bottles to play water tag and then kids are nice & tired and will take naps.

Corinne - Has found 2 apps that pack in truths & Scripture if you only have a short break. "Jesus Calling" and "She Reads Truth." For "She Reads Truth" the app will be up & running soon, but the devotionals are available at shereadstruth.com or you can subscribe to the daily emails. Really powerful devotionals that get you knowing God's Word.

Erin - Oakdale MOPS - Trade with your friends for childcare, free & gives you time to get things done.

Tracy - Oakdale MOPS - Use a reward program for you children. Child needs 4 good days in 1 week to earn $ for a reward (lego set or doll?)

x

Life is a Beautiful Mess!

Life is a Beautiful Mess. As long as we are in an imperfect world, we are going to have deal with some hard stuff. Sometimes it will be the consequences of choices we make, and other times it will come out of left field. But, what makes it a Beautiful Mess, is being able to embrace the story, the whole story, and see that God can take any circumstance and use it for His glory. After the dark, the awkward, and the ugly, you can step back and know that He will never leave you the same. You have been broken and tested, molded and shaped, and you look at life differently. Things that once seemed important seem frivolous, and your vision is narrowed to the One who got you through it all.

Kristyn Sorrick’s testimony is a Beautiful Mess. If you missed Tuesday’s meeting, you missed an amazing testimony. It… got… real! A small army of support surrounded Kristyn when she shared her story. This army consisted of friends who took the morning off of work, a college roommate who flew in to hear her speak, fellow MOPS moms from Oakdale, her husband, and her mom. She bravely shared the struggles that she experienced in her marriage, and how there is hope after infidelity. She was vulnerable, she was real, and she was beautiful.

Kristyn’s testimony showed me once again that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). No situation in life is too dire for Jesus. Kristyn stood before a group of her peers revealing deep wounds and scars from a situation that Satan meant for complete destruction. She proved that there is always hope and beauty that can come out of the dark periods in life. She shared, and we listened.

Kristyn had some great practical tips on how to protect your marriage:

• Get uncomfortable!
• Do not be apathetic, and do not have the “It can’t happen to me” attitude!
• Mommy & Daddy time takes precedence over the kids.
• Our kids are a part of our family for a time. You don’t want to look at your spouse after the kids leave and realize you’re sitting next to a stranger.
• Encourage your husband to join a men’s Bible study.
• Seek out a mentor couple and seek counseling.
• There are many resources at Big Valley Grace Community Church
• Get connected into a church and join a small group.

Here are some great adultery recovery resources:

• Hope and Healing with Gary & Mona (www. hopeandhealing.us)
• This is a Christian based ministry located in Denair, Ca. They are solely devoted to helping couples who have experienced the heartache of adultery.
• “Torn Asunder: Recovering from Extramarital Affairs” by Dave Carder
• Arm yourself with scripture & get into the Word daily! Here are the verses that Kristyn holds dear to her heart:
• Romans 8:28 - “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
• Romans 8:24 – “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?”
• Ephesians 6:10-17 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
• Psalms 51:17 - My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.
• Isaiah 25:8 - He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken
• Isaiah 66:1 - This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?
• Isaiah 57:15 - For this is what the high and exalted One says - he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. 

Ladies, our last speaker of the year brought our theme full circle. I hope you’ve been encouraged & challenged to embrace this Beautiful Mess we call life. Our prayer is that you’ve enjoyed your MOPS year, made some awesome mommy friends, and that you haven’t felt alone in this journey through motherhood. You are so loved.

Stay tuned for next year’s theme at our last meeting of the year. See you May 13th at the mOmSCARS!

"It Works For Me" - Jodie's Table - April

Lili - Family naptime...make a game of it so the kids enjoy it...her older girls even love it when they are home from school.

Jodie - When you know you have a crazy week coming...make PB&J sandwiches ahead & freeze for lunches.

Deondra - Have your kids help you make veggies for snacks or dinner and they will love to eat them.

Kimberly - Recommends the book "Parenting With Scripture" - by Kara Durbin so that you can be more specific with your kids.

Michelle - Barbie doll mess - use over the door pocket organizer to put dolls in so the hair doesn't get so messed up...can put older girl's special dolls at the top so that younger sisters can't get to them.

Laura - Use frozen eggo waffles for teething. On a side note - she recommends a vegan organic diet as it has helped shrink her thyroid cancer.

Amy - Technique for teaching your children how to manage money...each child has 3 piggy banks (Jesus, savings, spending). 

x

Who Am I?

... But what they didn't say includes a list of "side-effects" that ends up sounding like a prescription medication comercial.  And as Alex Kuykendall pointed out (via MOPs video), some of those surprising byproducts leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy, while the others make you want to "go potty" simply so you can have five minutes of (relative) peace.

It's so easy to define ourselves by cultural standards, and even the standards we place on ourselves.  Many women find their identity in their job or their DIY-filled, Pinterest perfect home.  Others define their worth by their outward appearance or how many "likes" their child's photo received on Instagram, or even how many children they have.  And while taking pride in your cooking skills or how many to-do list items you checked off isn't inherently bad, hinging our significance on accomplishments or material possessions or relationships with other imperfect people will eventually leave us feeling empty and lost.

Comparison kills contentment, and creates fears that tell us we're not doing it right.  But a mama's greatest weapon doesn't lie within herself, it lies within the One who created her.  Raising children in this day and age is one of the toughest, scariest battles of all time and the enemy wants nothing more than to watch us fail.  But we have the mighty King of heaven's armies in our corner, smiling and offering an "atta girl" at just the right time.  That's enough to make me wanna pull up my bootstraps and keep on keepin' on, no matter what anyone else thinks of me.

So what did Alex do when she woke up one day wondering where her kids stopped and she began?  She turned to God and his Word.  

She said, "God determined my worth with his gift of grace.  All I have to do is accept it.  I feel like I'm not enough, but God tells me I wasn't created to do it all - He's already done it.  I feel out of shape, but God tells me I'm his perfect masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)."  

A few months ago, I read a blog post by Bart Millard (from the band Mercy Me) where he cited an extensive list of personal attributes, according to God.  I won't copy/paste every one of them here, but I urge you to click HERE and bookmark it, or Pin it, or write them on Post-it notes and stick them to your mirror.  You'll be encouraged... you'll stand a little taller... you'll face the day with a new resolve. 

Because you're a daughter of the Creator of the universe, and everything else pales in comparison to His love for you.

"IT WORKS FOR ME" - MARCH - SOMA'S TABLE

Soma - Kids are always asking for a treat when on the way home from school in the afternoon or driving to other activities. Created "Fun Friday" - Only stop for a treat 1x a week (on Friday), kids get to decide where, but they have to agree. **Also out of all of the parenting books read - favorite is "The 5 Love Languages Of Children" by Gary Chapman.

Jennifer - Suggests the book "Try And Make Me" by Ray Levy. Helps with the battles of strong willed children.

Linnea - Instead of having laundry baskets in everyone's room, she now puts 4 baskets in the bathroom and everyone sorts their own laundry. This makes it much easier to tell when there is enough for a load.

Caryn - Amazon Prime is $99/yr and is a great place to do your Christmas or birthday shopping especially if you are laid up. By paying for Amazon Prime you receive free 2 day shipping on every order no matter how big or small, you also receive access to many tv shows and I believe movies also for free.

Ciara - Has 2 boys and everything becomes a race. Sets the timer for 15 min & tells the boys to see who can pick up the most toys. Gives herself a chance to have a break or freshen up right before her husband gets home from work, results in the house being more picked up when husband walks through the door.

Karen - Has a son with Type "A" personality & always has to have an order to things. Made a poster board for kids to follow to get ready in the morning. Took a picture of each task that needs to be done in the morning & put on the poster board in the order which it should be done. Helps when someone else is watching the kids also & less questions in the morning.

Christine - Trying to foster a love of reading in her children. Keeps a small organizing tote in the backseat of her car and puts books in it for children to read and look at while riding in the car. Also keeps a smaller box in the tote to collect garbage.

Tricia - Has her older boys listen to books on CD during rest time. You can check them out from the library or download them to your ipad.

Linda - Shared a recipe for Microwave Caramel Corn that she has used for 25 years.

Microwave Caramel Corn

1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. Karo syrup (white)
1/2 tsp. salt
Combine the above ingredients in a glass 2 quart dish. Put in microwave and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes more on high. Remove.

1/2 tsp. soda
3-4 quarts popped corn
optional almonds (toasted)

Stir in the soda. Pour into brown bag which popcorn is in and shake. Cook in bag 1 1/2 minutes. Shake and repeat if necessary. Pour out onto wax paper to cool.

Kicking the Clutter to the Curb!

This week, Cheri Gregory came to our MOPS group to talk about getting rid of the clutter in our lives. With a title like, “50 Ways to Leave Your Clutter: Go On and Ditch that Lyin’ Cheatin’ Back-Stabbin’ Stuff for Good,” I knew our MOPS group was in for a great morning. I was expecting to hear some interesting organizational tips on how to tidy up, but it was so much more. Not only did Cheri give us great tips on de-cluttering, but she also gave our hearts a deep cleaning by getting to the root of letting stuff go.

There were so many great things I learned from Cheri, but the one thing that resonated with me the most was when she asked us to finish the sentence:

            “I have so many/much ____ in my house/garage that ______.”

Then she asked us to finish: “With more open space, I could…”

I have a tendency to create piles. The piles consist of pictures my kids have drawn, papers from kindergarten, and catalogs/mail I think I’ll look at in the future. Sometimes it’s a laundry basket of clothes that won’t get folded for a really loooong time. My husband is very neat and tidy, and every now and then he politely hates on my tower of junk. Now, I could claim to really, really be embracing our MOPS theme and hand him the lovely laminated card, complete with our theme verse that Cheri gave us, but that would be kind of lame. The truth is, I would love a house with less clutter.

So, to fill in the blanks of Cheri’s sentence, I would say: I have so many piles of junk in my house that it makes my husband (and myself) miserable.

After our MOPS meeting, I was wired (thanks to the rockin’ coffee from the hospitality team)& inspired to conquer the pile of papers that took up a third of my dining room table. It’s been there since Christmas. I realized this when I found the left over Christmas cards at the bottom of the pile.

As I went through all the little papers on my dining room table, Cheri’s questions ran through my mind. Why do I still have this? Ulta catalog with expired coupon…chuck it. Am I hanging on to this because of guilt? I love you, sweet son, but this 40^th drawing of Sonic the Hedgehog has to go. Am I really a _______er? Couponer? No. Goodbye Redplum coupon book. Has that season of my life passed? Old Christmas cards? Yes, Christmas passed 3 months ago. Into the garbage you go!

The final result was beautiful! Check it out:

I forgot to take a before picture, but if you must know…it looked something like this:

Now, the dining room table was my warm-up. My husband and I are starting to feel like our family is complete. My youngest son will be 4 in June. We have a garage full of baby stuff we’ll no longer need, and it’s tempting to hang on to the things my boys used during their first precious years of life. BUT, how awesome would it be to have a clean garage? So, now I can ask myself, “Am I holding on to make my life the way it used to be?” “Am I hanging on to this because of what it once cost me?” & “Has this season of my life passed?” I am ready to take on the baby stuff, and I will remind myself that I am not feeling empty; I am feeling spacious.

For more information on Cheri Gregory, check out: 

www.cherigregory.com

www.50waystoleaveyourclutter.com

www.facebook.com/cheri.gregory.author