Raising Happy Kids

Hello mamas,

DO you ever wonder how you can raise a happy kid? I totally agree with this article at always learning. Kids need boundaries. Yes they will test them but you need to set them anyway. What things to you do at your house to raise a happy kids?

Credit: smartknitkids.com

We may look upon rules laid down for children as the stakes and ties that keep the vine from rank growth and entangle it to produce the best fruit, while the pruning might represent the parents' chastening...The obedient child is the happiest child. 

Elizabeth Elliott

Today's parents seem to be afraid of making rules for their children.  They are afraid their children will rebel if they have rules.  They mistakenly think if they give them everything they want and let them do what they want, they will be happy.

God gives us a lot of rules to live by.  His Word is full of guidance for us.  We are to dwell on the lovely and good, help those in need, be generous and kind, hate what is evil and cling to what is good, along with many other commands.

He tells us to train our children in the way they are to go.  We were "strict" parents as many of you know.  We had quite a few rules for our children.  We were careful what friends they hung out with, what television shows and movies they watched, and they couldn't date through high school.

We disciplined our children for misbehavior.  A few times we spanked them when they were very young for not obeying us.  Later, we used time out or other creative ways to help them learn self-control and be disciplined.

My children were happy.  No, we weren't perfect parents and I will never claim  I was but we did do some things right.  Obedient children are the happiest children.  Obedient, happy people make the world a better place.  Disobedient, unhappy people make the world worse.

Train your children to be self-controlled.  They will reap the consequences of a disciplined life and you will reap the consequences of happy children.

Discipline your son, and he will give you rest;

he will give delight to your heart.

Proverbs 29:17

Busy but Happy Mama

Hello mama,
Today I saw this post on 10 ways to be a happy mama at a Holy Experience .. so sweet! You can click here for a free printable\. What makes you busy mama happy?

Credit: sheknows.com

 10
Ways to be a Happier Mom

1. Life is not an emergency.

Life’s a gift. 
Just. Slow. Down.

2. Now is not a forever grace but amazing grace.

Do whatever it takes to wake to wonder right here.

3. Sometimes the slowest way is the fastest way to joy.

Make time today, even a moment, to read Scripture and memorize it.

Without the lens of His Word, the world warps.

{Slowest=fastest to joy}

4. Laughter is the cheapest, holiest medicine.

Preschoolers laugh 300 times a day. Aim for double that. Tickle someone, (yourself!), if necessary. This is good!

5. Motherhood is a hallowed place because children aren’t commonplace.

Co-laboring over the sculpting of souls is a sacred vocation, a humbling privilege.

Never forget.

6. Homemaking is about making a home, not about makingperfection.

A perfect home is an authentic, creative, animated space where Peace and Christ and Beauty are embraced.

{Perfect does not equate to immaculate.}

7. A pail with a pinhole loses as much as the pail pushed right over.

A minute dawdled here, a minute scrolling here — they can add up to your life.  Write down your intentions for the day and prayerfully ive the intentions and spend your life well by paying attention to the moments — which pays thanks to God.

A whole life can be lost in minutes wasted, small moments missed.

8. Believe it: I have all I need for today.

The needs of our day are great but our God is greater and we call Him Providence because we believe:He is the One who always provides.

{And when God provides, He should be praised, and if God always provides, shouldn’t praise always be on the lips?}

9. Slow. Children at play.

The hurry hurts the kids.

Time’s this priceless currency and only the slow spend it wise enough to be rich.

If we had to actually buy our time, would we spend it more wisely — spend it more slowly?

{God’s Word never says Hurry Up. God words only whisper: Wake Up.}

10. Love is patient.

Parenting’s this gentle way of bending over in humility to help the scraped child up because we intimately know it takes a lifetime to learn how to walk with Him.

Patience. Love always begins with patience and patience is a willingness to suffer.

Bonus:

The art of really celebrating life isn’t about getting it right – but about receiving Grace.

The sinners and the sick, the broken, the discouraged, the wounded and burdened — we are the ones who get to celebrate grace!

Regardless of the mess of your life, if Christ is Lord of your life, than we are the celebrants out dancing in a wild rain of grace — because when it’s all done and finished, all is well and Christ already said it was finished.

Click to read more

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/08/10-ways-to-be-a-happier-mom/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HolyExperience+%28Holy+Experience%29

Safety: Popular Bumbo infant floor seat recalled

Hello mamas,  di dyou see these have been recalled. How scary that kids fall and crack their head?
... I have used it for 5 years and just love it but I have to take note. NOTE:  If you do decide to keep using yours, please don't ever use it on an elevated surface or even on the floor with the 

child out of our sight!

August 15, 2012 6:56 AM

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON (AP) — About 4 million Bumbo Baby Seats are being recalled after nearly two dozen reports of infant skull fractures.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says babies can wiggle out of the floor seats.

About 1 million of the molded foam seats were recalled in October 2007 for additional warning labels against placing the Bumbo seats on raised surfaces, such as tables or kitchen counters.

Since the first recall, CPSC and Bumbo International of South Africa have learned of at least 50 incidents in which babies fell from Bumbo seats while they were being used on raised surfaces. CPSC says another 34 babies fell from the seats while they were being used on the floor or at an unknown elevation. In all, there were 21 reports of skull fractures to infants.

Consumers are asked to stop using the seats and contact Bumbo for a free repair kit that includes a restraint belt and instructions on how to safely use the seat. The repair kit can be ordered by visitingwww.recall.BumboUSA.com or calling 866-898-4999.

In a statement, the company said it was adding a restraint belt to enhance the safety of children using the Bumbo seat.

"The restraint belt will help prevent children from getting out of or falling from the seat when it is used as intended: on the floor with adult supervision and never on raised surfaces," said the statement. "The health and safety of children using the Bumbo Baby Seat are our top priorities."

The Bumbo floor seats were sold at Babies R Us, Target, Walmart and other retailers nationwide from August 2003 through August 2012.

Long Live Mama

Did you see this story on the Standard? My tears were rolling. Can you all Kenyan moms pat yourself on the back?  Can you share what was the greatest sacrifice your mom has made for you? Mine was during Christmas she would buy us new clothes but never ever bought her self one.. Also she took us to expensive nice school and died without a beautiful home which she could have chosen to build instead of spending on our school fee.. they are countless sacrifices I need a book to write...

Read on..

Magazines  My mum is my Heroine

My mum is my Heroine

Updated Wednesday, August 15 2012 at 00:00 GMT+3

Straight Talk with Njoki Karuoya

In last week’s issue, I asked you to send an inspirational story on how your single father or mother inspired you to be a better person, or to be the person you are today. Carol Kinuthia’s story inspired the most and she wins a two-night complimentary stay at the Sun n Sand Beach Resort at the Coast.

Here is her story.

“A mother is not a person to lean on but a person to make leaning unnecessary” so says Dorothy C Fisher. I always attribute this to Elizabeth W Kinuthia, my mum.

My dad passed away when my sister and I were in nursery school (as am told). During the same period, mum was nine months pregnant with my last born and jobless. More problems evolved when my sister and I joined primary school since paying fees and maintaining our upkeep was tough. My mother did casual work around the village, but could not get enough for our upkeep and school fees.

Cheapest school

We spent more days at home than in school. Luckily, primary education became free when I was in Class Five. The rest of our learning became smooth. Despite the hardship, my mum worked hard. I cannot remember any day we slept hungry. There were times we went to school without breakfast, but she always hustled before lunch and brought us something all the way to school, 3km from home. Sometimes it would be boiled potatoes, maize but at least something for the stomach. She would confidently tell us tumbo haina kioo (The stomach does not have a mirror, no one will see what you ate). 

Hell broke loose when my sister and I completed Class Eight. My mother had saved Sh5,000 for my sister. She went around looking for the cheapest school due to finances. With only Sh5,000, she joined a nearby day school. Mummy saved Sh1,000 per month from milk sold from her cow, which she used to pay school fees. Second and third term was not easy. My sister was in and out of school.

This really affected me when I was in Class Eight. There were times I felt like giving up but  no, my mother always assured me that I would join secondary school. After the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, by God’s grace, I managed to score 318 marks. These marks would have gotten me to a good school, but where was the money? Due to this, I never went for my admission letter.

Cut-off grade

Mum looked for  the cheapest school, got as many fee structures as she could, compared them and got me an affordable school. “It is about my performance not our performance,” she insisted.

By God’s grace, I was admitted to a day school 5km away from home. Mum did not have any savings. She sold the only thing she had, her cow. She paid for the next one year for both of us and hence was left with nothing. Form Two came and there was no fees. My mother had to do all kinds of jobs till late in the night. Unfortunately, this was not enough. She would pay our fees in instalments of Sh50 and Sh100. She was always the first one to apply for bursary.

We often walked around with a ‘pledge note’ to avoid being sent home. Schooling for us was in shifts — when one was in school, the other would be at home. The worst moment was when both of us were at home due to lack of fees. This was painful, but normal. At such times, my mum’s words still rang in my mind: “You will make it. Do you think those who make it have two heads and two hearts?”

What is so unique about my mother is that when we were at home for school fees, we still had to wake up as usual, do house chores and get to books. It was a school at home! She would do the rest by herself but don’t mistake it, we had our duties to make us responsible. After the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, my sister did not make it to the university and had to stay at home. This was enough stress for me. I wondered whether I would end up like her. I followed my mother’s advice and prayed to God to help me attain the cut-off grade for public university.

Made it to campus

My mum was very supportive. She would set the alarm at 3.30am, wake me up and make sure I did not doze while reading. Sometimes I would attend group discussion and leave school late and I would always find her standing by the roadside, in the cold, waiting to provide security for me. She would even borrow past papers for me even if she never knew the content of the papers!

She never missed any of our school meetings. She would study my report form and compare it with the previous ones. I had to explain any decline. This explains how despite all the obstacles, I managed to get a B+, joined Kenyatta University and will be in Fourth Year come next month. My brother is in Form Four and doing great, all courtesy of mum’s support and hard work.

My mum is a heroine. I saw her do all kinds of jobs including digging, milking, trimming fences, repairing buildings and providing security at night. At one time, she built a kitchen by herself! She was not interested in fashion. One Sunday best was okay for her. She would buy us clothes, but not herself, She was always the last in her list. Though mum is financially challenged, she is a billionaire when it comes to love, kindness, determination and hard work.

We love you sweet mum and we pray that  the Almighty shall satisfy you with good health and a happy and long life to see our success. This is also my prayer for all the mothers across the world; those who stand by their children. We love you our dear mothers.

Carol N Kinuthia,

Kenyatta University. 

Recipe: Samosas

Hello Kenyan mommies. Today we are featuring a samosa recipe from pika chakula. Please follow them on Face book or on their blog. What is is your to go to soul food? I love fried food when I need some comfort food like samos or mandazis. How about you? My hubby actually loves Samosas too, they are too tasking but a nice treat.

Try out a wonderful recipe on how to make paneer samosa’s. This is a lovely recipe that we all love to have when we go out to our favourite indian restaurants. Now you can make this at home. Its very simple so check out the method below and let your hands do the talking. Enjoy and share your experience.

Ingredients:

• Grated Paneer (cheese)- 1 cup
• Onion (chopped) – 1 cup
• Maida (Refined Wheat flour) ± 1 cup
• Ghee- 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil to deep fry

Method

For Stuffing:

1. Mix Grated Paneer, Chopped Onion, little salt.
2. Keep aside.

For Samosa:

1. Make dough from mixing Maida, little salt, ghee with water
2. Press it into Chappatis (Divide the dough into equal size balls. Flatten the balls with a presser or roll
3. into round discs approximately 6 inches in diameter).
4. In each chappati keep little stuffing and fold it into triangular shape.
5. Deepfry in oil

Enjoy 

Read more: http://pikachakula.com/recipe/how-to-make-recipe/paneer-samosa/#ixzz23eRZNH4y 

Check out more recipes at www.pikachakula.com 

A Word For Your Saturday

Suffering Through a Betrayal

Hello Kenyan mamas, so have you been betrayed? I know there has been debates on FB on what to do when one betrays you especially a loved one like husband?

Read this and let me know what you think...

Suffering Through a Betrayal

by Drew Randle

Betrayal. An abandonment or violation of trust by someone close to you. A husband betrayed by his wife. An employee passed over for a promotion by an employer who had promised it. A secret between friends brought to light for all to see. A promise made to a child so easily broken by a parent. How do we deal with that inevitable betrayal that will affect us in our everyday lives of work and family?

In my own life, I was rejected and abandoned by someone very close to me, someone I trusted closely with secrets, struggles, and victories in life. The pain of the betrayal was intense, and I longed to be understood by colleagues and others close to me. But the expectation in the Christian community to have it altogether made the betrayal even more unbearable, especially as my life seemed so fragmented.

In a much more intense way, Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot into the hands of the Jewish religious leaders. The mental anguish caused by the betrayal of Judas, one of Jesus’ disciples and closest friends, is an often overlooked aspect of Jesus’ suffering for us. He had invested in Judas. He loved Judas. He cared intensely for Judas. He was discouraged, just like we are in moments of betrayal. He hurt. Felt pain. Wept.

The preliminary stages of Judas’ betrayal are recorded in Matthew 26:14-16. Several questions come to mind, particularly as Judas’ actions fulfilled prophecy: Can Judas be held responsible for betraying Jesus when he was fulfilling prophecy? Did Judas become disillusioned with Jesus’ message and life because Jesus didn’t fit Judas’ paradigm?

But the question I asked myself in the wake of my betrayal was: what internal anguish did Jesus feel grappling with the reality that Judas had sold him out? Especially in His humanity?

We often respond to abandonment or betrayal in anger, by dwelling on the circumstances. In our workplaces, we often seek to get even or make our betrayers suffer intensely for how they’ve wronged us. We see a proper model of how to handle betrayal by Jesus, however.

We read in Hebrews that Jesus understands all that we encounter and are tempted with, yet did not sin in His own temptations. He pressed on to the task that he was called to by the Father. Though Jesus’ internal struggle with Judas’ betrayal is not recorded, we can assume that it was difficult for Him emotionally. We know that he instructed Judas to do what he’d set his mind to. He didn’t stop him or throw a fit. We also know that Jesus responded to Judas graciously. Jesus could never be accused of being a pushover, but He framed His response to Judas’ betrayal with kindness and graciousness.

If we have been betrayed by someone close to us—and eventually we all will—our first response should be to cry out to Jesus who loves us, pursues us, and intimately understands the reality of that betrayal.

Have you been abandoned or betrayed? Have you had those closest to you hang you out to dry? Have you poured biblical truth into an individual only to have them reject you and your care for them? Are you facing betrayal at the hands of a fellow employee or employer? How are you responding? Are you and I in any way betraying Jesus or others by our thoughts or actions as we respond to those who betray us?

Image by Tim Miller. Used with permission. Sourced via Flickr. Post by Dr. Drew Randle, Professor of Christian Ministry at Bryan College.

http://www.thehighcalling.org/faith/suffering-through-betrayal

Is infant formula really as good as breast milk?

This is another article by daily nation. Did you give your kids formula? Was there a reason or medical reason? Would you do it different?

By SONA PARMAR MUKHERJEE
Posted  Wednesday, April 11  2012 at  00:00

Even before Baby Mukherjee was born, I knew I was going to breastfeed her. After all, it was the best start I could give her. Breast milk is so “complete” that it provides a baby with all the nutrients needed for growth and development. It also helps to build a healthy immune system, keep baby’s gut healthy, and protects against asthma, eczema, and heart disease.

Furthermore, as a British study of 14,000 babies has demonstrated, babies who are exclusively breastfed for the first three months at least — and sometimes for the first 12 months — registered far higher scores for verbal IQ, performance IQ, and general IQ when they were tested at six-and-a-half years.

That is why the World Health Organisation recommends that mothers exclusively breastfeed their infants for the first six months, and then continue for at least a year and, after that, for as long as mother and baby wish*.

So, why is it that an increasing number of women are now feeding their children formula? Is it really as good a substitute as it is said to be? Well, let us start with what formula is: Over time, science has tried to perfect infant formula by packing it with the same nutrient composition as breast milk.

To do that, it contains ingredients such as corn syrup solids, soy protein isolate, high oleic safflower oil, sugar (sucrose), soy oil and coconut oil. When I looked at that list, I had to ask myself, would I feed these ingredients to my daughter?

Immune-boosting properties

Honestly, no. And unless a mother has a chronic health condition (for instance cancer and Aids), that would also be my advice to her.

For one, formula does not contain nearly enough of vital brain-building fats (specifically an omega-3 called DHA), and the vitamins and minerals that infant formula is enriched with are not as well absorbed as in breast milk.

That is one of the reasons formula-fed babies have unpleasant smelling stool. Infants may also be allergic to the protein in formula and I have personally seen several who have been diagnosed with reflux.

One other factor that many people do not consider is the risk of diarrhoeal disease due to water contamination. On the contrary, breast milk contains excellent immune-boosting properties.

In fact, when mother is exposed to a germ, she generates antibodies to that germ and gives these antibodies to her infant via her milk.

“But so many children have turned out just fine,” is a comment I often hear. What is “just fine”? Is having a higher risk of adult heart and central nervous system diseases “just fine”?

At the end of the day, the choice is yours. This article is not meant to make anyone feel guilty for the choices they have made. It is meant to educate.

Therefore, rather than feel guilty about past decisions, empower yourself for the future.

*Since mothers who give their children pacifiers on a daily basis are more likely to wean their babies off the breast earlier, the World Health Organisation also discourages pacifier use.

In fact, one study found that mothers who gave dummies to their babies were more likely to breastfeed exclusively for a shorter time, or to report a lack of milk when the baby was at least a month old.

The writer is a clinical nutritionist and certified by the Nutritional Therapy Council in the UK. Please direct any questions about family nutrition to her on living@nutritionbysona.com

Working Mama on Breast feeding

This is a story run by Kenya nation newspaper - The first week of August marks World Breastfeeding Week, and in honor of this, we speak to the challenges of breast feeding. Are you a working mom? What challenges did you face? How long did you BF? --- 

World Breastfeeding Week was established 20 years ago to spread information about the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant’s life. Breast milk contains all the nutrients a newborn needs to adjust to life outside the womb, as well as antibody-building properties. It is also a great way for mothers and babies to bond.

According to statistics released by the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTI), only 32 per cent of Kenyan babies are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of their lives.

There are various reasons for this, including the ripple effect from the first years of HIV/Aids (mis)education in the 1990s. About 26.9 per cent of women feed their babies on cow’s milk, formula and so on in those first months.

For some women, these choices might be cosmetic or medical, but there is a group that may not have a choice: working mothers.

Crazy schedule

Sophie Kaberia, 24, felt like the worst mum on earth, having to leave her two-and-a-half-month-old baby to go back to work: “It was a teary experience knowing that my little angel would wake up in the morning and not find me there for her usual breastfeeding.

“I also had to supplement breast milk with formula because my milk reserves dwindled with time. I felt selfish but I had to go to work to cater for her other needs.”

Chelang’at Bett went upcountry to stay with her parents-in-law after getting her baby. When it was time to come back home and back to work, she was simply not ready.

“It was the hardest thing in the world, finding the right nanny, learning how to express milk and trying to meet the baby’s demands. It was overwhelming,” she says.

“I was always hungry at work, with little access to food and time to eat it as well. I also had to express milk in my car, carry the milk into the office to store it in the office fridge, transport it home in the evening and store in my tiny fridge and then express enough milk in the morning before I leave the house."

She finally decided to work half days, which meant forfeiting half her pay. If she had her way, Chelang’at would have a crèche at work for nursing mothers.

Daunting challenges

“I also wish I had the option of staying on paid maternity leave longer, until the baby was weaned. Providing round-the-clock tea/cocoa and a medical plan for mothers that includes consultation with a nutritionist and counsellor to help those with post-partum depression are also good ideas.”

Rehema Kahurananga, 29, a communications officer and co-founder of Hello Mama (Kenyan Moms) on Facebook, made the best out of her somewhat bad situation.

“The company I worked for suddenly ceased operations in Kenya when I was six months pregnant! I panicked, but I took the opportunity to focus on getting ready to be a mother,” she says.

Through the severance package she received and a very supportive family structure, she was able to stay at home with her son for nine months.

“Going back to work full-time was daunting at first because I’d never spent a whole day away from my son. I had started weaning him but I used to leave enough breast milk for him to have as a snack. Pumping was no joke!
“At first, my son hated using a bottle, but he got over that within the first month when he realised the bottle was his only way to my milk while I was away.”

Rehema proposes a minimum of six months paid maternity leave. “At this time, a mother can return to work without a divided mind. Companies may see that as expensive, but in the end, it is better to have a productive member of the team.”

Mildred Njuguna agrees. “Going back to work when my child was only three months old was emotionally difficult for me as well as the baby who had been exclusively feeding from the breast. I would have wished for a longer maternity leave,” she says.

Mildred, who had prepared for her return back to work, had already started expressing and building up stock for when she was away.

“I exclusively breastfed for almost six months, by pumping at work and storing.

Eventually, though, I had to supplement with formula as my milk flow reduced.”

Achieving goals

And Wanjiru Chege, who runs a small business, had to go back to work when her son was only eight weeks old. But she took her paediatrician’s advice, expressing enough milk for him to drink the whole day for six months.

“It was the busiest time for the business and I had no choice but to go back. He completely rejected the bottle and the milk was administered by cup and spoon which made me really sad,” she says.

The WBTI goal is to have 80 per cent of babies exclusively breastfed by 2017; can we achieve this? Only if the life challenges that willing mothers face are taken into account.

Single Mama's ABC

Hello Kenyan mama.. any single mama's out there?

Here is an article form Moms today that you will really love. Again thank you for being the fathers and mothers to those little ones. May God bless you and continue to guide your way. Please share with us your ways, encouragement, struggle.. we shall pray together.

Accept where you are in life.

Be ready for the hard questions.

Challenge Yourself… You are stronger than you think!

Depend on God. He will lead your family.

Encourage your children (and yourself) to try new things.

Find supportive friends who listen and love you well.

Grieve fully what has been lost. Don’t move on to another relationship until you do.

Have an idea of where you want to be in a year… 5 years. It might feel impossible to plan so far when you don’t know what will happen next week… do it anyway.

Identify the good and bad patterns in your family of origin… and in your second family of origin.

Joke and laugh with your children every day.

Keep the traditions that are meaningful to your kids… even if they bring hard memories for you.

Love yourself well.

Monitor your self talk. If your feelings get scary, seek help.

Never stop believing you can raise emotionally healthy children.

Object to being called broken.

Plan the routine that works best for YOUR family.

Question the feelings that say you are responsible for everything and your children’s world will fall apart if you fail.

Release feelings of fear, unforgiveness, and anger.

Seek out and connect with other single moms… Seek out other adults who can help speak into the lives of your children.

Treat yourself with kindness and love and Teach your children to do the same.

Uncover and change unhealthy patterns.

Volunteer your time to help others less fortunate.

Weigh your options (you have a lot of them) Do what matters.

eXpect to feel sad and lonely sometimes. Have a plan for what you’ll do when that happens.

You are Loved. You are Beautiful. You are Enough.

Zealously guard your time with God. You need it.

Is He Really That Bad?

Hello Kenyan mamas today is a story directly from Always learning. Please hop over there anytime. Please let me know what do you think? Is it true that we just have way too high expectations for our husbands? 

***I am guilty as charged. Sometimes when a friend wrong me -- it easier to forgive them quicker than I forgive my husband.. what a great reminder. 

Ask yourself if your husband is really that bad.  So many of us go through life thinking our husbands are not good husbands.  Ken now says that he knew during those 23 years of a difficult marriage to me that he couldn't be wrong all the time.  We argued frequently because I wanted to be right and get my way.

My dad said to me the other day that all those years that he and mom didn't get along well, he would wonder to himself if he was really all that bad.  He felt my mom was always upset with him.  I think a lot of men must ask themselves that same question.  A lot of us are good at making our husbands feel like they are not good men.

Our expectations are too high ~

We marry thinking that they should make our lives happy,
instead of thinking how we can make their lives happy. 

We expect them to say the right things at the right times and read our minds. 

We expect them to understand our moods and be sensitive and kind to us always. 

We expect them to say wonderful things to us even when 
we are doing nothing to deserve it. 

We expect them to talk to us and share their deepest feelings.

Go into marriage with no expectations on him but a lot on yourself.  Expect to love him just the way that he is and only try and change yourself.  Find out what makes him happy and start doing those things.  Only think and say positive and uplifting things about him.   Refuse to be angry and upset with him but kind and forgiving instead.

Most husbands are not bad men.  Most show their love by working hard and providing for their families.  They want to come home to a home full of love and peace, a sanctuary from the storms of life.  Be that sanctuary for him.  Realize he is not that bad.  In fact, I bet he is a pretty great guy!

For where envying and strife {arguing and quarreling} is, there is confusion and every evil work.  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated {always helpful}, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

James 3:16,17

Want The Best For Others

Today I wanted to share with you form Always learning. You can hop over and look around she has many helpful  post. Can you relate to this? Wanting the best for others.. HARD to do but so TRUE right? Any mom's out there struggle with this?...beautiful!

Do you really want the best for others? Do you rejoice in the good new of others? Are you careful to think the best and hope for the best for others? If you do, you will never say a negative word about them. You will never gossip or slander them. You won't be jealous of them or worry about being treated unfairly in anything concerning them.

 This isn't an easy thing or something that comes naturally. It means denying yourself and thinking more about others than you.

It means being happy when you are single and you hear of another friend getting engaged.

It means rejoicing at the news of another pregnancy when you want to be pregnant so badly.

It means delighting in the fact that someone got a new job when you have been out of work for months.

It means teaching your children that life isn’t fair.  Maybe the grandparents treated some of their grandchildren better than your children, but you teach your children to love their grandparents anyways and never speak ill of them or the children you think they treated better.

It means being content when you are laid up in bed for months with an illness but being glad for those who have good health and praying God’s blessings upon them.

It means learning to imitate Christ to others even when you feel they don’t deserve it.

It means forgiving easily and freely the boyfriend that dumped you for another girl because you want God’s best for all of you.  You believe in God’s sovereignty with your whole heart and believe He knows what is best.

If you can answer yes to all of these statements, then you really do want what is best for others.  This is a good way to live.  Teach your children to be like Jesus from a very young age and their lives and all those who know them will be blessed.

Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; 
but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.

Philippians 2:3

Kids- Daily Encouragement

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Here are 30 short messages for us to copy and paste, write out, text, etc., to the young men and women in our lives:

1. God is your refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble.  (Psalm 46:1)

2. You are the best.  I thank God for you.

3. God will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

4. I love you, forever!

5. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.(Isaiah 41:10)

6. I am praying for you, today.

7. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  (Romans 15:13)

8. You bring joy to my life.

9.Nothing is too difficult for God.  (Jeremiah 32:17)

10. You are so beautiful to me.  (If it’s a son, replace beautiful with handsome)

11. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Tim. 4:12)

12. God has a special plan and purpose for your life.

13. You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength (Phil.4:13)

14. You is smart, you is kind and you is important.   (Aibileen, “The Help”)

15. Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. (Psalm 43:5)

16. You are a great person and I am so blessed to have you in my life.

17. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!   (Psalm 118:29)

18. I believe in you.

19. Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. (Psalm 55:22)

20. Find a reason to ‘roll on the floor ‘and laugh today.

21. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.  (Psalm 121:1-2)

22. Good job!

23. He heals the brokenhearted  and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3)

24. Find all your hope in God.

25. God loves you with an everlasting love; He will continue His faithfulness to you. (Jeremiah 31:3)

26. I’m so proud of you!

27. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deut. 31:6)

28. Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.  (Einstein)

29, So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  (1 Corin. 13:13)

30. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.  (Psalm 146:5)

It is time for us to get the message out and let HOPE go viral!

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