My First Blog

Blogging is something that I have contemplated for a while. I have had this blog site for some time now...so far back that I don't even recall when I created it. I have so many things I want to share. I may try sharing a few of them before I figure out exactly how I want to use this site. I am about to start an online Summer Book Club so that is what I am going to begin with. I am really excited about the book club. I had been on the search for some faith based parenting as my 2-year old began to test my patience.

This is her "No, I am not doing anything you say" stance. Sweet, right?

I first started looking for a MOPS group and soon learned that this was something more geared towards stay at home moms and that meetings typically occur during the day. My response was, "What? So working mom's don't need support groups too?". I don't know about other working moms, but this working mom needs some support and to connect with other moms who are facing or have faced the same trials and tests that my child is introducing me to every single day.

After striking out with MOPS, I am not sure how, but I came across the first of my Christan parenting books, "Don't Make Me Come Up There" by Kristen Welch.

She has a blog called We are THAT Family. She is a sweet Christian mom that has compiled devotionals on the craziness of motherhood with a little Christian twist to them. One of the first stories that I read is titled, "Is That Bad?". She shares how the cashier greets her by name after she orders a large sweet tea from the drive-thru. Her friend in the passenger seat stares in disbelief that the cashier recognized her, by her voice alone. Kristen goes on to explain how this is sort of her "me time" where she takes time to do something for her. So many times we can feel guilty as moms, or just as women, for taking that me time. It's almost as if we feel inadequate because we need a little weekly pick-me-up like a sweet tea or maybe that $4 Starbucks drink. She reminds us to not feel guilty as that guilt can steal our joy. The book is filled with other cute, yet insightful, little stories like that; each with its own lesson, scripture reading, and prayer.

I was still on the hunt for something more....

Then I came across another blogger, Courtney, who writes, Women Living Well. She does video blogging. I had never heard of this but it totally makes sense and I loved it because I could multi-task as I listened to her. She recently announced a Summer Book Club and it could not get any closer to what I am looking for. It's a Christian book about parenting and there are online groups forming so that you can connect with other women. What a great way for me to get my feet wet in all of this. The book is "The Ministry of Motherhood" by Sally Clarkson. Here is a quote from the book.

We are designed by God to whisper His words to the hearts of our children so they feel the call of God in their own lives to become "fishers of men." We must remember our children like Peter, will never be perfect. Each of them needs for us, like Jesus, to extend to them the gift of love, grace, & forgiveness. We can only do this by relying on the grace of our own relationship with Jesus.-Sally Clarkson

The Book Club begins May 16 and you can find all of the details, including the reading schedule on Good Morning Girls. I would love to have others join me over the next 12 weeks or for some, I understand you might want to make this something internal that you do for yourself. Either way, I think it will be a very inspiring 12 weeks and I am thoroughly looking forward to it.

Here is a peak at the schedule from GoodMorningGirls.org