Living With Less

I am excited to share a fun opportunity with you!

To celebrate the release of Hearts at Home’s newest book: Living With Less So Your Family Has More, by Jill and Mark Savage, the Hearts at Home blog is launching the Living with Less Contest.

Email Hearts at Home a story or money-saving tip that gives a peek into your daily experiences representing the humor, richness, or spiritual aspects of what it’s like to live with less.

Better yet, blog readers will benefit as many of the money-saving entries will be posted on the Heart’s blog throughout the month of February!

For contest details go here!

Hearts at Home University

Motherhood is a valid profession.

It is that belief that inspired Jill Savage and a group of women to plan the first Hearts at Home conference 16 years ago. Today these conferences are a place where moms can go to find the encouragement and education they need to do this mothering thing right!

The problem is, not everyone can attend a Hearts at Home conference, so Hearts at Home University was created!

Hearts at Home University is a new resource designed to encourage and equip you in your journey as a parent! These live web casts, affordably priced at $15 each, allow you to tap into continuing education as a mom on a regular basis right from the comfort of your own computer.

The topics that will be covered over the Spring and Summer Semester include:

“Is There Really Sex after Kids” with Jill Savage
“She’s Gonna Blow” with Julie Barnhill
“Redefining Romance” with Mark and Jill Savage
“Keeping Your Ducks in a Relative Row” with Karen Ehman

For information on dates and times, or to register go here.

Hearts At Home

Have you ever felt alone as a mom? Lost in your chosen field of mothering?

There is an organization that was created to encourage, educate and equip women in the profession of motherhood. Hearts at Home helps thousands of moms love their lives through their many resources including conferences, website, and books.

Recently I partnered up with this organization as a blogger. Over time I hope to share with you the many resources this ministry has to offer (old ones and new). To learn more about the Hearts at Home Blogging team go here.

In the meantime I would like to encourage you to explore their website and blog for an immediate dose of mothering encouragement.

Real Moms...Real Jesus

Today I’d like to welcome author and speaker, Jill Savage. Jill’s recent book Real Moms…Real Jesus, just released, and I wanted to ask her about her real mom moments..

Jill, tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.
Mark and I have been married 25 years and we have five children. Anne is 24 and married to our wonderful son-in-love, Matt. Evan is 21 and married to our beautiful daughter-in-love, Julie. Erica is 18 and a college student at Heartland Community College. Kolya is 15 and in the 8th grade. We adopted Kolya at the age of 9 from Russia---the God story about his adoption is included in the Real Moms…Real Jesus book. And Austin is 12 and in the 7th grade.

Tell us about your newest book Real Moms...Real Jesus?
Real Moms…Real Jesus is a book designed to help moms understand that when Jesus lived on this earth he was fully God, yet fully man. We don’t often think about the fact that he was a human being and he lived the full human experience: pain, hunger, fatigue, frustration, betrayal, disappointment. He experienced it all!

There’s one verse in the Bible about Jesus that simply says “large crowds followed him everywhere he went.” Well, isn’t that the life of a mom? Large crowds follow her to the bathroom. They follow her to the kitchen. To the grocery store. She’s in high demand! And when Jesus lived on this earth, He was in high demand, too.

Why did you want to write this book?
Most of us long for a friend who understands. Yes, we need girlfriends who understand what our life is like. But we also need to understand that we have a friend who understands in Jesus. Too many of us think of God as being distant and unable to relate to our daily struggles. But nothing could be further from the truth! He understands and he wants us to build our friendship with Him. He wants to not only be our Savior, but also our Friend.

What do you hope your readers will gain from this book?
I hope that readers will gain a new perspective about their relationship with Jesus. I also hope to weave God’s truth into the daily life of a mom.

What unique elements will the reader find in Real Moms…Real Jesus?
Each chapter looks at some character trait in Jesus’ life that can help us in our life as a mom. In between the chapters are interactive vignettes that provide brief, refreshing glimpses into our real, messy, busy lives.

There are also questions at the end of the chapter for further consideration and suggested Bible reading in the book of Matthew. If the reader chooses to pursue the suggested reading, she will have read the book of Matthew completely by the end of the book!

There is also a leader’s guide in the back of the book so it can be used in a group setting.

This is a Hearts at Home book. What is Hearts at Home?
Hearts at Home is an organization that encourages, educates, and equips women in the profession of motherhood. Hearts at Home encourages moms through annual conferences, our extensive website (www.hearts-at-home.org), a free bi-weekly electronic newsletter, a radio program, and an entire line of books designed to meet the needs of moms all over the world!


Any closing thoughts?
I am very excited about this book! I believe that if a mom can strengthen her relationship with Jesus Christ, she will feel more equipped to be the mom she wants to be. I’m also offering an online book discussion on my blog beginning Tuesday, April 7. If you’d like to join us, you can subscribe to my blog at www.jillsavage.org.

I’d love to hear a reader’s thoughts after they read the book, too! You can connect to me through my blog at www.jillsavage.org.

Thanks, Jill, for taking time out of your busy schedule to share your real mom, real Jesus moments with us.

You can purchase your own copy of Real Moms…Real Jesus by clicking here.

And be sure to check out Hearts at Home, their conferences for moms, and all their online resources here.

Embracing this time...

Day 4 of the contest

So, I received this email from a friend of mine. I thought it would be fun and thought my daughter, Amanda, might like to play this with her friends. So, this is what she sent me back. Just thought I'd share. She's unlike anyone I know!

Here's what the email said and it included the list of questions below. (some of them)

Okay, this one is different - this is funny. YOU fill in the blanks about ME and send it back to ME. But FIRST send a blank one out to all your friends, including me, so we can return the favor to you. Be honest. Amanda answers are in pink and then my comments are in blue. :)

Where did we meet? Well, it's kinda difficult not to meet when I was born

Do I speak a second language? You spoke some spanish at one point

Am I a cat lover or dog lover?! Cat allergies make you a dog lover

Color of my eyes? I inherited brown eyes (beautiful ones at that :)

What's one of my favorite things to do? It better be taking care of your kids (of course)

What's my favorite type of music? That Christian gospel/rock/music/stuff

Am I taller than you? NOPE! Ha! (You don't need to rub it in!)

Am I shy or outgoing? Usually outgoing

Am I a rebel or do I follow the rules? Rumor has it that you were a rebel as a child, but not so much anymore (hmmm...who have you been talking to?)

Do I want to see a woman or man as next president? I'd hope you want someone qualified, regardless of gender (very good answer!)

I am a member of which political party? I believe you voted for Bush (didn't your mother ever tell you that you're not supposed to talk about politics?)

Am I Liberal? Moderate? or Conservative? Moderate (I guess not!)

Have you ever heard me sing? Was that singing?? kidding. (Hey now, be nice! I did give you life!)

How many children do I have? Too Many, 4 (You can never have too many blessings - right Renita?)

Have we taken photographs together? You've taken photographs of me, I've taken photographs of and around you... Yes?? (You're too cute!)

When is the last time you saw me? Thursday (Not often enough...hint, hint)

When will I see you again? Possibly tomorrow with the puppy supplies (hope so)

Have we ever had a falling out? Don't all mothers and daughters? (Well now that depends...if you ALWAYS listen to your mother and you ALWAYS do the right thing, then there's no fall out! Right? Just kidding...of course that's right. The good thing is that we always work through them. I love you, Amanda)

If you and I were stranded on a desert island, what is one thing that I would bring? A book. I'd hope that if you knew we were going to be stranded you'd bring help, but one can only hope (VERY good! Clever! You were the only one to mention that one might want to bring help! But then of course, you are MY daughter and you did get the smart genes from me. Although I have to admit I didn't think of that. :)

What type of work do I do? Hard work. Take care of kids, and I believe you still put together small groups for the church... (hmmm...I'm very touched by your first comment. It is hard work and thanks for noticing. :) Love ya lots!

Ok - what's my point to posting these silly questions? I don't really have one other than the fact that I'm realizing how time goes by so fast. One minute I'm carrying Amanda in my tummy and now she's a beautiful young woman with her own thoughts and ideas. Not that she hasn't been like that for a while, but I guess I'm really getting it. And instead of being fearful of what might happen to her, I'm really trusting God to protect and guide her. I'm embracing this time right now. I'm embracing the fact that she took time to answer these silly questions about her mom. And...she kinda wowed me with some of her answers. They were truly unlike any other answers I got. And through her answers, I got to know her a little better. And then I realize that she has turned out to be quite an amazing girl.





All I can say now is that I'm thankful for the gift that God has given me in Amanda. I love you honey. You are a remarkable young lady and the possibilities for you are endless.



Ok, so back to the contest. This will be the last post before I draw the winner. I will draw the winner Thursday night. Remember, that if you haven't posted to the other 3 days, you can still go back and post to them. To leave a comment, scroll down to the bottom of a post and in the bottom right corner, click on comments. You can then have a total of 4 entries at a chance to win your choice of one of these books. (except Simply Romantic Nights) Speaking of books from Hearts at Home, two of my favorites are "Homespun Gifts from the Heart" and "Homespun Memories For the Heart".
Sign up for Hearts at Home free E-Newsletter. You'll receive mothering encouragement twice a month. Visit the Hearts at Home website for details about conferences and other resources available.
Todays questions/comments:

1. Share a victory you've had. It can be recent or old. No victory is too small or too big to share. If you had one while at Hearts at Home, you might want to share that. :)
2. What's your favorite book, resource or tool from Hearts at Home?

Tonight I'll end with the Hearts at Home verse of the day:


“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12)






I'll be talking more about this verse on my "Redeeming Halloween" post sometime in the next week or so. Stayed tuned.

Goodnight,
Christine

My Heart is with my family

Day 2 of the contest! Thanks for your wise words ladies, on how you charge your mommy batteries. You can still go down to yesterday's post and comment on the question of the day and it will count as an entry for the contest. Get your comments in for a chance to win the book of your choice from this resource page. (Except Simply Romantic Nights) Click here to view Sunday's post if you don't know what I'm talking about. To leave a comment, scroll down to the end of the post for that specific day, and in the bottom right corner, click on "comments".

Today I want to talk to about some interview questions by Jill Savage. First I will post the questions and the answers and then I will talk about my feelings since I do work part-time outside the home.

Q #1 What is the meaning of the name “Hearts at Home?”
There are so many good things that a mom can do---not just in the workplace, but also in the volunteer arenas. Before we know it, our heart is tugged in so many different directions. We encourage women to keep their heart at home---making their family their first priority---because we only have one chance to raise our kids.

Q #2 Briefly describe your ministry and its purpose.

Hearts at Home is a Christ-centered organization designed to encourage, educate, and equip women in the profession of motherhood. We offer encouragement through our conference events, website (www.hearts-at-home.org), published resources, bi-monthly magazine, and our newly launched radio program. Our National conference alone, held in Central Illinois every spring, hosts over 5,000 moms each year. The women who attend represent over 30 different states.

Q #3 Why must mothers make sure that their hearts are at home?

Most of us don’t realize just how fast our kids grow up. In the blink of an eye your kid moves from a Happy Meal to Value Meal #9! When you keep your heart at home, you make the most of this unique season of motherhood.

Q #4 Does this mean you discourage mothers from working outside the home? How do you respond to those who do?

Hearts at Home makes no judgment call on those who work outside the home. We do, however, know that women who consider motherhood their profession need a cheerleader and that’s what we’re able to be for them. They also need quality resources that help them be the best wife and mother they can be. Honestly, though, most of the resources available through Hearts at Home would encourage any mom and we have a lot of working moms that attend our conference events and tap into our resources.

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First of all, I want to say that I've been to two Hearts at Home conferences and I have never felt judged for being a working mom. I think it's awesome that they support stay at home moms. Since I have been one, I know that it is by far the toughest job I've ever had! I have always left feeling encouraged and blessed.

I thought I would reflect on my decision to work part-time. It really was a tough decision to make. I was stuggling with staying home. I loved being with my children, but I longed to be with other adults as well. Most of the moms in my neighborhood were working moms and so I didn't have anyone to hang out with during the day. Honestly, I rarely ever left the house. I was so lonely. Because I never had much adult interaction, I was becoming resentful towards my husband who was always going out to lunch with friends, co-workers, etc. Because I didn't feel like I was "earning" money, I felt guilty about spending any money. This obviously was not healthy!

I began praying and asking God what He wanted me to do. While at church I saw an ad in the bulletin about a part-time job. I put in my application and I gave the decision to the Lord. I went to two interviews and after leaving both of them I had such a peace about it. I really didn't know if I would get the job or not, but I knew that it would be God's decision. I was really looking for something that would stimulate my mind, give me a chance to work with adults, help other people, allow me the freedom to set my own schedule, still allow me to be home for my kids when they get home from school, and allow my youngest to have social time with other kids. Oh and working for a church...let's just say...it's really not about the money. :) Well, when I got the job I was so excited. It was really God's blessing. For me, it was Him telling me that it was ok to work outside the home. That was my struggle. I had such guilt when I first started thinking about getting a part-time job. But when I gave that to God, He really did take it away.

I mention in my profile that I have the best job ever. I have a wonderful boss and team who are so supportive. As long as I get my work done, I can work from home whenever I need to. The best part has been that Hailey was able to go to pre-school at church where I work and I could walk down the hall and see her whenever I wanted! Ok, not so good as far as distractions go, but sometimes just being able to "secretly" watch her was a lot of fun. Now that she's a big kindergartner, I don't get to do that. :(

Anyways...I have come to accept that God wired me this way. I have a pretty well balanced life. Working part-time I think has been a blessing not only to me, but to my family. It has made me a better mom. I still have a long way to go to becoming the "Mom of the Year". Although if any of my children are reading this and would like to nominate me...I'll gladly accept! ha, ha. In all seriousness, I still need God's help to make me a better mom. It's not a destination that I'll get to one day and say "oh, I finally did it. I'm the perfect mom." It's a journey. I'm striving to be more like Christ in all areas of my life.

The Hearts at Home Conference is a place where you can be real and yet a place where you can walk away with tools to help make you a better mom and wife. Check out the Hearts at Home website for resources or to attend the next conference near you.

The question of the day: Where have you or do you struggle in this area? What can you share that may help a mom out there who's struggling?

This scripture deeply touches my heart:

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 NIV

My treasure on earth is my family and there is where my heart is! No matter where they are or where I am, my heart is with them.

Christine

Every Mom Counts

Hi there,

I will be running a contest over the next week, courtesy of Hearts-at-Home. As I blog over the next week, I will pose a question each day. Leave a comment and for each comment you will be entered into a drawing to win a book. You can choose any Hearts at Home book on this page except "Simply Romantic Nights".

It was four years ago when I went to my first Hearts-at-Home Conference. I was lonely and burned out. Although I had many friends and a wonderful family, I had isolated myself. I was continually pouring myself into my kids and my husband. Feeling like I was doing the "right" thing, I had forgotten about ME. In what I thought was my "great" act of selflessness, I was doing more harm than good. I hadn't learned what it meant to operate in the "overflow".

My MOPS leader, who had also become a friend, invited me to go. At first, I didn't want to ask my husband if I could go. I made a million excuses about why I couldn't go. But God was not going to let me out of this. Of course, once I asked my husband he said "yes". It was never about him not letting me go. It was just me, not thinking about me and that I might really need that weekend. The closer the weekend got, the more excited I was. Then on Friday, I started getting sick. I had a sore throat and a head ache. I didn't think I was going to go. When my husband got home and saw and I hadn't left yet, he was really disappointed. So much that I began to wonder why. :) Ha, ha. Just kidding honey. He encourgaed me to go, that this was just an attack. So, I headed down to Rochester. The funny thing was that as soon as I got to my hotel room, I felt just fine!

The weekend was awesome and I learned how important it is as a mother and wife to take time for myself to get refueled. There was amazing, touching music and inspirational, funny speakers. Ken Davis was there one night and I honestly don't remember laughing so hard! Everyone was saying "you better go to the bathroom before seeing Ken Davis", and they weren't kidding. He was that funny! This was a place where I learned that I am not alone. In fact, the way I was feeling was shared by many. I know that my husband was glad I went. I came back refreshed and ready to go. And there was some advice given out at the conference - well more like an assignment - for us wives. Since this is a "G" rated blog, I won't share. Let's just say that my husband wanted to sign me up for the next year! :)

The following year, I went again. It was just as fabulous as the time before. Although there are different seasons in our lives and I was not able to go last year, it is definately something I recommend for every mom.

Here are the upcoming Hearts-at-Home Conference dates:

October 3-4, 2008 Grand Rapids, Michigan
November 7-8, 2008 Rochester, Minnesota
March 13-14, 2009 Bloomington, Illinois

If you don’t live close enough to drive to a conference, and hopping on a plane isn’t an option, you can also order a Home Conference Packet which gives you the conference via CD.

Check out the Hearts at Home website today to find out all that Hearts at Home has to offer you!

So, the question of the day is this: What do you do to keep your mommy batteries charged?

Share with us in the comments section below. Remember that I'll be giving away a book next Thursday. Each day I will have a new question and that means another chance to enter the drawing.

Forward this to any moms you know that could benefit from any of the books or this conference.

Discipline your children; you'll be glad you did— they'll turn out delightful to live with. Proverbs 29:17 The Message

Trying to raise delightful children!

Christine