Being Appreciated For All You Do
Being appreciated as a mom feels like a far-fetched idea until we put it in perspective. No one organizes a parade when you are done washing dishes, cleaning the house, paying the bills, and bathing all the kids. Those tasks are just expected of you because you are the matriarch of the household. Then you get to wake up the next morning and do it all over again. Maybe with even more cleaning because the kids made a mess…again. Mindset Shifting our mindset to a more graceful and grateful attitude can help with our feelings of unappreciation. Your family loves you, but it is hard for them to always show their gratitude because like all of us…they live in their own little world. You may be asking yourself… “easier said than done, how do I even begin to shift my mindset?” Steps to Shifting Perspective “No one does as much as I do,” “No one helps around the house” – It sounded like “Eeyore” had moved into our house. This does not change behavior, it helps alienate your family members from you. They tend to avoid angry moms, and the behaviors you want to change never get better at all. Breathe and watch your words. You do not have to believe every thought in your head. You also do not have to verbalize every thought…it only perpetuates negative thinking. Communication and setting an accepting tone for your family is key to creating a peaceful, healthy environment. Will it be perfect every day. Of course not. You cannot control everyone’s bad moods; you can only control how you react to them. Much love to you and many blessings. From one woman to another, I thank you for all you do to raise young future leaders, and move a family, no matter what size it may be, closer to God, kindness, and love.
Managing Our Money
When I was in my 20’s, I was fortunate enough to have a good job. I also started a new side hustle, which has allowed me to earn more income. Although I earned more money, I did not handle my financial blessings wisely. Looking back now, I think I was so uncomfortable with having money in the bank that I thought of any way to spend it. I helped family members with their bills, with new cars, and I went out and had fun a lot. Focus on Your Family Needs Before Others It’s amazing to help your family, but when the timing is right. I was sitting on a house of cards. I had a good income, but no discipline to manage it properly. This is the mistake I am trying to get my kids to avoid when they are young adults. When I look back at all the money I could have saved and how much good I could have done by giving. It makes me regretful. Giving Today, though, is a new day, and every day we can do better. Have you ever heard of the word stewardship? Stewardship is the management of things. In a Christian sense, it is the management of all that belongs to God. In a financial sense, our money belongs to God. If we are blessed to have money in our bank accounts, we need to be good stewards of that money. Money can be a blessing for the good it can do, or a curse if we do not manage it properly. When I was young, I never budgeted my money; I just paid bills, used credit cards for random spending, and I couldn’t even tell you what I spent that money on. I had a ton of fun with my friends and just lived for the present. Don’t get me wrong… I’m not saying we should not spend money on fun experiences and things. Just spend responsibly by saving, budgeting, and tithing or giving. Growing and Learning Better Ways to Manage Money I have learned so much by reading, practicing, and learning new habits to be better with money. Any of the books by Dave Ramsey have been very helpful in establishing a foundation. I know a lot of people either love Dave Ramsey’s advice or totally disagree and don’t follow it. Personally, it has helped me focus on getting out of debt and saving money. Recently, I have read Simple Money, Rich Life by blogger and podcaster Bob Lotich. Great read with lots of excellent advice and habits to incorporate. The main lesson is to act today to make tomorrow better. Think of one step you can take today to move you in the right direction. Now go do it.
Overcoming Temptations Through The Grace of God
We all have some vice or temptation that we struggle with daily. Some of our vices are more detrimental to our health than others. I advise anyone needing counseling or addiction recovery to seek the proper help. I am not a licensed therapist or certified addiction counselor. I’m simply here to share my experiences with my struggles. I am a sugaraholic! I crave sweets, and sugary things that I shouldn’t. My habit, over the years, has been to reach for sweets when I feel stressed. Mindless Eating Mindless eating habits do not serve us well. Yet I think “What does it hurt to eat a cookie here and there or a “fun-size” candy bar…it’s fun-sized for a reason, right?” If I were able to stop and think for even a second to break the cycle. I would realize I am thirsty, not hungry. I also just want to eat sugar to avoid the stress of whatever is bothering me at the time. So many times we mistake thirst for hunger, and just eat something just because we are thirsty. The hypothalamus controls both hunger and thirst. It is easy to confuse the two. Water is Life Have you ever had a day where you think back and realize you may have had one glass of water all day? Maybe you had some sodas, teas, or other sugary drinks, but no water without any type of sugar in it. Then at night I am super thirsty for water.. Dehydration cycle continues. The odd thing is I like water, and I like fruit and vegetables even more than the junk I choose to eat instead when I’m stressed out. Sugar and chemicals in snack foods are very addictive, and create this cycle of crashes, dehydration, and a slew of other health concerns if not controlled. I was talking to my son about healthy eating the other day because he struggles a bit with snacks and junk food as well. He responded to my concerns with the truth and a simple answer. “Then don’t bring the junk food into the house.” That’s when I realized I played a huge part in creating temptation in my household because I was bringing unhealthy options into our home, and simultaneously saying we need to eat better. Remove the Temptation I wouldn’t want a recovering alcoholic to bring alcohol into their house just in case someone may want alcohol at a party or an event, but I would expect them not to touch it themselves. Why am I bringing junk food into my house and expecting myself and my family members to limit it to one portion-controlled snack? It’s a recipe for disaster. We need to eliminate all temptations related to that vice from our homes. Numerous temptations cause distress to our souls and can lead to health issues. Each of us must consciously decide to remove access to our vices from our living spaces. I pray that God gives us the strength to fight our temptations with common sense, the grace of God, and a sense of worthiness so strong that we can avoid and ultimately overcome temptations. “God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it..” Corinthians 10:13
A Forgiving Heart
Morning Blues Isn’t it just so hard to let go of grudges at times? Don’t we all tend to ruminate on the wrongdoings against us? I realized I was guilty of this a few days ago when my daughter did not listen to me in the morning before school. She ultimately was grounded from electronics because she did not want to listen. I followed through with the grounding. However, because I was hurt and took her actions personally, I kept mentioning her mistakes and bad behavior the rest of the afternoon. After another reminder of her mistake that morning, she said to me, “Mom, why are you being mean?” I didn’t say anything and realized that I was being mean to my little girl who is ultimately just a child with bad days and good days. Key notes We as adults can’t control our emotional outbursts a lot of days, and we expect our children to be perfect. The Lord gave me my children to show me the practice of patience and kindness. Awareness I didn’t realize until the next morning why my behavior occurred in the first place. I was holding a grudge because she hurt my feelings by not respecting and listening to her mom. For some reason, she woke up in the middle of the night and could not go back to sleep. That’s why she was tired and acting out. Instead of being empathetic to her exhaustion, I felt she was being intentionally disrespectful. Next time, I will focus on empathy and forgiveness. The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is a great story about forgiveness to remind us of our responsibility to forgive the people in our lives.
Faith to Begin: My Journey
Faith Journey I grew up in a non-practicing Catholic family. Everyone was Catholic except we didn’t go to church. Well except for the occasional baptism, wedding, or funeral. Weekly Mass was not practiced at all. Sundays were for relaxation, football games, and projects around the house. I always believed in God and even the Trinity, but my understanding was weak. Religion has always been an interesting topic for me. I had friends of all different religions, and regularly checking out books about Buddhism, Christianity, and different ways of life was my college extracurricular activity. In one word, I was spiritually confused. I was missing a critical faith foundation, which I believe is a crucial component against life’s obstacles. Faith is the answer to ALL worries, angst, and general adolescent concerns. I didn’t start practicing and understanding more about Catholicism until I was engaged to a Catholic young man – my good friend I grew up with through high school. To be married in the church I started my journey in classes, and ultimately being baptized, accepting communion, and confirming all in one special Easter Mass. Little did I know, my understanding of the faith and the purpose God has for me, is an ongoing journey of faith. It doesn’t stop at the sacrament of Communion. It is only the beginning. formed.org is a great resource to get started learning in your faith journey. Whether you are a lifelong Catholic, a newly converted Catholic, or new to Christianity all together, we all have room for expanding our capacity for faith and trust in God. It starts with prayer. Pray to open your heart to the word of God, so that when you go to Mass you may hear Him guide you. So many of us go to Mass because it is tradition, or what our parents told us to do. Some only attend Mass on Easter, Christmas, and family events like a Baptism. I challenge you to go to Mass each week intending to give thanks to God for the week of life you were able to experience. The good of the week, the struggles of the week, and the lessons of the week – bring it all to the Alter – and pray for thanks and ask for understanding with an open heart. Do this for a while.. and you will build a relationship with God, and learn how to hear his guidance. Many blessings to all of you. “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26