Congratulations to all of you 38 awesome writers who entered the Mother’s Love Writing Contest. You’re all winners for taking the time to write about your love for your moms. After reading these entries, I can tell you that I’m not the same person. You’ve given me a greater understanding of what transforms an ordinary woman into an extraordinary mom. Thank you for sharing this gift!

There were four other judges who helped me with this tremendous task. We wanted to be unbiased, so we devised a point system based on five categories: originality, passion, interest, literary skill/ mechanics, and takeaway (insight for the reader.) We averaged the point totals to discover the winners — and we also wanted to give each of you an award to honor or remember your mom.

I’ve compiled all of the submissions into a Word file entitled “Stories of Our Mother’s Love 2006,” which is available to anyone who would like a copy. Please send me an email, and I’ll send you this file, which would make an inspiring Mother’s Day gift (especially if you’re artistic and can decorate the cover!). My email is heatherivester at bellsouth dot net. All of the essays are found either in the comments section of the Contest post, or by following the link to the individual’s site.

Here are the wonderful writers who volunteered to help with the task of judging:

Suzanne Rae Deshchidn is a poet, editor, and book critic. She has worked with Mary DeMuth, Tim Riter, and Deborah Gyapong, among others. She’s currently a contributor to the Master’s Artist blog. You can read her poetry on her blog, siouxsie poet uncensored.

Annie Downs is a 4th grade teacher in Kennesaw, Georgia. She is in her third year teaching, though she is currently also pursuing a career in writing. So far, Annie has had three articles published on Radiantmag.com.

Elle Harden is a New Mexico-native-turned-Southern-Belle. She grew up in Gallup, NM, but has lived in Alabama and Georgia for the past 15 years. Elle keeps busy balancing her mommy/wife role with her work as a lawyer. She has two boys, ages 9 and 2. While Elle enjoys her legal research and writing, she plans to expand into creative and inspirational writing. Her newly created Fall On the Grace blog is still in the very beginning stages, but feel free to visit!

Kelli Mix is a freelance writer in Carrollton, Georgia. Her most recent publications include The West Georgia Ladies, Bluph Magazine, and The Star News. She is a contributing writer in the upcoming book, Diapers and Deadlines, and thanks her husband and children for providing endless humor for her essays.

Congratulations to the following winners! The Grand Prize Winner’s essay appears below. I wish I could print all of them here, but the file is over 50 pages single-spaced! Be sure to get your copy!

GRAND PRIZE
“A Shepherd’s Mother” by Ann Voskamp

FIRST PLACE
“No Carbon Copy Mom” by G.B. Clark

SECOND PLACE
“Blazing the Trail” by OreoSouza

THIRD PLACE
“My Mother’s Hands” by Kayin Mayne

FOURTH PLACE
“The Note of Hope that Mama Wrote” by Ruth

FIFTH PLACE
“A Letter to Mama” by Lena Diane Jennings

TEN HONORABLE MENTIONS (arranged in alphabetical order)
“A Mother’s Love” by Holy Mama!
“Mom, You’re the Top!” by Karen Phillips
“Mother’s Love” by Glenda Schoonmaker
“My Mother” by Oshee
“My Mother’s Love” by KEP
“Perfect Attendance” by Spunky
“Quiet and Still” by Julie
“Serving Grace” by Darlene Schacht
“The Art of Homemaking: A Tribute to My Mother” by lindafay
“Weaving” by Kim Anderson

AWARDS FOR MOMS (arranged in order of submission)
1. “Serving Grace” by Darlene Schacht, Most Inspiring Mom Award
2. “New Mother Syndrome” by Donna Shepherd, Mother’s Wisdom Award
3. “A Letter to Mama” by Lena Diane Jennings, Mother’s Legacy Award
4. “Monday Memories: Did I Ever Tell You About My Mother?” by Nancy S. Brandt, Most Inspiring Caregiver Mom Award
5. “My Mom” by Sara Reysio-Cruz, Most Terrific Mom Award
6. “Meet the Woman Proverbs Talks About: My Mom” by Dallas Turner, Proverbs 31 Mom Award
7. “My Mom” by Jess, Best Friend Mom Award
8. “Proverbs 31 Woman” by Angie, Most Noble Mom Award
9. “No Carbon Copy Mom” by G. B. Clark, Most Kind Mom Award
10. “My Mother” by MomKori, Most Encouraging Mom Award
11. “My Mother, my Best Friend” by Kimberlie Clark, Best Friend Mom Award
12. “A Virtuous Woman: Legacy of Love” by Rhodi Alers de López, Young at Heart Mom Award
13. “The Note of Hope that Mama Wrote” by Ruth, Most Faithful Writer Mom Award
14. “My Mother’s Love” by Mary, Mom of Strength Award
15. “Perfect Attendance ” by Spunky, Most Faithful Mom Award
16. “Blazing the Trail” by OreoSouza, Everlasting Love Mom Award
17. “Needing Mommy” by Olya, Most Blessed Mom Award
18. “My Mother” by Erin-erin-bo-berin, Mom Who At Last Knows Everything Award
19. “Quiet and Still” by Julie, Makes Every Day Special Mom Award
20. “Beautiful” by TR Thomas, Most Beautiful Mom Award
21. “Rising Up and Calling My Mother Blessed” by Crystal Lutton, Most Devoted Mom Award
22. “My Mom” by Shannon, Most Positive Mom Award
23. “Mommy’s Little Girl” by Iris, Most Thoughtful Mom Award
24. “My Mother’s Love” by KEP, Most Loving Mom Award
25. “My Mother’s Hands” by Kayin Mayne, Most Creative Mom Award
26. “Weaving” by Kim Anderson, Most Inspirational Artist Mom Award
27. “A Mother’s Love” by Holy Mama!, Most Humorous Mom Award
28. Sue Thomas: (If She Was a Value Tale It Would Be Generosity), Most Generous Mom Award
29. “The Art of Homemaking: A Tribute to My Mother” by lindafay, Best Hostess Mom Award
30. “Mom, You’re the Top!” By Karen Phillips, Most Multi-Talented Mom Award
31. “My Mama” by Jan Eppler, Most Gentle Mom Award
32. “A Tribute to My Mom” by Kim, Most Amazing Mom Award
33. “My Role Model” by Sandy, Most Wonderful Mom Award
34. “My Mother” by Oshee, Best Role Model Mom Award
35. “A Shepherd’s Mother” by Ann Voskamp, Most Humble Mom Award
36. “Mother’s Love” by Glenda Schoonmaker, Mother’s Legacy Award
37. “A Mother’s Love” by Jordan Green, Most Forgiving Mom Award
38. “My Mom” by Cheryl Goforth, Mother’s Legacy Award

I became a mother on the eve of Mother’s Day.

And when they placed that vernix-covered, wrinkled babe into my 21-year old arms that muggy Saturday evening in May, no wave of relief, or ecstasy washed over me. Being the first to caress another human being’s cheek, I only felt raw, unadulterated, strangling terror. If I could have run, I would have. My weak, rubbery legs failed me.

Newborn babe on chest drowsily opened one eye and looked into mine…and I choked. This person, so helpless and fragile, was depending on me — flawed, deficient, inexperienced me.

Tomorrow, my husband would tenderly present me with my very first Mother’s Day card. And I wasn’t ready. I had never shaped another person before. I had my own issues, my own baggage. Didn’t someone at least need a license or something before taking home a swaddled bundle of precious humanity?

And I knew, far too personally, how the struggles of a Mother affected a vulnerable child.

A mere seven days before, lumbering under extreme pregnancy, I had wandered down the hollow halls of a locked psychiatric ward…having left my own mother behind the heavy steel doors for a 72-hour stay. One hand on my swollen belly, my other hand had brushed away the hot, stinging tears. My dedicated Mama was weary from battling her own demons, fighting for her own sanity…living out the carnage of a life bestowed upon her by her own troubled mother. I had prayed that her three days of quiet might bring a measure of peace.

My Mama had suffered through her childhood at the hands of sexually abusive fiends. And I had suffered through my early years as she wrestled to lie her past down. Then in the autumn of her 26th year, with 2 preschoolers at her side, and a 3 week old in her arms, Mama witnessed her 18-month-old daughter fall under the crushing wheels of a delivery truck in our farmyard. Mothers never dream of tucking their babies into shiny black coffins and burying them in cold earth. The haunting of her past united with horrors of the present, taking my Mama away from me to hospitals and psychiatric wards throughout my childhood. As I stood ready to embark on my own right of passage into this maternity society, I felt all too well the weight of motherhood’s mantle. Who was worthy of tending to the formation of another human being when oneself was marred and flawed?

That first long night in the darkened hospital room, my hand traced the fingers and toes of this new little person. Could I do this? The lump in my throat grew. Failure was certain. I was going to let this little boy down. I found it hard to breathe. A Bible lay open on my side table. I ran my hand over the crinkled page, knowing the words that whispered somewhere on that darkened leaf.

Isaiah 40:11
…he gently leads those that have young.

In the dark of that room, that was all I had to cling to: The gracious Shepherd leading this little babe and me on. He would show the way.

The next morning dawned Mother’s Day. My own Mama knocked gently at my door. I smiled shyly as I pulled back the blankets to reveal her first grandchild. We both cried as she rocked him close.
“This is for you,” she quietly offered. I took the bag from her outstretched arm. Inside I found an intricate, homemade cover for our hand-me-down car seat.

“Mama…you must have stayed up all night?!” I marveled, knowing that none of us expected this babe to arrive 4 weeks early.

She nodded.

“Oh, Mom, you must be exhausted. You really shouldn’t have. Really, Mom.” I reached out to embrace her and cradled baby.

She pressed her cheek close to mine.

“Relationships cost,” she whispered. In spite of her own anguishing battles, Mama, time and again, chose to pay the price of relationship.

Taking this hours old person from Mama’s arms, I bundled him into his made-with-love car seat. I held his wee hand…and I knew. I was willing to follow Mama’s lead—the Shepherd’s lead—and pay the price of relationship. Whatever the cost. Wee one already had my heart.

Turning to Mom, I laughed lightly, hoping my levity masked my lingering doubts.

“Think I can do this, Mom?”

Mama took my hand and squeezed.

“It’s not that you aren’t going to blow it, Ann. It’s what you do with it afterwards.”

Over the years, Mama, though good intentioned, had missed events, spoken harshly… disappointed me. Yet my love for her coursed deep and sure. For she had listened and heard my pain. She had simply and humbly owned the failures, apologized for the disappointments, and fervently attempted to pay the cost of relationship.

And over the last decade of mothering, Mama has sung her refrain of assurance to this trembling heart over and over again.

Relationships cost. And it’s not that you aren’t going to blow it. It is what you do with it, when you do.

Yes, there is something more beautiful to experience than a perfect Mother. It is the wonder of experiencing a committed Mother who simply humbles herself. Like that Shepherd who knew the cost of relationship, chose to pay the price, and staggeringly “humbled Himself… even to the point of death on a cross” (Phil 2:8). Out of the ashes and brokenness of our sin, rises the breathtaking exquisiteness of humility and grace, the Cross. And out of the anguish and woundedness of Mama’s life, surfaced a gentle humility and a dogged devotion to relationship. Regardless.

I was now ready to be a Mother and take our new human being home. I understood. Motherhood does not require, thankfully, perfection. It simply requires commitment and humility.

Ready to depart with bag in one hand, I remembered my first Mother’s Day card sitting on the windowsill. I had feared I would never be a Mother’s Day card Mother. Mama had shown me that I didn’t need to be. The faithful Shepherd had indeed shown the way. He was not leading this Mother to be a glossy, embossed Hallmark version of perfection. But rather a committed, humble, real one.

© Ann Voskamp
Ontario, Canada
Holy Experience

Oh my. This is the best article I’ve read in a very long time. I have to give you the link and hope you can go read it. Rick Warren’s wife is no longer a “soccer mom.” She’s a woman on a mission. Read about her from this month’s Today’s Christian Woman magazine.

Purpose-Driven Wife

Thank you to everyone who participated in our first annual Mother’s Love Writing Contest. I’m amazed at the power and beauty of your words. We received such a wide variety of submissions — Thirty-seven daughters and one son wrote about their moms, from six different countries!

What shocked me most of all was going to many of your sites and reading comments from your friends, family members, and even your moms in response to your words. THAT, my friends, was the whole point of this contest. I was grabbing my box of tissues while I read your positive words of love.

Now it’s not even 9 am, and I had to go to the store this morning to buy a big bag of greasy potato chips and comforting sour cream dip. Because this is stressing me out! Some of you dipped into a deep well of pain to write your essays, and from it you found forgiveness and even joy. What overwhelms me is the grace many of you give your moms. As adults, you realize she wasn’t perfect, but now you’re able to surround her with love. One of you wrote, “When I was a child, my mother knew nothing. When I became a mother, she suddenly knew EVERYTHING!” We should write this sentence on a bookmark and stick it in our Bibles, for those days when we feel unappreciated!

I hope this will inspire some of you moms who have children at home who may not be RISING UP to call you blessed. In fact, they may be telling you to GO AWAY. Well, there’s a message of hope from this contest, and that is — one day, they’ll appreciate you. So hang in there!!!

I’ve compiled all of the submissions into a file called, “Stories of Our Mother’s Love 2006,” which will be available to anyone after the contest. Please email me next week if you’d like a copy of this file. All of the submissions are under copyright of the individual authors, and I’ll add a little copyright sign to demonstrate that. For privacy’s sake, I’ve removed the pictures, and I’ve included only the name you have available on your blog. For some of you, that’s only a first name or a pen name.

It’s my personality to say, “All of you are winners — woohoo!” But I know we must choose only one winner — and you’ve made it very hard. I’m glad I’ve got other people to help me judge, and we’re going to use a point system that is used in other writing contests to make it a systematic process. This will force me to take off my blogger hat and put on my old English teacher’s hat and see if it still fits. We’ll post the winner here next Monday, May 8th.

I want to apologize that the link kept changing every day, so if you linked to the “Writing Contest” post, it kept changing. Sorry about that! I didn’t know how else to keep the post at the top — and I didn’t want to take a week and a half off from blogging! So here’s the PERMANENT LINK to the contest, if you wanted to update it in your archives.

If you wrote something in your blog or at this site for your mom, I hope you’re able to show it to her or give it to her for Mother’s Day. I’ll probably never know all the behind-the-scenes stories, but I know without a doubt this is something that has been on my heart from God. I REALLY appreciate each of you taking the time to write and submit something that I know took a lot of time and emotional energy. Thank you again! {{{{{GROUP HUG}}}}}

I’m working on a post that will announce several writing opportunities from authors and publishers who are seeking stories and poems like these. I’ll plan on posting these on Thursday and include links to the publishers’ and authors’ sites. So be sure to check back in and see where your story might fit. I believe many of these stories will be published in print form someday!

I also want to pass along the news that Sallie of Two Talent Living has gone on extended maternity leave, so she’s also taking a break from sponsoring the Carnival of Beauty. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to write for this Carnival and fellowship with like-minded women bloggers! I had signed up to host in May, but I think it’s best to respect Sallie’s desire for a time of rest as she prepares for her baby. I’ve met so many of you through this Carnival — it’s certainly been a blessing!

If you’ve been a participant or a reader who has enjoyed this Carnival, it would be nice to leave Sallie a note to thank her for all the work she did in sponsoring. I’m sure she put in countless hours responding to emails and answering questions since last December. I know that many of us in the Beth Moore Living Beyond Yourself study met through the Carnival of Beauty. It’s been a nice way to connect with Christian women who enjoy writing online.

Final update 5/1:
Today’s the last day! These stories, letters, essays, and poems are incredible! I hope you can take some time this week to read through these. I worked over the weekend gathering them into one file to make it easier for the other judges. We now have an accomplished poet, school teacher, and a professional writer who are going to help with this. You are all already winners for taking the time to give honor to your moms with your words.

What’s New? 4/29
Only two more days left! We’ve had new entries come in from Slovenia and Germany, so that brings our contest up to SIX countries represented so far! I’ve also found a wonderful, experienced teacher who is going to help with judging. And here’s the best news: I know of several book publishers who are looking for stories like these! Check in next week, and I’ll be posting several opportunities that have upcoming deadlines. I wish I could contact each of you personally and encourage you to submit your story or poem for publication, but God will have to prompt your heart. I do think some of you will see your stories in print someday. What an amazing way to bless your moms with positive words!

Made me smile, 4/28:
Thanks for hosting this contest. I probably wouldn’t have written anything if you hadn’t. Now I have something to give my mom on Mother’s Day. LOL.

Latest, 4/27:
There’s been big news in the publishing world about the Harvard teen author who may have plagiarized passages in the novel that has made her into an overnight sensation. You can read about this here. I felt like I should make this clear that all contest entries are under copyright of the author who submitted them. No one may copy and paste these stories or poems without the author’s permission. And that includes me! I own the rights to my own words, but not anyone else’s. I just thought I’d better make that clear. There are some great submissions here — and I do know about a lot of needs in the publishing industry for first-person stories like these. But I wouldn’t submit anything to a publisher myself — the author would have to do this. THANKS!

Update 4/26:
Thank you to everyone who has submitted so far. We’ve had entries from at least four countries: Japan, the Philippines, Canada, and all over the U.S. I’m enjoying these stories so much! There’s still time if you’ve been waiting for a moment of inspiration! (This also makes a great writing assignment for students if you are a teacher!)

I got an email yesterday that reminded me of the whole purpose of this contest — the strengthening of mother/ daughter relationships through words of affirmation. Someone emailed me this:

Hey Heather,

The Lord wanted me to answer that in my own heart, and offer that back to my mom on Mother’s Day. I don’t know how she will respond, but I am glad I took this step. Thank you again for all that you do …

This note blessed me so much! My dream is that if there is anyone out there who hasn’t spoken to your mom in years — or maybe your relationship hasn’t been all that great — why not use this Mother’s Day as a chance to reach out and show her love? Wouldn’t you want one of your kids to do the same to you someday?

Thanks for your support, bloggy friends. I know you’re tired of seeing this post pop up first every day — but I don’t want it to disappear until everyone who wants to has the chance to write something! Only four more days until the deadline!

How did your mother show you love while you were growing up? What did she do to make you feel special? If she’s alive now, how do you know she still loves you?

With Mother’s Day around the corner, Mom 2 Mom Connection is hosting our first annual “Mother’s Love” Writing Contest.

Sometime between now and Monday, May 1, tell us how your mom showed you love growing up or how she continues to show you love now. All you have to do is submit something in the comment section here! Then everybody will be able to read about your mom.

If you’ve already written a great post in your own blogs about your mom, be sure to give us the link here so we’ll all click on over to your blog and read it.

In the process of reading about other wonderful moms, many of us who are just starting out our mothering journeys can learn what really counts when raising our children. And if you’re a grandmother, here’s your chance to “advise” us younger moms on what’s most important in life. We’re ASKING for your advice here!

After the deadline on May 1, I’m going to ask several writer friends I know to help me choose the winner of our “Mother’s Love” contest. The Grand Prize Winner will receive a free copy of the book, From a Daughter’s Heart to Her Mom: 50 Reflections on Living Well — signed by the author, who happens to be ME!

This book is a photo essay full of inspiring ways to express love to the woman who raised you, who loves you no matter what. The pictures are soft sepia tone, featuring mothers and daughters of all ages doing those things we love to do together — having tea parties, shopping, gardening, cooking together, hanging out at the beach, and enjoying life in all its important stages. Along with the photos, each page contains a short letter from a daughter to her mom on a specific topic, an inspirational quote, and a scripture. If you’re in any type of women’s ministry hosting a mother/ daughter event, this book would give you lots of ideas!

I’m sure it will be hard to pick only one of your contest submissions as our Grand Prize Winner — so we’ll offer other awards for Most Creative Mom, Funniest Mom, Most Inspirational Mom, and a host of others that we can think of.

Won’t it make a nice gift to your mom to give her an award and let her read something you wrote about her online for the entire world to see?

It doesn’t matter what age you are — if one of your daughters wants to submit an essay, please tell her to do so. Writing about our moms brings honor to them, in a role which is often underappreciated in our world. Whether your mom is still living or has passed on, your words will always be a legacy to her.

Here are a few inspiring quotes from the book (There are over 50 quotes like these, from a variety of women):

So, jump on in and tell us why your mom is special! The Grand Prize Winner and all the runner-ups will also be published in a special “Mother’s Love Essay Winners” post a few days after the contest. This link will be sent to the publisher, Thomas Nelson in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as the designer, Whisner Design Group in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Many people worked on putting this book together besides me, and it will be a nice way to express our appreciation for creating a product that celebrates the awesome glory of motherhood.

P.S. This post will remain at the top of my blog until the deadline, May 1, 2006.

P.P.S. Brownie points if you tell other people about this contest!

The Carnival of Beauty this week is hosted by Blair at her site, Scribblings by Blair. Our topic is “The Beauty of Art.”

When I was eight years old, my parents paid for me to take art lessons at a painter’s house once a week — it was a thrill and so different from what I learned at school. We painted with acrylics, and I carried a red metal tool box filled with my paints, brushes, and natural sponges to class. I can still remember the creaking sound the box made when it opened, and how the paints and sponges smelled.

I also recall being on the verge of tears nearly every class. I was so petrified that I was a terrible painter. There were two or three of us on one side of the room who were children, and the rest of the class on the other side of the room were adults. I remember one lady spent weeks painting an intricate picture of violets. Everyone seemed to have so much talent and to know exactly what they were doing — except for me!

One night, our teacher asked us to imagine a bookshelf lined with our favorite things. She wanted us to come to class the next week and be prepared to paint “My Favorite Things.”

Can you see what I chose to paint? On the top shelf is my “Heather” doll — I still have this sweet doll. I always loved playing with dolls, not the Barbie type that looked grown up, but the kind you could dress and carry around. I even had a signed Little People doll, named Frances Blanche, who I changed into tiny pajamas every night and dressed in the morning — for years. My friends and I made birth certificates for our dolls and sewed them little stuffed animals! So, it’s obvious I wanted to grow up and be a MOM — my #1 dream.

Next, you can see I’ve always been crazy about the beach — the shells are supposed to represent my love of the ocean. We always collected buckets of shells on our family trips to the beach. My parents took us every summer — traveling used to be so modest back in the 70s. The expense was nothing like it is now. We usually stayed right on the beach in a little motel that had a kitchenette. My parents got us so excited about these beach trips — maybe that’s why I’ve always loved the beach.

I’m not sure about the basket of fruit — did I like fruit that much? Maybe I just liked the bright colors and thought they’d look good in a painting. I do eat fruit every day now — usually an apple. And I hardly ever get sick. I can’t around here!

The cat is interesting; why did I choose to paint a cat? We didn’t have a cat growing up — we had a little gray poodle. Now of course I’ve become a cat person. They make such great pets! I’ve always loved animals of any sort; maybe the cat is supposed to represent pets. If you’d asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always said, “A pet shop owner.” I was too squeamish to want to be a vet. But I thought it would be fun to have a shop full of animals. (hmmm … our zoo around here is similar to what I had in mind, actually.)

And last — Cinderella. I’ve always loved good stories with happy endings. I love to read them; I love to tell them. And gradually, I’m learning how to write them.

Thanks for indulging me in my walk down memory lane. How about you? What are your favorite things now? Were they always your favorites? What would you have painted when you were eight years old? Like words, art helps us preserve our memories.

Dear FlyLady,

I have some things to tell you, and I don’t think you’re going to be very pleased. I’ve been one of your faithful, well almost faithful, readers the last several months, and I’m still not FLYing yet. And I should be!

On December 2, 2005, I wrote this in my brand spanking new blog:

I’m going to start something new here in my blog. On Fridays, I’m going to give you an update on what I’ve learned during the week and call it “FlyLady Friday.” My plan is to do this for the next 21 weeks. That should take us from today until April 21. Experts say it takes 21 days to acquire a new habit — so I’m going to give FlyLady’s methods 21 weeks — and maybe you’ll join the party with me.

OK — so today marks 21 weeks since I’ve started reading your emails. I must say, you’ve encouraged me like nobody else. I’ve posted your Morning and Evening Routines up on my refrigerator, and I read them through twice a day. But I’ve never been able to do all of the steps.

I’ve also posted your Eleven Commandments on the window over my kitchen sink. I spend a lot of time there — so I read through them often. I’ve posted Hebrews 12:1-3 right alongside it because you’re part of my “cloud of witnesses” who are spurring me on to run this race God has called me to run. Here’s what these verses say (from the New International Version):

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Right now, I’m growing weary and losing heart. You see, yesterday, I discovered that one of my children put three cans of Mountain Dew in the freezer TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, and of course you can imagine what happened. Mountain Dew expands upon being frozen, and now I must add this to my to-do list:

— Clean Frozen drips of Mountain Dew from freezer

My foyer was a little bit clean until yesterday when the red fire engine got involved in a massive pile-up with several hundred wooden blocks, involving the word “EMERGENCY!” shouted loudly 600 times. This type of disaster cannot take place on carpet, according to my youngest son, because blocks are not nearly as much fun to play with on a soft surface. Therefore, my foyer is an emergency right now.

I’m having a little bit of trouble knowing what to do with my three older kids’ school papers — there are thousands of worksheets that I know must be thrown away — but if they see me doing this, it causes tears and gnashing of teeth. “You can’t throw that away! I have to keep that! We need that!”

And let’s not even talk about the monster in my basement that has been breathing fire lately. Every time I feel like I might be moving along and making progress, he makes some kind of awful roaring sound and drags me back down to defeat. His first name is ENTROPY, and his last name is BEAST, and he’s my arch enemy.

So, after 21 weeks of your awesome training, I’m still a failure. I’m not FLYing yet. But I know I can’t give up, so I’ll keep on going. Maybe I’ll check back in with you in a few more months. My dream is to one day send you a testimonial … maybe when my kids are off at college, and it’s just me drinking Mountain Dew alone in my spotless foyer, while the fire trucks and blocks are long packed away.

(Sniff, sniff.) I think I’ll try to enjoy these days, do the best I can, and get busy cleaning out that freezer.

Sincerely,

FlyBaby H wannabe from Georgia

Barbara over at Tidbits and Treasures tapped me for this “Ten Simple Pleasures” meme, which I think fits quite nicely into the theme for today’s Carnival of Beauty, “Rainy Days.” The hostess is Allison of The Autumn Rain.

Here are Ten Simple Pleasures for me, things that bring me joy and keep me going on those rainy days, when the skies are gray.

1. Our pets — five cats and a dog right now. I sat out in our backyard last night petting our white cat, Snowball, and thought to myself that life doesn’t get any better than this. Of course, he started purring, and it was even more fun because I let my one-year-old stroke his neck, teaching her how to be “gentle.”

2. Pure joy is when I get up early enough to drink a cup of coffee and read and/or write before anyone else in the house is up. (It didn’t happen this morning.) I love those quiet hours of darkness where I can dig in my roots and feel a sense of growth — it keeps me going all day. When I can read my Bible and meet with God, I’m as excited as Mary, the day she saw Jesus on the first Easter.

3. I’ve got three vases of wildflowers in our kitchen right now — brought inside by my kindergartener. She loves to hide the fresh-picked bouquet behind her back and say, “Mama, I’ve got a surprise for you.” I never get tired of her surprises — and now the wild dogwoods and pear blossoms look so pretty in our kitchen.

4. I love the moment when my husband walks in the door from work. He’s tall and handsome — and I realize I love him more every day. I’m not the type to be mushy in public — but this is one of my simple pleasures. I can’t believe how good God is to me!

5. The beach. Anything about the beach. The salty sea breezes, the feeling of sand under my bare feet, watching our children make sand castles and play in the waves. My stress unwinds completely when I can be near the sea. I feel God present there more than anywhere else — at the horizen of sky meeting the water — He’s there.

6. As I’m writing, it IS raining outside! My three-year-old is beside me playing with his Thomas the Tank Engines and saying, “Look, Mama. See the rain?” I love the quiet sounds of rain, especially when I’m in a barn with a tin roof, and I can smell hay at the same time (and be near horses).

7. My new pleasure of going to work out at Curves. It’s hard to believe I can relax while I exercise — but I’m having so much fun listening to upbeat music, talking with women about non-stressful things, and getting my chance to breathe (like on the airplane, when we’re told to give ourselves oxygen first before helping a child).

8. Encouraging words — it’s so refreshing to read or hear something nice, where someone took the time to reach out to me. When I’m feeling good about myself, it directly affects the six other people in our home, as well as everyone else I come in contact with.

9. Our Sunday School class. I’ll wait and post more about that on Friday for the Living Beyond Yourself group. We’ve been gone for four years, and we feel like we’re back home again. I love these people!

10. Being outside in the garden area with my family. We are really country bumpkins these days. Our baby playpen stays out on the porch — she is content to play out there for hours while everyone is doing yardwork. My husband is whipping the garden into shape and getting the kids to all do all kinds of chores. Soon, we’ll have cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, beans, and a host of other homegrown vegetables.

That’s it for today — I could keep going of course … but really, everything centers around my family right now. And I guess the neat thing is that I can blog about it — and maybe I should print this out and keep it somewhere for me to read when the sun is hiding behind a cloud.

I think I’m supposed to tap ten other people for this meme. I’d like to tap everyone in our LBY group — in the Blogroll. So, if you’re in the group and you’d like to share your ten simple pleasures, consider yourself tapped!

I was reading this morning in the Bible about the Resurrection — and this is what jumped out at me:

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus” (Luke 24:1-3).

“When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense” (Luke 24:9-11).

And also here:

“Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying …

‘Woman,’ [Jesus] said, ‘Why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him.

Jesus said to her, ‘Mary'” (John 20:10-16).

I was thinking this morning how amazing it is that Jesus appeared to the women first. Why? Why didn’t he appear to His disciples first? Why the women? Why Mary?

Does Jesus appear to you first in the morning? Do you meet with Him before you meet your day, your family?

These verses give me a lot to think about. I’m rejoicing with all of you fellow believers in the celebration of Easter.

We have hope … The tomb is empty … He is Risen!

Have you been feeling stressed out lately? I have. I’m stressed. You’re stressed. We’re all stressed, right? As women, we’re rocking the cradle, raising up the next generation, and carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders … at least, that’s what it seems like at 5:00 in the afternoon when everybody’s hungry and we gotta feed ’em. Do you ever feel like saying, “I need some time to BREATHE!”

Ah …. We’re in for a treat today. I’ve discovered a mom who is an expert on teaching women how to find the breathing room we need to survive. Everybody say “hello” to Keri Wyatt Kent! She’s a mom and author of several books for women, including Breathe: Creating Space for God in a Hectic Life and her newest that releases this week (woohoo!) Listen: Finding God in the Story of Your Life.

Hi, Keri. Thanks for visiting Mom 2 Mom Connection. We’re all glad you’re here!

Thanks, Heather, for inviting me.

Keri, not all of us here are moms, but we all know how it feels to be pulled in 20 different directions as we try to please everyone. It’s impossible. Is there something missing in our lives? I know you write and speak about a woman’s soul and what we really need. Can you tell us more about this?

I think we neglect our soul because we think caring for it is a luxury. But really, it’s a necessity. Parenting is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Would we run a marathon without breathing? Of course not. Would we prepare for a marathon by not eating anything for a few days prior? We need to take in air and fuel in order to run.

In the same way, if we are going to love and lead our children, those are spiritual activities. They are ways of expending spiritual energy. We can’t do that very well if we haven’t taken in energy — fed our souls, so to speak. That’s the kind of thing I write about — how to breathe and feed your soul.

How can a woman find a place where her soul can breathe?

Well, she can’t do it by waiting for someone else to give it to her. As women, we often worry about other people’s needs, and we secretly wish someone would give that kind of care to us. But typically, they don’t. Rather than feeling frustrated by that, we need to choose to care for ourselves. Decide to do this. You’re an adult, you don’t have to ask permission to care for yourself.

Do you have any suggestions for how we can enlist help?

In practical terms, that means you have to get a sitter or a friend or relative to watch your kids, and get out of the house. You need to trust that God is in control and someone else can handle your children. Decide where to go — there are a lot of retreat centers all over the country. Or, if it’s nice, go to a park or beach. If it’s not nice outside, go to a library or even a coffee shop — but not one where you’ll run into people you know.

Some churches keep a chapel or room open where you can go for silent prayer — that’s a great option. Another idea is to have a friend watch your kids at your house, and you go to her now quiet and empty house for some time alone. Make sure you return the favor for her!

Do you think getting away alone is something we should try to do every day?

It depends. I suggest trying to get a bit of time (say five minutes) each morning, to just offer your day to God, ask Him to help you to notice Him in your day, just to ask for His help with whatever challenges you’re facing. Trying to have a long time of solitude or prayer with very small children underfoot is a recipe for frustration. If your children are very young, aim for five minutes a day, and then once a week, plan ahead for a longer time, even if it’s only for an hour.

The time away from the kids is as important as anything you read or pray about. Give this as a gift to yourself. If you trade babysitting with a friend, it won’t cost you anything.

I love the idea of giving this as a gift to ourselves. How can we convince our families that we need this time away?

That can be a challenge. Don’t start with asking for an entire weekend away. Start with an hour. If your spouse won’t help, get a friend to watch your kids. Take the time. Too often we say, “Oh, my husband won’t help,” or “My kids won’t let me,” or whatever. Don’t fall into the trap of letting other people make decisions that you are supposed to make.

Wow! That hits close to home for me. I have a hard time admitting that I can’t do it all.

Explain that in order to be the best mommy you can be, you need to have some time alone. The old “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy” is really true. I think our families can see that — it’s not usually them that needs to be convinced. It’s us. We have to let go of thinking we are the only ones who can do things around our house or with the kids.

Also, if your husband is the one with the kids while you are gone, don’t come home and complain about how he handled things, or re-do the dishes he washed. That’s one sure way to dissolve his support in an instant.

Those are great ideas, Keri. I’m always so thankful when my husband keeps our kids for a while — and they end up doing fun things that are different than when I’m home. What about women who need to find support outside of their home? Can you tell us how you got involved with MOPS?

MOPS stands for “Mothers of Preschoolers.” It’s a wonderful international organization that provides resources and support to mothers of young children. There are chapters all around the world. You can find out if there’s one near you by going to their website.

They typically meet in churches but are independent and are a very comfortable and accepting environment for all moms, regardless of their background or where they are on their spiritual journey.

I got involved with them through my writing — my first book, God’s Whisper in a Mother’s Chaos, was a popular resource with groups. MOPS eventually put it in their catalog, and did the same with my second book.

I think we’re all looking for God’s whisper in the midst of our chaos. That sounds like something I need to read!

Because of these books, a lot of local groups have invited me to come and speak to them. My third book, Breathe: Creating Space for God in a Hectic Life, was co-published by MOPS International. After it came out, several more MOPS groups invited me to speak. I was also invited to teach a workshop at the MOPS International convention. My newest book, Listen: Finding God in the Story of Your Life, is featured in their magazine, MomSense, this month. I also write articles for that magazine pretty regularly. It’s a great resource for moms.

Yes, I love reading your stories in MomSense. Can you tell us what people do at MOPS meetings? Is this only for moms with preschoolers?

A typical MOPS meeting depends on the group. There’s childcare (called “Moppets”) provided, which is great. They often have coffee and a snack, but some groups serve a buffet breakfast. Usually there’s a speaker talking about some aspect of parenting or spiritual growth, often about how those two areas of life intersect. Some groups do a craft and there’s usually time for small group discussion and sharing.

What about moms who might have teenagers or an empty nest? Is there a way for moms to get involved as a mentor of some sort to the younger moms?

Each MOPS group is run by a committee of volunteers, which usually has at least one “mentor mom,” whose kids are beyond the preschool years. Obviously, some moms have kids who are spread out in age so they might have one preschooler and a couple of older kids. There are also groups for moms who are teens themselves, as well as single moms — although sometimes those moms are included in a regular group.

MOPS groups always need mentor moms, and it’s a great ministry. All the mentor moms I talk to say they get so much by giving in this way.

Keri, you have given us all some fantastic ideas. And I can’t wait to learn more about how we can find space for ourselves to breathe and listen to God. I’m looking forward to having you visit again tomorrow.

Thanks. I’ve enjoyed it!

Tomorrow, Keri will be back to give us more details on what we can discover in her new books for women. If you’d like more information about Keri Wyatt Kent, please visit her website, as well as MOPS . You can also read Keri’s latest MomSense article here on the Christianity Today website.

There are a whole lot of blessings going around today that I wanted to share with you.

First of all, we’ve had a big celebration over at Susan’s new blog — she has been searching for answers to some spiritual questions lately and finally found the ANSWER! After communicating with some members of our Beth Moore Bible Study, Susan is beginning a new journey! (Thanks, Jeana!) You can read more about this on Carol’s blog — but please visit Susan and wish her a note of encouragement. Isn’t this awesome news? What better reason do we have for blogging than to help lead someone to a relationship with Christ?

The Carnival of Beauty is up at MzEllen & Co on the topic of “technology.” If you have a chance, there are some thoughtful essays on how technology has brought many blessings to our world today.

Be sure to visit the new April edition of Darlene’s Christian Women Online magazine. I’m always amazed at how pretty the photos and graphics are that accompany the stories. If you’re in need of a positive place to read a few minutes, this magazine is full of inspiration. I’ve also joined her new webring.

Darlene is too funny! I had to laugh while reading her Letter from the Editor about how life changes as we head into our 40s.

So, if she happens to be reading this post, here’s something I saw in an author’s autobiography last week:

They say “life begins at forty.” A certain phase of mine certainly did, for I was just forty when my first novel was published.

(Does that make you feel like you’re in good company, Darlene?)

I’ve given this some thought. Do any of you out there agree that life begins at 40? Those of you who are over age 40, did anything happen to you in this new decade that you could share with us?

I’m looking forward to turning 40 — which is only a few years away for me. I started thinking about how I’ve spent the last few decades:

Ages 0-5 — Infancy. Learned how to walk and talk … and haven’t stopped since!

Elementary school — Early academics, spiritual awakening with a sincere child-like faith. Prepared for middle school.

Middle school — Began to realize I liked some subjects better than others. Developed hobbies. Prepared for high school.

High school — Prepared for college. Started thinking about my future husband … and began looking for him! (Why, oh why, was I even thinking about that when I was 16? I should have been doing more volunteer work in my community, helping others. There’s no rush to hurry on to college and marriage!)

College — Prepared for a career by narrowing down the subjects I studied. Began seriously trying to figure out if I would be single for the rest of my life or if God had other plans for me. Constant focus was on the future. Time of amazing spiritual growth for me.

20s and 30s — For most women, these are the busy foundational years of marriage and childbearing/ childraising. I’m sure you moms agree — things ain’t the same with your body, mind, and spirit after you go through the transformation of becoming a mother. During these years, the constant demands of small children are first and foremost on our minds.

40s — OK! Does life begin now? These are the years when our kids might be older and more independent. We might even be able to have time to take a shower and put on make-up! Our husband may be more settled in a career. I don’t know — I’m not there yet. I’m just thinking it might take my mind off getting older if I could look forward to the excitement of having a little more “me-time” than I do now.

What do you think?