Not everyone enjoys the holidays. Losing someone we love hurts, and the empty chair aches the first Thanksgiving and Christmas. We must remember children grieve too, but they can’t process their emotions the same way we do.
Amy Ford was my guest this week, and she is a counselor specializing in children. She gave tips on helping your child grieve when you are hurting too.
Hostess Cynthia L Simmons offers a prayer for thanksgiving:
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him
Oh fear the Lord, you His saints,
For those who fear him have no lack
The young lions want and suffer hunger,
But those who seek the Lord lack for no good.
My father seldom called me the right name. First he called me his sister’s name, then mother’s before he landed on mine. Once my aunt died, I requested he drop out her name, but he didn’t. I can’t criticize him, though, because I messed up my kids names. Even worse, I’ve used the cat’s name by mistake. LOL.
Recently, a young father complained on facebook about confusing his kid’s names. I welcomed him to the joys of parenting.
My guest this week was Lori Wildenberg. She gave amazing advice about how to connect with your child, and how to empower them. Plus, have you thought about the difference between helping and enabling? She clears up that issue. Listen and enjoy!
Princess Beatrice has been flashing her new engagement ring, and the media has been showing photos of other royal rings for comparison. How fun to ooh and ah over the size and cost of each However, because platinum is rare, it’s worth even more.
Bethany Jett and Michelle Medlock Adams recently finished a book called Platinum Faith, which described all-in faith. They shared how valuable we are in God’s eyes and how to have resilient faith.
There is a lot of good change in the air. Yes, not only are the leaves finally turning bright yellow, orange, and red, here at Heart of the Matter Ministries we are cooking up some devotional videos [see below] and even providing fill-in-the blanks and discussion questions for you, as well as your young and older kiddies, to go along with the videos. Plus, we are thrilled to now provide copywork for those training and mastering their writing.
With Thanksgiving around the corner, do we simply want a Thankful Pumpkin as part of our decor, or do we “really” want a thankful mindset? Watch below and learn how to change your mindset, forever.
As we continue to be intentional with our mission to “bloom” for Jesus, may the [below] November 2019 Others Centered Calendar Challenge be an encouragement to you and those around you. My team and I pray these prompts get you one step closer toward our God, the Ultimate Father.
And as we do each month, let’s pray together: Dear Father, as my family and friends gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, help me to be truly thankful. And Lord, I pray for those family members that irritate others. Give me the grace and wisdom to ease that tension so we can all enjoy the celebration. Help me to slow down and spend time with you so I can count my blessings. Sustain me through this busy season with your love and kindness. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
To download, the November 2019 Others Centered Calendar Challenge, click here.
I had five children, and each child had different strengths. In fact, the first two seemed so opposite, I wondered what the third child would be like while I was pregnant.
Both girls struggled with math, and so I used Saxon math in my homeschool because that text keeps reviewing. Once the girls learned a concept, I didn’t want them to forget. When my son came along, I used the same book, and he missed a lot of problems too. However, when he entered college, I learned my son excelled at math.
That puzzled me, so I asked him why he found math hard. He told me math wasn’t difficult. It was boring.
He had a strength and I didn’t know it.
My guest this week was Analyn Miller. She and her husband wrote Play to Their Strengths, and they explain how to look for areas where your child is strong.
I’ve never enjoyed going through clothes. Years ago my mother-in-law gave me a bag of old clothes for the kids in varying sizes and colors. I stuck them in the attic and prayed they would all match when I brought them down in the spring.
Thank goodness my closet door stays closed because my clothes are often a mess.
However, I’ve learned all sorts of new things from Kathryn Graves. She’s an author who loves to organize closets and drawers, and she also discusses fashion tips. She was my guest this week, so tune in and enjoy.
The homeschool movement started just after I married, and the idea fascinated me. I wanted to do it myself, but I gave birth to my third child about the time my oldest would have started kindergarten. Homeschooling with an infant seemed impossible, so I put my daughter in our church school.
What a big mistake! My daughter was very sensitive and too young to put into a classroom situation. She disobeyed and became hard to handle, and we all missed the sweet girl she had been. Now I realize that’s how she handled stress. We decided to homeschool and took her out of kindergarten.
But I was terrified. The moment I started, I felt a huge weight descend on me. I had dreams of ruining my children. However, i adjusted to the new routine and school went well. I kept going when I realized my children thrived and had good manners. I ended up teaching all five through high school.
My guest yesterday was Jennifer Henn. She also taught her three children through high school and wrote the book, Take the Mystery Out of Homeschool. Her ideas can help the newbie or the seasoned teacher.
The North and South operated different economies, and misunderstandings led to continual pressure during the mid-1800s. The two sides disagreed over slavery, states’ rights, and tariffs. Finally after Lincoln won the 1860 election, Southern states left to form their own country.
A bitter, bloody war fought between them lasted from 1861 to 1865. The battles caused the death of many soldiers and the deprivation of numerous civilians.
George Santana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.”
Author Cathy Gohlke was my guest this week. She has researched extensively and written two novels on the war. Cathy shares insights on what we can learn from this terrible time.
I recall going through a period of transition a few years back. Even though I understood what I faced, I didn’t feel comfortable. The world didn’t seem right, and I didn’t know what to do.
I’m thankful for the older women in my life who helped me navigate those times. They knew how to speak to my heart when nothing else worked.
The Bible talks about older women teaching the younger ones how to love their husband and children, so praying for a mentor can be a good thing.
My guest this week was Susie Davis, and she has called herself a spiritual momma. She shared topics younger women often struggle with.
