A Moment of Grace

Dear Moms,

It seems like an eternity since I have written my Blog, but actually we all know that an eternity is forever and ever, so I guess it has not been that long. I have a great excuse, however. You might say I was witnessing a MIRACLE, and yes, it was a moment of GRACE. On September, 9th, 2008, my husband, Patrick, and I took the RED-EYE to Louisville, Kentucky. No not the Midnight Flight, although both our eyes were extremely red. No, we drove our car, leaving at 11:00 P.M and arriving at 8:00 A.M, not stopping except for essentials like caffeine and food, of course, and gas. Thank God it was before the gas shortage. Why did we venture out on such a Crazy Road-Trip in the middle of my “Beauty Sleep,” you may ask? It was to witness the MIRACLE and to walk in the MOMENT OF GRACE, REMEMBER?
My fourth child, Amanda Joy , was birthing our sixth grandchild, and we would not have missed it for the world.. That was the good news. The bad news was that Amanda was barely 33 weeks pregnant. Yes, Baby Lauren Grace could not wait to get here. I immediately put them on a prayer chain, before even leaving town. I was at total peace, knowing that they were in God’s Everlasting Arms. Once in the hospital, we got the update from Amanda’s husband, Kyle. They were stalling the labor, even though her water bag had already broken and had given Amanda a shot to help the baby’s lungs to develop. Kyle and Patrick, both Physicians, did not appear at all worried, which kept Amanda and I calm as well. It seemed like an eternity waiting the 48 hours before Amanda could begin labor, but we already have established how long an eternity really is, haven’t we. Picture this: a very tired, hungry 33-week pregnant woman, who had not had anything but ice chips for 48 hours. Now, picture this: A woman about to give birth who hasn’t eaten and has barely slept for 48 hours and is at total peace and is walking or rather lying in a hospital bed with the JOY OF THE LORD. That’s our Amanda Joy Grace. She didn’t once complain or feel sorry for herself. Kyle was a witness of God’s love remaining devotedly at her side at all times and meeting her needs before she even had to ask.

On September 12, at 1:24 P.M. Lauren Grace Young, The Miracle Baby , came into this world, weighing just 4lbs and 1 oz. She came out screaming and even got a 8 and 9 on her agar scores, great by the way for a preemie. After a few quick pictures and a little bonding with her mom, Lauren Grace was whisked away for some special care in th nursery.

Amanda spent one night in the hospital after the birth and headed home since she had a one year old named Elle, who had never spent the night away from her, and was waiting anxiously for her return. My husband, Patrick, had already left for home, but I was reporting for Nana and Mama duty for two full weeks. I must admit, it wasn’t an easy two weeks, but it was grace filled. God proved to us all, “MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT. MY POWER WORKS BEST IN YOUR WEAKNESS,” and “ I CAN DO ALL THINGS THRU CHRIST WHO STRENGTHRENS ME.” Those two weeks we lived those two scriptures daily and sometimes hourly. Amanda, again being a trooper, drove the 20 minute ride to the hospital to nurse baby Lauren, several times a day. When she was not nursing, she was pumping with an electric pump on loan from the hospital. Dedicated mom that Amanda is, even pumped in the middle of the night, then set the alarm so she could get to the hospital in time for the 7:00 A.M. feeding. She wanted to make sure that her baby not only nursed well, but also bonded well. Kyle, giving 100% himself, made sure that he accompanied Amanda to the hospital as much as he could, also wanting to bond well with Lauren and support his wife with unconditional love. He juggled this in the midst of working full time and often coming off a 24 hour call duty. I guess you could say no one was getting a lot of sleep, except Nana. I was exhausted. I don’t know what was wearing me out more, watching a very active almost-two-year-old or doing all that I was doing to support the family while having a fever. I was so sick the first week, that to be honest, I have no recollection of the first week at their home at all. I do know that all the wash got done, meals were on the table on time, there was order in the home; it was neat and tidy and there was one happy well-adjusted almost-two-year-old who didn’t skip a beat. God’s Grace Was Sufficient.

A few days ago, September 26, 2008, just a little over two weeks from Lauren Grace’s Birthday, she left the “Baby Hotel,” as her father calls it, and was escorted by her entire family, her mother Amanda, her father Kyle, and her Big Sister Elle, to the place they all call home. It is a day of rejoicing.

I wanted to add this to my blog today to first of all honor and thank the Lord for His grace and, secondly, to give a real life example of a mom who is, ”BEING THE BEST SHE CAN BE.” One thing Amanda said during this trial that I’ll never forget is, “ MOM, YOU CAN”T CHANGE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. ALL YOU CAN CHANGE IS HOW YOU ARE GOING TO DEAL WITH THEM.” That’s our Amanda Joy Grace, who lives a grace-filled life, always full of the joy of the Lord. I guess she was named for the virtue she possesses.

Mom, how do you cope when life’s circumstances don’t go your way?

Email me,
Ellen.

Wrapping Up Traditions

Dear Moms,

As you see Traditions are a lot of fun and a lot of work, but the joy received by the children outweighs any inconvenience. So, get started; let the memories begin and thank God that we have our memories in tact. In this world, people don’t seem to have time to just waste time with one another. In my book, the most important thing you can give your children is your time. So mom, don’t busy yourself too much that you don’t have the time to build family. Family traditions are a way to begin.

Before I close the chapter on Family Traditions, I want to include some random traditions we do at our home:
1.Half Birthdays---This tradition began when my Amanda and I read a book about half birthdays. After finishing the book, I realized that Amanda’s half birthday was that very week. We surprised her with a half birthday party. We made half a cake, gave her half the presents and sang, “HAPPY HALF BIRTHDAY TO YOU!” It was so much fun that we made it a family tradition. I must admit it was a big effort to throw seven birthday parties as well as seven half birthday parties, but it was a tradition that was treasured and loved by all.
2.The Special Plate--We purchased a red plate at the store called THE SPECIAL PLATE. Given that name because those words were written right on the plate. We would honor the children by letting them eat off their Special Plate on birthdays, or special accomplishments, like all A’s, getting a soccer goal or even making captain of the cheerleader squad. They were thrilled with the Special Plate and would ask for it by name, if I were to forget. We finally invested in two Special Plates, so that two children could be honored on the same day.
3.Banners--This was a very popular tradition. We made banners for welcoming home people, father’s day, mothers’ day and even birthdays. In fact, the children did so enjoy banners, that we made them for everything.
4.Lighting the candle--Every morning all children under school age would light a candle with me to start the day and give our day to God. We would then all sing, “THIS IS THE DAY,” together and the toddler would blow out the candle. It was a highlight of the day for us all.
5.The Blessing Cup--The Blessing Cup was shaped like a chalice and was made out of pottery. It was actually called the Blessing Cup and came with a book of prayers. You probably can Google it to find one to purchase. We used the Blessing Cup on all birthdays and on every holiday. On birthdays, we would toast the birthday person with a kind word or two, then take a sip of wine that we had poured in the cup beforehand. On holidays, we would toast the Lord then take a sip of wine. The Blessing Cup would go all around the table with each person taking a turn.
6.Family Dinners-- Sunday is family dinner and all are encouraged to come. It is a time of reconnecting, loving and keeping in touch before the busy week starts. We all look forward to it.

Mom, “A WISE WOMAN BUILDS HER HOME.” You are the heart of the home, so fill your heart with ways to make every day special, whether it be baking Christmas cookies together or celebrating half-birthdays together. There are so many traditions to implement. Read, read, read, read, because there is a wealth of knowledge in this area.
Some of the best books I can suggest are:
1.LET’S MAKE A MEMORY by Gloria Gaither and Shirley Dobson
2 A MOTHER’SMANUAL FOR SUMMER SURVIVAL by Kathy Peel and Joy Mahaffey
3.A MOTHER’S MANUAL FOR HOLIDAY SURVIVAL by Kathy Peel and Judy Byrd
4.A MOTHER’S MANUAL FOR SCHOOL SURVIVAL by Kathy Peel and Joy Mahaffey
These are all good resources for your hunt to find those traditions that suit your family and your personality.

Traditions, as I said, make a house a home, and even adult children will join in the fun, as they remember this tradition played out in years past. Hopefully, it will have been a good memory. If you have established the memory in your home in the Spirit of Christ with lots of love, an abundance of joy and a bucket full of grace and added to that total peace, then your adult children will pass these traditions on to your grandchildren. One day, your grandchildren will pass these traditions on to your great grandchildren, and so on. So pass it on; make a memory today--start a new tradition--build family--build it strong. “A Proverbs 31 Woman looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.”
That’s all for this topic; I think I have exhausted it. I bet I have exhausted a lot of my readers as well. Don’t get overwhelmed. Do as Jesus said, “TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME.”

As always,
ELLEN

Autumn Traditions

Dear Moms,

Autumn is a time of change. The weather is changing to those crisp Fall days, that make us grab a coat and shout “HOORAY.” Ok, maybe only if you live in Georgia, the other “SUNHINE STATE,” with an over abundance of hot, Summer humidity. The leaves are changing and falling to the ground, making it the best backdrop for lots of Autumn pictures of the memories you are going to make when you begin these Autumn Traditions. So, let's Brainstorm and Share Ideas.

The first Autumn Tradition that always went on at the Mongan Household, involved the first day of school. I would call all the children into the Great Room, line them up in size order against the wall, or was it age order--bear with me, it’s been a long time--and take a Kodak moment. That was way before Digital Pictures. This was a yearly event dreaded by teenagers, but it brought smiles to the face of my Kindergarteners. No matter how late we were running for carpool, we always had time to pose and Make a First Day of School Portrait. My only regret, was that, if I were to do it over again, I would have bought a collage picture frame and had each year pictured in it. Now these pictures are lost in the archives of millions of old-fashioned photo albums. Talk about hunting down a dinosaur! Why, it would be like looking for a needle in the haystack!


What Tradition did we have when the first day of school ended? You may have heard my children shout, “I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM, WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM,” as they walked out the school door. Yes, they were excited, because it was the family tradition to go out for ice cream after the first day of school. We would go to Baskin Robbins or Dairy Queen for our favorite Cool Treat. The excited children would then talk, yes, all at the same time, sharing about their first day of school. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. It wasn’t only the ice cream that said, “I LOVE YOU;” it was taking the time to listen and be family together. It was something they could count on happening year after year. It was T-R-A-D-I-T-I-O-N.
October would bring a controversial Holiday called to the World, Halloween. In the Christian circles that we fellowshipped with, we all opted to celebrate All Saints Day instead. It was a beautiful way to honor our Lord Jesus, and those Saints, who have gone before us who served Him with their whole heart, their whole soul, their whole mind and their whole strength. Some Saints had even chose martyrdom, rather than give up the faith in our savior Jesus Christ. Many feel that Halloween is a pagan holiday, but by having the children dress up as their favorite Saint, it was a way of celebrating this Holiday in a better light. If I had to do it over again I probably would have let my children Trick or Treat, with proper guidance and through knowledge of what we believe. At our All Saints Day Celebration, there were, games, food and even a costume contest, and of course, lots of candy. They were with all their friends, but my children felt that they had missed out on the fun of Trick or Treating. Don’t ask me why? But, if you think about it, St. Francis begged for food, so I guess if you think about it that way. Like I said, it is kind of a mixed bag, if you know what I mean. It is a problem for some Christians and not for others. Remember, we are in the world but not of it? Wasn’t it St. Paul who said, “ BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE?’ Do my grandchildren go Trick or Treating? Of course they do, and I can’t wait to see my oldest grandchild, Corbin, age 8, in his Indiana Jones costume. Now if you knock on my door this Halloween Night, I will have lots of candy to give you., and probably a GOD BLESS YOU book mark as well . “ In everything you do , do all as unto the Lord.” That’s what the bible says, and I try to live that and try not to judge others. The Bible goes on to say, “Judge lest you be judged.”
The Last Autumn Tradition involves Thanksgiving. I must say Thanksgiving ranks among one of my favorite Holidays. Why, you may ask? For me, Thanksgiving involves no cooking because my mom cooks the entire Thanksgiving Dinner, even at eighty-two years old. It involves no gift buying, wrapping, giving, except for that of giving Our God a grateful heart. The entire family gets together to just be together and enjoy each other. Our Family Traditions are many on this holy, happy day. We gather at my mom's, and we usually take our family portrait for our annual Christmas Card. Then, we eat appetizers. Before dinner is ready, all the women, and those men brave enough to get a little dirty, make gnocchi’s together. Gnocchi is an Italian pasta. Yes, we have homemade pasta , as well as, Turkey. It‘s Tradition. Of course, we take lots of pictures. Then, we pray as a family and eat, talk, eat some more and talk some more. Lastly, our new tradition is, we play Flag Football, a family favorite, especially for the son-in laws. Lastly, someone usually brings a Thanksgiving craft for the little ones to do. So how do we honor the Lord on this great holiday besides cultivating a thankful heart? It is simple; we live out the second half of the Great Commandment: we love our neighbor as we love our self.

Whether it be the first day of school, or dressing up for Halloween, or a Thanksgiving celebration, Autumn is a season full of Traditions and definitely a time to make memories. What traditions make your Autumns come alive? Please share.

E- Mail ELLEN

Summer Traditions

Dear Moms,

We are nearing the finish line towards a year of fun-filled, memory-making, Mongan Family Traditions. The last but not least is Summertime Traditions. Summertime has a way of making every mother, jump for joy, while at the same time pulling her hair out one piece at a time. That is at least the moms I know. Wasn’t it Sarah Palin, the Republican running for Vice President that said, “Sometimes it is the joys that bring the challenges.” Never is that more true than when the last school bell is rung, and the last book bag is put away until school starts again the next year. Yes, summertime is a chance to grow as a family in all kinds of character, with a whole lot of characters that we call our offspring. I will write in some other blog posts an entire week on how to keep your “Sanity In the Summertime,” so keep on logging on to momsbestwisdom.com.

I do want to touch on two summer traditions. The first is, you guessed it, mom, the last day of school tradition. Of course, I line everyone up against that same wall in the great room in age order, just like the first day of school. Then I repeat the Kodak moment. This time, I get a smile out of everyone, especially the teenagers. Seniors in High School smile the biggest! Later on in the week, I compare the two photographs, the first day of school with the last day of school. We all see who grew and who didn’t. We see who got teeth and who lost teeth. We even see who got a new hairdo. Then, it is my turn to smile. I remember a year well lived. I remember no more carpools, no more homework to help with, no more book bags to locate, (and I thought finding pacifiers was hard) no more uniforms to launder, and most of all, no more six a.m. wake-up hour. I drive them to school for the last time, thinking to myself, let the summer begin, because I, for one, can’t wait. After school again, as tradition would have it, we all go out for well deserved ice cream to celebrate.

The other tradition that we celebrate as a family is, of course, the 4th of July. This is a special day to me because not only is it our Nation's birthday, and I’m glad to be an American, but also it is my old roommates birthday, Peggy. I’m indebted to Peggy for life because she introduced me to my husband, Patrick, making Peggy and I cousins. I always try to give Peggy a call and catch up. The 4th of July, at our home, is a casual cook-out. It is a day of relaxing and just enjoying each other. Of course we eat, we drink, and we are very merry, but you knew I was going to say that. We decorate the table in red, white and blue and all of us try to wear our patriotic colors as well. Sometimes, we even go to the pool as a family. It is nice to have one day a year to remember our Freedom. Never are we more aware of how much that Freedom cost us, then at a time like now, when our country is at war. I guess you can say, “FREEDOM ISN’T FREE.” I want to publicly thank all those military families who have given up so much in the name of Freedom, especially those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. “NO GREATER LOVE HAS NO MAN THAN TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS BROTHER.” We are so proud of you, and we pray for our troops and their families.

I’m going to end on a Word to the Wise. Treasure the moment. It seems like you’ll never get your toddler out of diapers, and before you know it, you are walking your daughter down the aisle. Mom, I’m on my last Senior in High School this year. I had no one to line him up next to on the first day of school. We didn’t take the picture. Mom, take the picture! Make a Memory that will last a lifetime. Put on the song the Star Spangled Banner and march around the house as a family. Make a Memory and let the traditions live and be passed on generation after generation. Do them with all your heart. It’s a way to show your family that you care and that they count and that they are important to you!
AS ALWAYS,
ELLEN

Spring Traditions

Dear Moms,

We are halfway through the year and look at all the memories we have made, and all the traditions we have begun. Isn’t it amazing how the little things mean so much to those who are so young, or to those of us that are Young At Heart? No wonder God says in his word, “UNLESS YOU HUMBLE YOURSELF LIKE A LITTLE CHILD, YOU WILL NOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD.” Keep reading, for I think Spring is in the air. Spring not only means, “NEW LIFE,” but “NEW BEGINNING,” as well. I say, “Let’s spring into Spring!"

The first thing we think about in Spring is Easter, and the death of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. To prepare for Easter every Lenten season, my children and I used to make a KINDNESS BOX, when they were young. We would take a cardboard shoe box, decorate it, both top and bottom separately. Then we would cut out a hole in the top of the box. Next we would sit down together and write out specific kind deeds on small pieces of paper. Some examples are, visit the sick, cook for a sick friend, hug mom, serve dad, or spend time in prayer. When we came up with forty kind deeds, one for each day of lent, we would fold them and place them in the box. Each day ,one of the children would pick a kind deed out of the box, and we would all do what it said. This kindness box helped us to prepare spiritually as a family, as well as, to build family. It was truly a favorite activity.

Our Easter Traditions are pretty standard. We color eggs, hide the Easter baskets with a jelly bean trail (each child, pre-picks the jellybean colors the night before, so that the Easter Bunny doesn’t get confused), and YES, we buy new Easter Clothes and bonnets as well. You should see us in our Easter Bonnets with all the thrills upon it. I always dressed all four girls alike until, they wouldn’t let me any more. Isn’t it funny, Mom, how when the girls are little, you dress them, then in turn, when they are teens or above, they dress you, or at least pick out your clothes for you to wear? How many times have I heard, “Not that mom, It’s 80’s!” How would I have a CLUE? An 80’s word--by the way, I was pregnant almost all of the 80’s. No, we don’t forget God at Easter. Being Roman Catholic, the traditions are rich and built in our faith. They are called the Easter Triduum. Church services begin Holy Thursday, then two services Good Friday, then Holy Saturday, which involves people becoming members of the Church, and last but not least, they are all leading up to the Easter Mass on Sunday. No matter how big, no matter how small our children were, all were in awe of the three-day Easter celebrations. Of course, the littlest ones fell asleep during the services dreaming of the Easter Bunny, but we wouldn’t miss the three day journey for the world. I’ll never forget the year one priest had us each pound a nail into an old rugged Cross. That was powerful, even for a teenager who came because he was told to come. Church Traditions, when done as a ,will impact the children’s faith more than a parent’s wasted words. YOU WOULDN‘T WANT TO CAST YOUR PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, MOM. Even if the swine have your last name. Easter, of course, as every other holiday at the Mongan Family Household, is celebrated with lots of eating, lots of drinking and lots of being merry. Everyone cooks together, while those with younger children hide candy for the Easter Egg Hunt. It is quite an unforgettable celebration!

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, and this gal, for one, is Happy to be married to a Irish Man. It gives me an excuse to kiss him, not that I need one. This holiday we always celebrate in one way or another. It is usually, dress in green, and you used to be able to say Go Green, that was before environmentalism was in vogue. We all go to Mass as a family. After Mass, in Augusta, Georgia at least, there is a PARADE that goes down the street that our Church is on. How great is that! Everyone loves a Parade, so of course, parade-watching is part of our tradition. We then go home to a feast of CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE that has been cooking most of the day. What do we do at family dinner? WE EAT, WE DRINK, AND WE BE MERRY, after all it’s in the WORD OF GOD.

That concludes our Spring Traditions. What do you think? It sure makes me hungry. I think I’ll just go and EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY.
What are some of your Spring Traditions?
ELLEN
(You can also reach me at momsbestwisdom@yahoo.com)

Winter Traditions

Dear Moms,

Everyone that knows me, knows that I don’t do winters, yet God, in His goodness, has placed my favorite holiday right in the dead of winter. Yes, right when I need to feel God come alive in my heart more than ever before, we celebrate Christmas, the day Christ was born. Not only does Christ come alive in my heart during the Christmas season, but also in the lives of the whole world, young and old, black and white, believer and pagan alike, join in Christmas Traditions. That was until it was not politically correct to say, as a store clerk, “MERRY CHRISTMAS.” My favorite words, by the way. Yes, Christmas is full of traditions. I’m going to list some of ours, and explain them briefly.

1. I send out 500 Christmas Newsletters to my closest friends, with a family picture. I use it as a evangelistic tool to glorify God with praise and thanksgiving. Yes, it has been called by some, a brag letter, but doesn’t Scripture say, “IF YOU WANT TO BOAST, BOAST ON HE LORD”? I give God all the praise for a year well lived in Him.

2. We save all of our Christmas cards and put them aside in a little basket, or presently a ziplock bag. Each night at dinner, we read one card, talk about the person who sent the card, and pray for the person and their family. The next day, I, in years past, would write a letter to the person and tell them I prayed for them. This year, I decided to call the person and catch up in person.. This tradition has gone on for years and is well loved by all, especially me, who you already know am a forever friend. The favorite part for young children is getting to pick the card that will be read.

3. The Jesus Stocking is also a family favorite. We hang an extra stocking by the chimney with care. In the Stocking, we write a letter to Jesus. We tell Jesus what we are going to do for Him this year and ask Him for a special favor for us this year. We each seal the letter in an envelope with our name plainly written on the front. The next New Years Eve we read the letter and see if God answered our prayer, as well as if we were faithful to our promise to God. Then we write the letter for the next year putting it in the Jesus Stocking.

4. We celebrate Family Christmas on the Saturday after Christmas at our home. There is eating, drinking and being merry, very merry. We have chosen that day of celebration because it gives our children, who have children, a chance to be home on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa Claus, who we wouldn’t want them to miss. It also gives them a chance to spend time with the In-Laws if necessary. It gives us a chance to concentrate on Jesus alone on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. One more thing we do on Family Christmas is a ten dollar “WHITE ELEPHANT GRAB BAG EXCHANGE.” It’s a lot of fun as well as humorous.

5. Some years we read Luke 2 at the family diner table, the Nativity Story.

6. I almost forgot; of course, we bake cookies as a family. All the girls and I try recipes new as well as old. Lastly, I make baklava. It’s tradition.

Out with the old, and in with the new--yes, New Year's Eve is the next winter holiday. On New Year's Eve, our family has had the same tradition for as long as I can remember. It’s simple as well as loved by all. We order in Chinese food, rent DVD’s, and eat in front of the television on a big spread-out sheet, picnic style. After diner we consume, a humongous amount of candy, which we don’t need. We spend the evening just being together. My adult children began this tradition with their little ones, and asked, “Mom why do we do this tradition?” My answer was simple, "Dad and I could never get a babysitter on New Year's Eve, and we rarely got to eat out as a family, and everyone loves Chinese. This tradition covered all the bases!"

The last winter holiday that we celebrate is Valentine's Day. Since I am a firm believer in the fact that Valentines' Day is for Lovers, I have never done much with or for the children on this day; I mainly concentrate on my man. I make sure that it is a fun, well-planned, and of course, romantic evening with Patrick, my husband. Check out my website for marriage tips and ideas for One Enchanted Evening together. Otherwise, I say an early bedtime for the children would be second best!

So mom, no matter what your traditions are this winter, get ready because Christmas will be here before we know it. Yes, it’s a Beautiful Life and I’m glad Traditions are a part of mine. So what do you have to add to the list?
Leave a comment or send an e-mail!
ELLEN

Stay Tuned for Some Talk on Traditions

Dear Moms,

This week we are going to talk about something near and dear to my heart, Traditions. A Famous person one time said, “ You don’t have to do great things in your life, just do simple things as if they were extraordinary.” Who do you think said that? If you guessed St. Theresa the little Flower of Jesus, that would be something she said in different words, but not who I was quoting. St. Theresa believed in doing little things for God, so that was a good guess. If you said Mother Teresa of Calcutta, again a great guess, but again wrong. No, this was a quote from Helen Keller; that’s why I was so impressed with it. Think about it for a minute--a blind, deaf woman who could barely speak, aimed her heights on doing simple things, as if they were extraordinary. That’s the key to motherhood in a nutshell. A good mother does simple things each day as if they were extraordinary. One way she can do that is by making every day special and some days EXTRA-SPECIAL. Mom, look for opportunities to make a memory!
One way of Making Memories is through Traditions.

In our home we are fond of Traditions. Yes, we seize every opportunity to make a memory. We want our children to enjoy our home more than any other place on this earth. As Dorothy said on the WIZARD OF OZ, “THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.” We desire that even our adult children will have good memories of being home. Life is full of memories. I strive very hard in our home to make positive memories; and therefore, we are very fond of traditions at our home, Traditions that we can pass down from generation to generation.

This week I will share some of our favorite family traditions. My hope, dear reader, is that you, in turn, will share a few of yours as well. Then, we can learn from each other. My children look forward to these traditions, which make our house a home. Many of our traditions changed as our children grew older. We do those traditions that seem peaceful to the family. When a tradition became a burden rather than a blessing, it was time to do away with the tradition or at least change it. I have divided this week's daily blog into Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer. So Halloween will be under Autumn, Christmas under Winter etc. So be sure and look each day. I’ll be waiting for your comments!

What a tremendous responsibility Motherhood is. We house our children, first within our wombs, them within our homes, and always in our hearts. As I close my blog today, mainly because my eyes are closing without my permission, I can almost see Dartavia smiling at us from Fiddler on the Roof. If I’m really quiet I can hear him sing loudly, T-R-A-D-I-T-I-O-N, T-R-A-D-I-T-I-O-N…….. Can you hear him too? Maybe it’s a mirage....OR….Maybe I’m already asleep…..ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

See you tomorrow,
ELLEN

Don't Forget About "YOU"!

Dear Moms,

Are you about balanced out? Don’t Give Up The Ship , because the best is yet to come! We all make mistakes in parenting, even if we don’t like to admit it. One of my biggest Mothering mistakes was that I neglected to take care of myself. I gave sacrificially, and yes selflessly, until there was no more to give. What was the fruit? I was a blessing to my husband and a blessing to my children, and a disaster to myself. I ended up in the bed more times than I want to count, with sickness, exhaustion or severe postpartum depression. Yes, at times, I was an UNPERSON. I had SUBMISSIONED MYSELF into a STEPFORD WIFE, who had no opinions. I had mothered myself into exhaustion. I kept the perfect house with the expense of my health. Even when walking through the dark hours of Depression, I made sure my ship was running smoothly, refusing to even take a nap. I, being a TYPE-TRIPLE A Personality, always gave over 200%. Do you know what I was during that season of my life? I was hungry, sleepy, and sad.

I must admit that by the “Grace of God,” I learned some things along the way. It was a hard lesson that I learned through pain and suffering. Did you ever face in your life an “UPHILL BATTLE” on a mountain that God did not want you to climb in the first place? That WORD PICTURE explains it all. Now I tell mothers, all mothers young as well as old ,that God wants you to take good care of yourself, so that you can take care of your family. Do you remember the old childhood song?
J ESUS and
O THERS and
Y OU what a wonderful way to spell JOY.

Yes ,the Great Commandment says, “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” No, it is not Pride or even vanity to love yourself; it is God’s Command. And it is the final KEY to living a balanced life. Here are some Quick Tips that I learned along the way:
1. Sleep Eight Hours A Day--even if it means that you go to bed early and your husband watches all the children even the nursing baby.
2. Eat A Balanced Diet--You need both food and sleep to nurse your baby healthily and take care of the other children. (I'm saying this is true as I am a recovering Anorexic)
3. Always Use Good Hegemony--Mom, teeth, hair, shaven legs, showers, eyebrows, etc., “You Are Human.” You need care to be Healthy and Strong.
4. Get A Hairdo that Flatters Your Face, and take the time to fix it.
5. Invest In A Wardrobe That Enhances Your Figure.
6. Exercise Daily If Possible--you will feel better about yourself and so will your husband.
7. Read A Book A Month If Possible or join a book Club.
8. Do A PAMPER ME DAY Monthly. (Pedicures and Manicures or what ever makes you feel feminine.)
9. Keep The Romance Alive (SEX IN THE CONTEXT OF MARRIAGE IS GREAT. It is also a STRESS RELIEVER if you didn’t know that).
10. Last, but surely not least, TAKE A MONTHLY RETREAT WITH GOD. Set a date go to a Church or a quiet place and just REST IN THE LORD. It will bring you great peace and refresh your soul. HE MAKES ME LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES, HE REFRESHES MY SOUL.

Mom, You count, so take good care of yourself. I am all about, THE LOST ART OF MOTHERHOOD, but my second passion, besides writing Christian Books, Is THE LOST ART OF FEMININITY. If you are a Woman, BE A WOMAN; your FEMININITY is GOD’S GIFT TO YOU AND GOD’S GIFT TO YOUR HUSBAND. BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE, BE BEAUTIFUL! After all, you are GOD’S CREATION. What did God say? I think it went something like this, “YOU ARE FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE.” Our Pastor shares that when Adam saw Eve, he said, “WOW.” What does your husband say when he sees you coming?

Mom, what do you think? ASK ELLEN.

Balancing Friends and Ministries

Dear Moms,

The fifth area of balance--friends or ministries--requires the most prayer, planning and prudence. The tendency, as we well know, is to neglect God, Husband, Children, and Home, so we can either, be with our friends, or serve in a ministry. This is true, Mom, isn’t it? I promise you that there is hope because a well-balanced, Godly woman will have room on her plate for all six areas of importance, but it takes time to get that healthy balance. Did you know that we are accountable to God on “DID YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER?” Who are the main people we are called by God to love? That would be our husbands, our children, our parents, and our siblings.

I heard a pastor one time say, “TO ME, FAMILY COMES FIRST.” He went on to say, “I don’t want to win the whole world to Christ, and lose my son.” Those few words stuck with me for life. It really encouraged me to always remember what is most important and to always keep my priorities straight.

So do we give up all our friends, be a slave to our husband, a servant to our children and a prisoner to our home with our face in the Bible and at Church every time the door opens up? No, No and DEFINITELY NO! God came to set us free. Remember the Bible verse, “WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS THERE IS LIBERTY.” As we learn the art of Balance, there is plenty of time for, “GIRLS WHO JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN.” We just have to sit at the feet of Our Savior, learn His still small voice, and learn to walk in His ways.

If you only knew me ,you would know how important friends are to me. You see I’m a FOREVER FRIEND, which means that I keep my friends for life, and I have over 500 people on my Christmas list to prove it. I tell them that they can only get off my Christmas list if they die. I believe that everyone needs close, supporting friendships. In fact, for the past twenty years, I have been going on retreat with the same three girlfriends twice a year. This satisfies a spiritual need, as well as a friendship need. They have been with me in all seasons of life, the ups and the downs, and have prayed me through it. I have lunch with some of my retreat sisters monthly. I also have two prayer partners, which I connect with, for daily prayer. They are very dear to my life and I can’t imagine life without them. My husband and I have Couple Friends that we get together with socially. The Bible says, “A FRIEND IS A FRIEND AT ALL TIMES, BUT IT IS ADVERSITY THAT MAKES A BROTHER.” Even Jesus called his disciples Friends. I’m sad when I see a young mother give up all her friends to serve her family. Do you remember , “ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JOHN A DULL BOY?” If you want to grow as a whole person, you must keep friends in your life, because except for God and family, they are the only ones that love you enough to speak the truth to you, in a way you will be able to hear it.

Ministries are equally important in a Christian Woman’s life. Ministries give you a chance to use your gifts. Sometimes they give you a chance to discover you gifts. Yes, sometimes you will discover a gift that you didn’t know you had,;other times, you will discover that you don’t have a gift that you thought you did. Serving in a ministry is a growing experience; it will grow your gifts, as it grows you as a person.

It is a tremendous CONFIDENCE BUILDER, especially for a stay-at-home mom. I always had a ministry of some sort that I served at, all through my child raising years. I had a Dance Studio in my home where I taught Ballet, Creative Movement and Interpretive Dance. I didn’t charge, but rather accepted Love Offerings. We even had yearly Recitals. I taught Parenting Classes at the local Care Pregnancy Center, which I still do. Lastly, I am a Christian Writer and I sell as well as give a lot of my material away. So if you haven’t found the ministry that God has hand picked for you, PRAY and ask God where you can serve. You will know when you are in the right ministry because it will bring you GREAT JOY, a fruit of the Spirit by the way. You will be a Blessing to the ministry you choose and they will be a blessing to you.

So Gals get busy balancing your life, because there is work to be done. In the midst of it, don’t forget that there is time for, “Girls Who Just Want To Have Fun.” Always Remember, you are not alone on finding this balance; God will help you as you seek His Face. I have to close now because I have to meet my Baby Girl at the Gym!

Ellen