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Self Care That Lasts

Self Care That Lasts

by | May 8, 2023 | Mollie, One Blessed Momma

Hello beautiful blessed mommas!

Today I want to talk about self care.

Self care is something I hear a lot about but it is still somewhat of an abstract concept to me.

So, what is it anyway?.

Many people (myself included) think of expensive days at the spa, retail therapy shopping trips or over indulging in your favorite sweet treat. I mean, there is nothing a carton of Ben and Jerry’s can’t fix, right?

All those feel good in the moment, and if that is what helps you, then, by all means, do that!

To me, though, all the aforementioned activities bring fleeting relief, but then the guilt sets in. Guilt over the time, money and calories.

I wanted to take a look at the meaning of self care.

Self care is every action we do to keep our mind, body and soul healthy.

Moms are the best at taking care of others. Growing, birthing, feeding, cleaning and loving small humans is not for the faint of heart.

God created us to be nurturing and to want to take care of people. Our husband, our kids, the neighbors kids, the stray cat. You get the picture.

Often times we forget to take care of ourselves.

My proclivity is to feel selfish for even thinking about it!

However, as the old cliche’ goes, you have to first put on your oxygen mask to be able to help others with their’s. 

Selfish? NO! Necessary.

Without some self care you WILL burn out. You WILL quit. You will not be an effective vessel for the Lord.

The least selfish person that ever walked the earth, Jesus himself, practiced self care. Don’t believe me?

Check out Luke 5:15 (there are many other instances as well).

Jesus walked away from the crowd and went off to pray by himself. He knew he needed to check out from the crowd for a minute and commune with God.

 

 

He unplugged from the group but didn’t go off and mindlessly scroll through social media or binge watch Netflix. NO! He unplugged from the crowd but plugged into something bigger.

He saw the big picture and chose not to simply escape the pressures of life but to nourish his soul.

When we try to use our “self care” to numb our pain we ignore our needs and end up completely depleting ourselves.

How do we take care of ourselves in a lasting and meaningful way?

First, we need to realize that this life is not our focus.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. Galatians 6:7

When we understand the true value and importance of our spiritual life, we can find the motivation to put that first.

“Casting all your cares upon Him; for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

This is the place to start. Understanding that our heavenly Father is waiting with arms wide open and a listening ear. He cares for you and me.

He wants you to bring all your worries to Him. Believe me, His shoulders are plenty big enough to carry the load.

He wants to meet our needs so we can meet the needs of others.

One fact I have always found so beautiful is even though we are commanded to love God with everything we are, the way we are told to show that is by having love for each other. What a beautiful picture of love He has painted for us!

I hope some of these ideas will encourage you to look for ways to, not only take care of yourself, but to nourish your soul.

1. Pray
2. Read scripture
3. Plug into a strong Christian community
4. Wake up 10 minutes early to be still and listen to God.
5. Take a walk
6. Make a meal for your neighbor
7. Invite a friend over for coffee
8. Send a card to a friend
9. Journal your thoughts (brain dump!)
10. Write a poem
11. Hug your kids (my favorite!)

Why do we worry about things of this world?

The work and the stress making us prematurely old.

School, work and social media all have us caught.

Keep your focus on yourself is what we are taught.

Do what feels right! Live for today!

Oh, the folly in those words. Oh, the price they will pay.

Do not sow to the flesh, for corruption that will bring.

Sow your time to the Spirit and with angels you will sing.

Do not grow weary in doing what is right.

For the reward of the savior is truly out of sight.

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Meet Mollie

 

Mollie is a lover of Jesus above all. She loves her husband and family and enjoys gardening, teaching, piano, riding, and farming. She lives in SW Colorado with her husband and five kids.

Learn more about Mollie and her family

Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas

Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas

by | Apr 17, 2023 | Julia, One Blessed Momma

In the next couple of weeks, it will be Teacher Appreciation Week, starting May 8th. Today I will be sharing some thoughts to remind us why teachers are so important and how hard they truly work. Then, a few ideas on how one can show them appreciation with gifts they really want.

Teacher Duties

Teachers work so hard on the daily to educate children. Whether you are your own child’s teacher or you had to help them while learning online; you got to experience a little of what all a teacher does.

They take care of a lot more than 1 child. They have to be up to date on education, clearances and trainings to keep our children safe and learning the best way possible. They will tie shoes, wipe noses, and remind students to wash their hands. They encourage kindness to others and foster an environment of cooperation and including those who are left out.

They’re constantly doing assessments making sure our children are on par and retaining the information they are being taught.

Appreciation

Now, let’s list some gifts that teachers will enjoy and use.

1. Pens and/or markers.
2. Heartfelt note (see the free printable)
3. Food (gift card or actual food delivered. You could give them a menu and pick something they want)
4. Gift card (examples: starbucks, target, walmart, dunkin donuts, panera, local spot)
5. Potted flower
6. Personalized note pad
7. Something for the classroom (book, crayons, pencils, erasers, dry erase markers…)
8. A fun idea is an Emergency Kit: that could include bandaids, gum, granola, chocolate, gift card, chapstick, pen/marker, sanitizer,

Variety

There are so many teachers that play a role in our child’s life that we can think of and appreciate. There are bible class teachers, music teachers, sports educators, tutors, one on one instructors.

Download Free Printables

 

Fill in the Blank paper for the teachers in your life.

 

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Meet Julia!

Julia is a wife to her high-school sweetheart, a mother to two beautiful girls and a follower of Christ.   She loves crafting, teaching and is forever grateful for a God who is in control of all unknowns and thankful we can have a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Building Communication Bridges With Your Kids

Building Communication Bridges With Your Kids

by | Apr 10, 2023 | Mollie, One Blessed Momma

Beware the teenager

One of the most often repeated “warnings” I was (and still am) given as a new mom was, “Just wait ’til they’re teenagers.” No matter how well-meaning that statement was intended, there is really nothing the least bit helpful in it.

I have often listened to weary mothers explaining their reasons for such a statement and it usually involves-if not completely revolves around- a communication breakdown.

I am sure the teenage years can be hard and I in no way want to diminish anyone’s struggle. However, I believe so much can be done to help negate many negative aspects of parenting adolescents.

I do not have a teenager yet. My oldest will be 11 in a couple of weeks, so I am not trying to tell you I have that all figured out. My goal is to share some things I have seen other moms use successfully and now I am doing to help keep open and often communication.

Don’t be distracted

First, pay attention when your babies want to talk. From the very beginning, they know when you’re distracted.

This is something I have recently been very convicted on. It is something I will do good on for a long stretch of time but will find myself gradually getting sucked back into SOME project, purpose, or time-wasting activity.

Even good things are bad when they are keeping you from parenting the kids God has put in your care.

In the past two and a half years, I have had several minor surgeries. About every four months, I would have another one. I would need to take it easy each time for a week or so. I noticed that after being stuck in bed or on the couch for a week, I would struggle to get back into the swing of things. I found myself being sucked into YouTube, Pinterest, or some mindless T.V. show.

It is so easy to fall prey to Satan’s use of distraction. I could truly go on and on about this subject.

The point is, we have GOT to listen to our kids whenever they come to us and whatever they bring to talk about. Having a conversation about unicorns or legos may not seem like it will have any consequential effects, but if you don’t listen to what’s important to them now, why would they bring to you what’s important to them later on?

Listening about legos now brings about opportunities to listen to life-altering decisions later.

Respect

We all want to be respected. Our society has such a skewed view of respect that true respect is all but disappeared. 

Respecting your elders, parents, and authority figures is a very important concept, and I believe the best way to teach respect is to model it. Model showing respect to other adults, yes, but be respectful towards your children as well. 

If you are always talking over and interrupting your children, don’t be surprised when that is their MO in conversation. 

If you can’t look up from your phone when they are asking you a question, don’t expect something different from them.

Now I am not suggesting they should run the show. They still need to learn when to be silent in a conversation. I don’t subscribe to the “let a child do whatever he wants” philosophy, nor do I subscribe to the “children should be seen and not heard” way of thinking. 

I believe a more balanced middle ground is just the ticket to teaching little ones how to be respectful and respectable. 

Don’t air their dirty laundry

My next topic goes hand-in-hand with respect. Not talking badly about your kids to others and not telling every little mistake they make. 

I am not talking about discussing with other moms to seek wisdom on handling certain difficulties. By all means, seek that godly wisdom! But we have all been around, and possibly even been, that mom that can’t wait to tell everyone what terrible things her children have put her through.

Sadly, I know a few moms who constantly talked down about their kids-even in front of them. I truly believe many moms feel they shouldn’t “brag” about their kids, so instead, they talk down about them. Or maybe they feel so down about themselves they project that onto their children. 

Whatever the case, it is not emotionally healthy for anyone involved and tends to push kids away from their parents and towards someone who will say whatever they want to hear. I have seen this happen time and time again. 

Please let your kids know that you think they’re pretty cool. That really goes a long way in keeping communication open.

Having fun and working together

Having fun coupled with working together is so impactful on both your and your child’s (ren) mental health. The joy and laughter that comes from playing together creates lasting positive memories. 

Along with that, the sense of accomplishment after completing a project together (whether it be creating a flower bed, cooking a meal, weeding a garden, cleaning a chicken coop, or simply cleaning house) is a long-lasting lesson learned in work ethic, teamwork, and self-respect. Not to mention skill-building in whatever you’re doing. 

This is one area that I really push. Enjoy your kids and include them in everyday tasks. This means so much to them (even when/if they grumble a little) and will teach them many powerful lessons.

Soak in the scripture and pray, momma

My final thoughts are far and above the most crucial. If you get nothing else from this post, please hear this. Be in the Word (Bible) with your kids, and pray for and with them. I feel so strongly about this I am going to repeat it. Be in the Word with your kids, and pray for and with them.

There is nothing more powerful than our God, and he has richly blessed us with his written word as well as the opportunity to speak with him. 

He offers us the unlimited communication plan. No extra charge for long distance; no roaming fees; no overage charges. 

He is there ready to listen whenever we pray. Period. That fact that the most powerful being in all the universe has granted us an unlimited audience with him is beyond our comprehension. It is truly unthinkable! What a faithful and loving God we serve. Amen!

A practical application of the advice to be in the Word is to do some form of scripture reading with your kids daily. We usually read the verse of the day from my Bible app and discuss it at breakfast, along with reading a section from the Bible in the evening before bed. Right now, we are reading through Genesis. 

We also have a scripture memory rewards system. I work with the kids about every day on their verse. Thursday is our recitation day, if they know their verse and can recite it, they get a sticker on their chart that they got to design. Otherwise, they have to keep practicing until the next Thursday. Once they have five stickers, they get an ice cream cone. It is a fun way to help them memorize scripture.

One of my most prayed prayers for my kids is that the Lord would keep the evil one away and that he would guard their hearts. 

John 10 talks about the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd guards his sheep. He feeds his sheep. He protects his sheep, and he gave his life for his sheep. 

He is able, more than able, to guard our children if we would but ask!

My mom always said she did her best parenting on her knees. I encourage every mom everywhere to follow her’s, and many other faithful mommas’, examples and pray through our parenting. 

Let’s pray right now.

Oh, Heavenly Father,

We humbly come before your throne of grace so thankful. Thankful for the beautiful little lives you have placed in our care. Thankful for the constant help and peace you offer us. Most of all, thankful for your son and the sacrifice he was willing to make to give each of us opportunity to have a relationship with you, our father. 

Right now, we lift our children up to you and ask you to guard their hearts and keep the evil one far away from them. Help them to follow you all their days. Humble them to know that they need you and give them your peace which passes all understanding when they follow after you. 

We pray these things in your son’s beautiful name, Jesus. Amen.

Friend,

If you’re reading this and you don’t know our God. If you haven’t been covered by the blood of Jesus and been given his Holy Spirit as a comforter, please reach out! He is waiting for you and wanting for you to accept his FREE gift of salvation. Don’t wait. It is THE most important decision you will ever make. Make it today.

With love,

Mollie

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Meet Mollie

 

Mollie is a lover of Jesus above all. She loves her husband and family and enjoys gardening, teaching, piano, riding, and farming. She lives in SW Colorado with her husband and five kids.

Learn more about Mollie and her family

Connect through cooking with your kids

Connect through cooking with your kids

by | Apr 3, 2023 | Melinda, One Blessed Momma

Each night the same question arises, “What’s for dinner?” Now, I love cooking, mostly baking, but the never-ending need to provide a meal each night for 6-8 people was starting to feel like too much. The need to make sure it’s nourishing. Making sure none of the people eating it hated any aspect. It’s a lot of pressure. I’ve also began trying to eliminate some things from my diet for health reasons. It all added up to me being sick of meal planning each week. I was talking to a mom who shared that when her kids were growing up they each had a night to make a meal. 

I have 5 kids at home, so I decided they would each have a night to plan and prepare a meal. That leaves 2 nights where I’m in charge of figuring things out. That’s a lot less overwhelm 🙂

Goals:

I had some goals when I initiated this plan:

  1. No more planning 7 dinners a week
  2. Less complaining from my children about what’s for dinner.

I received a few unexpected bonuses and I am so grateful I have added this to our weekly routine.

  1. 1 on 1 time with each child
  2. My children are learning a great life skill.
  3. Each child feels important & special when it’s their turn (okay maybe more so for the younger than the older).

1. Less Planning

I help the kids decide what they want to make for the family each week. I have had to encourage them to pick something different than last week, we’ve eaten a lot of Chicken Alfredo. I’ve also had to help them choose to add veggies and know we can’t just eat treats, there are boundaries. One kid declared we should have filet mignon every week. That sounds great but it isn’t realistic for us.

2. Less Complaining

The complaining hasn’t decreased as much as I would have hoped. They still find things to complain about. They are still complaining about each other’s choices as much as they did mine. So we’re having lots of conversations about being grateful. I recently heard about a mom that declared if any one child complained about a meal the next day would be a “Grateful Day”. They would have only water and rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have considered implementing this for our family to squash the entitlement in my children.

Added Bonuses

1 on 1 time

I get to spend time with my children one on one. Having 6 children makes this difficult, so I am very grateful for this bonus. I am sharing one of my favorite things, cooking, with my favorite people. This gives us time to chat and I get a deeper glimpse of who they are. This is probably my favorite benefit.
 

Great Life Skills

My children are learning a great life skill. We all need to eat multiple times a day. I am happy to know they will have basic cooking skills and recipes to make their favorite meals. We cook for a (relatively) large family; therefore, they are, by default, learning to cook large enough amounts for friends too. (Bonus within a bonus 🙂 )
 

Feeling Special

Each child feels special & important as they take their turn planning and preparing. This may be more true for my younger children than my older children. I really enjoy getting to know their favorites and seeing their hearts as they learn to think about what other people like and don’t like.

Our family has evolved quite a bit on this journey over the last thirteen years. When our older kids were younger we would do “make your own stinking” dinner night. Each person made their own meal, a lot of it was reinventing or reheating leftovers. The boys loved this creative outlet, the girl didn’t like it as much. The boys had lots of interesting food, mostly quesadillas. The older girl has told me that she does enjoy learning to make some of her favorite meals as we do the weekly planning. 

I have spent lots of time cooking with the second boy. It was just the two of us for almost six years. He loved to help me cook and bake. He has always been Mr. Independent. At 3, I couldn’t keep him away from the knives, no matter what I tried. So I taught him how to properly use a knife. I figured if he was going to get into them, he was going to know how to safely use them. 

As I became pregnant with his younger siblings, I was able to have him help me with cooking the raw meat. Handling raw meat made me nauseous, he was willing and able to step in and take care of it for me. I was and am so grateful!

The weekly making of dinner with my children has been a huge blessing! Food also happens to be my love language 😉

What’s your love language? How can you share it with your children?

Download your free printable

Family Meal Planning
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Meet Melinda!

Melinda is a Christian, a wife, and a mom of 6. She has a blended family and has spent much time trying to learn how to "mom". She's still not perfect, but it makes her that much more grateful for God's grace and mercy in her life.

Learn more about Melinda and her family

A Mother’s Reflections

A Mother’s Reflections

by | Mar 27, 2023 | Guest, One Blessed Momma

I’ve thought and prayed so much for parents in this world who are facing many new challenges that I as a parent never had to face.  There’s no one to ask “How did you handle it”

We do know; however, that God is constant, never changing and always present.  It’s such a comfort knowing that whatever happens, big or small, God can help us get through.

Creating a Home

I think it’s very important as parents, that we try to create a safe, loving home environment for our children to come home to.  This world can be hard and we all need to have a place to know we are loved unconditionally.  God is the perfect father and loves us so much that he gave us his son to die on a cross for our sins.

John 3:16. That’s the love I want our children to see.

Each night, we had a family devotional before bedtime.  We started when our
children were very young  and then we studied the book of Proverbs when they
got older.  Every time I think back to those family devotional memories, I smile and thank God for that special time together.

Getting Involved

We also as a family spent a lot of time working with the church youth group and
church camp and our children were very much involved with those events and special times.  I never remember any of our children saying, “Do we have to go to church” because we all loved going and especially loved  being together.

Walk the Walk

I think it’s important that your children know you’re not perfect.  Grant and I were
quick to tell our children we were sorry or were wrong if we had overreacted or
misjudged a situation.  Our children need to be able to know how to react when they sin or make a mistake.  Romans 3:23. Please let them see you love God with All your heart, soul and mind.  Kids are very smart and can see when you are not living what you teach.

We were extremely blessed to have teenagers that we loved and LIKED :).
We enjoyed those years Very much and Grant and I missed them so much when they went to college but now we are abundantly Blessed with children, their spouses and grandchildren that we love and like SO Much!!

None of us know what tomorrow may bring. Enjoy each stage your children are in and don’t wish time away.  Thank God for each precious moment that he gives you to be the best parent you can be to your children and their sweet souls.

Meet Lori!

What a blessing for our OneBlessedMomma Blog to have our Guest Blogger, Lori.  The wonderful mother of our blogger, Julia.   She is an excellent example of a wife, mother, mother in law, and grandmother.   Thank you, Lori for sharing your wisdom with us on what works and your encouragement for us to continue to bring our families closer to Christ.

 

How to Throw a Baby Shower on a Budget

How to Throw a Baby Shower on a Budget

by | Mar 20, 2023 | Julia, One Blessed Momma

Ps. 127:3 Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.

What a wonderful event; A new baby to come! It is so fun to celebrate a new mom and their precious cargo. You want to celebrate them but also want to do it on a budget. Here, we will gather ideas on how to make that happen! Hope you find inspiration for throwing a friend a baby shower. Don’t forget to add your own ideas to the comment section to help someone else out.

Where

Try to think of a free venue. Are you apart of a church family? Check to see if your church building allows you to host for free. If not, your house or maybe a grandparent or friends house who wants to help out with the shower.

Basics

One way to keep costs down is think of 2 to 3 colors you want to use. Then stick with it. White is always a good one to have in your color scheme because you can always buy sturdy white plates a lot cheaper than decorated ones. Usually you can buy white table cloths and plastic silverware in bulk.

Decorations

Another idea that can add a lot of punch and is one everyone can do, is a balloon arch. You can find some good kits like this ONE on amazon. Also, the Dollar Tree now sells the plastic strip you need to make one. It is reusable too, so you can use it for Birthday’s, Anniversary’s, Holiday’s, you get the picture. Think of the color scheme you are using for the shower and then buy those balloons.

Clearance

Look for decor on sale. You may have to go to a couple stores and check the clearance. The other week I found napkins, tassels, balloons and banner all on sale. Also, check out the dollar tree. Their options have really been improving. They also have helium balloons that last weeks.

Sign

Either you, have a friend or find something cheap off of Etsy to download. You can write it on a chalkboard or poster-board and welcome everyone to the shower. It lets them know where the shower is taking place, the name of the baby or Momma.

Print

If you are making an invitation, you can simply create one on Google, Canva, or find one on Etsy. Or include an artsy friend of hers. One of the best things about the internet is you can create online invitations and send either through email or text. If you are creating games Google, Canva and Etsy are great ways you can print from home. Or do games that aren’t in need of printing.

Food

Make as much as you can. Keep it simple. Fruit, veggies, something salty, and sweet. Ask friends to make cupcakes. If it’s too many for one person divide it up for two people. For drinks, again think simple: gallon tea, lemonade and water. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. People are willing to pitch in and be involved.

Hopefully, you gained some inspirations from these ideas to help you throw a baby shower on a budget. Don’t forget to spend time enjoying the moment and day with everyone who joins. It’s supposed to be a fun and happy day, not stressed. So, enjoy! What a blessing that day will be.

Meet Julia!

Julia is a wife to her high-school sweetheart, a mother to two beautiful girls and a follower of Christ.   She loves crafting, teaching and is forever grateful for a God who is in control of all unknowns and thankful we can have a peace that surpasses all understanding.