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Love Must Be Sincere

Love Must Be Sincere

by | Jan 13, 2023 | Julia, One Blessed Momma

Romans 12:9

 
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good”

 

Recently, I did a study on Romans 12:9. A deeper dive than I usually do.

On the day to day, it’s easy to just read a scripture and think about it briefly.

Life gets busy and I don’t take time to truly study the word by breaking it down and understand what each word is saying.

I often wonder which filter I am using when contemplating these words, more of a worldly/selfish view or am I using a godly view?

Take the word, love for instance. The world has given many uses for the word love.

 

Definition of Love

The webster definition states: Love is, unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another.

 

Verses for Love

Now, looking at what God says, I gathered some bible verses about love. These verses seemed infinite and overwhelming. They all stated about the same thing too; to love God, love people, love is ultimate, God IS love.

Enjoy reading the following verses and allow certain ones to soak in and permeate your thoughts.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 ESV If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

1 Peter 4:8 ESV Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Colossians 3:14 ESV And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

John 13:34-35 ESV A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Proverbs 10:12 ESV Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.

1 John 4:18 ESV There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

1 John 4:7 ESV Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

Matthew 22:36-40 ESV “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Ephesians 5:25 ESV Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Ephesians 4:2 ESV With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

Proverbs 17:17 ESV A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

1 John 3:1 ESV See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Romans 13:8 ESV Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

1 John 4:16 ESV So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

Romans 13:10 ESV Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

1 John 3:18 ESV Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

1 John 4:7-8 ESV Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

John 15:12 ESV “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV Let all that you do be done in love.

1 John 4:8 ESV Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:19 ESV We love because he first loved us.

Mark 12:29-31 ESV Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

John 14:15 ESV“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Thoughts

To have an unselfish love that is focused on God’s love by putting his will first in our hearts and minds.  Not allowing our selfish desires or personal hurt take over our relationships with others.

Today’s Examples

When someone says unkind words to us or has a desire to hurt us, it is so easily accepted in today’s society to retaliate with the same vengeance. Yet we are called to respond with love. True love for the other person.  God’s love and desire for their heart to draw closer to him.  Take a moment and contemplate how we can retaliate in a way that will make them question, “who is that person? why are they being so nice to me?” and maybe cause them to see their ways of folly and repent.

Definition for Sincere

The webster definition states: Sincere is to be honest, pure and true.

Verse for Sincere

1 Peter 1:22 “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from a pure heart… “.

Thoughts

I read that the word sincere in greek translated in greek, means without hypocrisy. Pretending to be someone your not.

So for our love to be sincere we must not have an ulterior motive. We should truly want the best for them and to put them above ourselves. To put their interest in front of our interest.

Today Examples

Today’s examples of how one can show sincerity may look like:

  • Speak well of someone in front of them and when they’re not around.
  • Tell someone we will pray for them and intend on praying for them; possibly even at that very moment.
  • Truly listen to others

Definition for Hate and Evil

The Webster definition for Hate: a: intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury b: extreme dislike or disgust

Now, the Webster definition for evil is a: morally reprehensible : SINFUL, WICKED an evil impulse, arising from actual or imputed bad character or conduct, causing discomfort or repulsion, DISAGREEABLE, causing harm : PERNICIOUS

1 Peter 3:9- 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

1 Thes 5:22- 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil. (talking about the Day of the Lord)

2 Tim 2:22- 22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Isaiah 5:20– Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.

Prov 3:7- Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.

Prov 8:13– To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

Ephesians 6:12-20 NIV 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Thoughts

What is considered Evil behavior?

Col 3: 5-11: 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

How can we steer clear of evil?

Col 3: 12-17: 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Full armor of God:

  • belt of truth
  • breastplate of righteousness
  • feet fitted with the readiness
  • shield of faith
  • the helmet of salvation
  • sword of the Spirit
  • And prayer in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

Today’s Example

Prov. 3:7 talks about being wise in our own eyes. Our own wisdom? If you’ve read Job you know that his friends try to find wisdom in why he is being treated the way he is.

How often do we try and find a solution for our friends. Trying to fix the problem and not allowing God’s wisdom to penetrate our minds and overcome our thoughts? Or just allowing God HIS space to “be” and not having an answer.

Definition of Cling

The Webster definition of Cling is 1 a: to hold together
b: to adhere as if glued firmly
c: to hold or hold on tightly or tenaciously
2a: to have a strong emotional attachment or dependence
b: to remain or linger as if resisting complete spreading or scattering

Definition of Good:

The Webster Definition of Good is, 2a(1): VIRTUOUS, RIGHT, COMMENDABLE a good person
(2): KIND, BENEVOLENT good intentions
d(1): LOYAL a good friend
b(1): something conforming to the moral order of the universe
(2): praiseworthy character : GOODNESS
(5): that can be relied on
(2): WHOLESOME
(2): TRUE
(3): deserving of respect : HONORABLE

Matt 19:17– ESV And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”

Luke 18:19 ESV And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

Micah 6:8 ESV He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Colossians 3:1-5 ESV If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. …

Proverbs 11:27 ESV Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it.

Psalm 1:1-6 ESV Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; …

Thoughts

Hold tight to the things that are good.  Take care of them, nourish them, don’t take them for granted.

Today’s Examples

Some ideas on how to cling to what is good, continuing to fellowship with God’s people.  Encourage one another, build and lift one another up.  Family, marriage, children, friendships, blessings, outreach, etc.

Head over to the comment section and list some more!  I’d love to hear from you!

I hope you gained a deeper understanding of this verse or gave you more to think about as you enter this coming week.

If you can, try and memorize this verse or write it down and hang it up somewhere where you will see it daily.  If you head over to our Instagram this week you will find a wallpaper for your phone with the verse on it.

Thank you for stopping by.

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.

Reset and Renew With God

Reset and Renew With God

by | Jan 9, 2023 | Melinda, One Blessed Momma

Have you ever had a computer you were trying to accomplish work on and it was moving sooooo slow? Like it was having to crawl through thick mud? Or worse, it completely froze and won’t do anything? I’m sure if you’ve been around computers much you have experienced this. You know the answer to this problem is to reset the computer through a restart. Maybe the window you have open isn’t showing everything it should.

Once you restart your computer or do a hard reset on a browser window, suddenly everything works as it should. I have been told that leaving the computer off for 60 seconds allows all residual power to leave the computer and works even better than the immediate restart. Sometimes my computer has required more than one restart. 

Why?

Our computers start acting like they’re crawling through mud because there is too much in their memory. Too much for it to remember on the clipboard, too many windows or programs open at once, Sometimes it’s because malware has been inadvertently downloaded.

How’s your computer functioning?

How often do you feel like you are trudging through knee-deep mud? Are you moving slowly? Or maybe completely frozen?

I’m going to be completely transparent here, I have been feeling like I am in the thick of the mud. At some points, I’m unsure which direction my next step should head in. I feel the need for a complete reset. So this is going to be my guide, and I hope by sharing it someone who reads will be encouraged in their own journey.

(I wrote this last week only for my computer to glitch and delete everything. Fortunately, I have a Mollie in my life and she stepped in and posted in place of mine. So I’ve had a week to implement the Plan of Action I came up with and it has helped tremendously! I don’t feel quite so much in the thick of the mud. It’s starting to clear smile )

Let’s reset and renew

1. Set a timer

2. Close some windows/tasks/programs

3. Do a malware scan

4. Run updates

1. Set a timer and unplug

Set a timer for 60 seconds. Spend the entire 60 seconds focused on God. Don’t tell Him what you need Him to do. Praise Him for what he’s already done.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father. James 1:17

He’s given his son that you might live. (John 3:16) You woke up this morning. Do you have a home? Food for your family? (Those dishes that never seem to be done, mean your family is eating.) Clothes for your family? (That overwhelming mountain of laundry means that you are blessed with clothes for your children to wear.)

Another way to spend the 60 seconds is to find a praise song to sing. Sometimes when we have young children it is hard to take 60 focused seconds. I get it! Maybe the answer is to find a favorite playlist or channel on a streaming service and listen with your kids. In my experience, this changes everyone’s attitude. It’s hard to fight and argue if you are singing praises to God smile We enjoy the Praise and Harmony channel on YouTube. 

You know you and your circumstances. What is the best way for you to reset your mindset? Maybe you can take 2 60 second chunks and do both.

2. Close some windows

Do you have too many tasks running? Women are known to be multitaskers; however, when we are too bogged down by all the things it is time to close some things down and get rid of the background noise. I know sometimes my brain freezes because all the tasks I need to do are just bouncing around in my head and I can’t actually accomplish anything.

For me, a To Do list is a great help. Once I get the things down on paper I free up space in my head. It also allows me to see everything at once and then I am better able to prioritize what needs to be done. Sometimes it takes two lists, one to get it out of my head, and one to put it in order.

I find checking the tasks off my list also allows me to close some windows and function a little faster and more efficiently.

Sometimes I even write down things I already did just so I can check them off. Have you ever gotten to the end of the day and felt like you did nothing? Write it down so you can remember smile For me, having some easy wins helps me to build momentum when I am really overwhelmed. So I will start with some easy tasks that I can check off.

3. Do a malware scan

Paul encourages the church at Corinth to examine themselves in 2 Corinthians 13:5. I believe we each need to do the same.

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

 

We must regularly perform scans on ourselves and then self-correct. Are we walking in the faith? Have we allowed a sin (even a “small” sin) to take hold in our lives? I submit to you that all sins, even the ones we view as small have the same wage in the end.

For the wages of sin is death… Romans 6:23

There is only one fix for sin in our lives. This would be to confess them to our Lord and repent. If we are truly repentant, we are turning away from the sin and living in a new way.

If we keep reading in Romans 6:23, we are told that God offers us a free gift.

 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Do you need to know how to accept this free gift? Click here for some guidance.

As we work through the sin in our lives, I believe that God is a very powerful God, but we are a very weak people. God has given us people in our lives who will help us as we walk on His path. James 5:16 tells us to confess our sins to each other. This isn’t so we can go around gossiping about how Susie’s sin is so awful. Can you believe what Jan is doing? It is so that we can pray for one another and be healed.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16

4. Run updates

Sometimes the computer needs to run updates to keep working properly. How does this apply to our lives? How many times have you read an old scripture that you’ve read a zillion times only to glean something new? Continually reading the word of God will help keep us spiritually updated. Reading and spending time in quiet with God gives us a chance to hear what He wants us to hear. 

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

We can renew with God every morning if we allow Him. Each day comes with challenges and temptations, but each day also greets us with new mercies from God and new blessings. Don’t forget to praise Him, because in doing so you will find renewal. You will find a renewed, refreshed mind, body and spirit that are more able to tackle the tasks at hand.

I am One Blessed Momma!

I have been blessed by God to be mom in 6 children’s lives, some of which are already adults. I do not do it perfectly. By the grace of God they are becoming some amazing people. I am so grateful for the church family and family that are in their lives and are also encouraging them to become the people God created them to be. I am so blessed by the people God has put in my life to encourage me as I walk through life to stay on His path. Especially those who encourage me in my motherhood and help me find ways to be a better mom and get through the mud. Thank you God for giving me the support I need!

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

Being Intentional-2023 New Year’s Focus

Being Intentional-2023 New Year’s Focus

by | Jan 3, 2023 | Mollie, One Blessed Momma

So it begins…

Hey there mommas! Welcome to 2023!

As I sat down to write my annual new year’s focus I couldn’t help but feel a little astonished that this is the 3rd year I am sharing it with the OBM readers. Where does the time go!

Let me just take a moment to say thank you to everyone who reads our posts, and thank you to the other blessed momma authors, Julia and Melinda, along with our extensive list of outstanding guest writers. What a blessing it is to be a part of something so encouraging and inspiring.

Give me focus!

As many of you know from reading my previous new year’s focus posts, I don’t do new year’s resolutions any more. Instead, my husband and I try to think and pray about one particular area or characteristic our family needs to add or improve in. Once that has been identified and decided, we strive to make all decisions for the year through the lens of, “Is this going to help or hinder us in accomplishing this goal?”. I have found this to be very helpful.

Moving on to this year, it has actually been very difficult to decide what our focus should be. We have been through, what feels like, an insanely difficult year. Really, I think it is actually a culmination of several rough years. Whatever the case, life as we knew it has changed drastically, and as with all things, good or bad, there is grief in change.

I have felt unable to even comprehend writing a new blog post for the past several months which has made me incredibly thankful for re-runs and my sweet sister and sister-in-law for filling in for me. I am truly One Blessed Momma!

Consider it pure joy.. when you face trials…

As with most trials we walk through, we come out stronger on the other side. God through his infinite wisdom and matchless grace can, and will, use every situation for good, if we love him. I have spent much time in self reflection over the past few months and have found that I have allowed many things, many good things, to become idols in my own life. First and foremost I have let pride become an idol.

Pride is never spoken of highly in scripture. I know this. I grew up knowing this and I certainly never made a conscious decision to serve pride. However, I made many small decisions that led me down that path. It was extremely hard and humbling to back that train back down the track, but it brought about so much peace in knowing that we are following God’s will and drawing closer to Him. Even when you can’t see where you’re stepping, if your eyes are on Him, you will always find solid ground.

I love the quote from holocaust survivor and globally acclaimed inspirational woman, Corrie ten Boom:

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

Choosing our focus

With all that being said, I was really struggling with overwhelm and had begun a journey of simplifying our life by decluttering both physical things as well as our time. I cannot express the amount of stress that has been eliminated nor the amount of peace that has replaced it!

So when discussing with my husband what our family focus for 2023 should be, he suggested something along the lines of the decluttering journey we have started.

Being Intentional with our time, money and things is really what we have been working on. That just happens to include quite a bit of decluttering.

“Clutter is not just the stuff on your floor – it’s anything that stands between you and the life you want to be living.”

Effects of a decluttered life

When you free up space in your home, you have an easier task in keeping it clean. Which in turn frees up time.

When you free up time, by not only spending fewer hours being a “stuff manager”, but also by being intentional about what activities you choose to participate in, you are freeing up mental space.

When you free up mental space you can choose what you want to do with that space. One of my biggest goals was (and still is) to memorize more scripture and to help my kids to as well. I can also spend more time praying for myself, my husband, my children and friends.

Beyond those worthy goals, freeing up time and mental space gives you the ability to use and pursue the gifts and talents God has given you to serve His kingdom as well as time to ENJOY the life he has blessed you with!

Conclusion

So many times we as women wear “I’m so busy” as a badge of honor. We have been deceived ladies! It’s far more rewarding to care for the things God has put in our lives and not go looking for more.

As 2023 gets rolling, I pray that each and everyone of you sees the blessings you have and the blessing you are as you seek the truth in every aspect of your life and draw closer to the One who created you.

.

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

Cute Inexpensive Gifts from the Dollar Tree

Cute Inexpensive Gifts from the Dollar Tree

by | Dec 19, 2022 | Julia, One Blessed Momma

It’s the last week before Christmas and you forgot about your child’s gymnastics teacher, a co-worker or a new friend you met at a mom’s group. You want to show them you appreciate them but already used up most of your Christmas budget. Don’t give up hope yet and keep reading, because I will share below, 5 last minute quick ideas you can use to let them know you are thinking of them and appreciate the in put they give in to your child’s life, the help they provide at work, or the thoughtful friendship they provide.

5 Last Minute Quick Ideas

The best part is all of these items can be found at the dollar tree!

1. Dollar Tree Notebook
2. Calligraphy Art
3. Glass or Mug design
4. Make cookies or fudge
5. Epsom Salt

Dollar Tree Notebook

This year they have a notebook that looks like leather.  It’s plain paper which is wonderful for the creative person.   They can use it as a calendar, note taking, sketch book, or whatever they enjoy!   If you have access to metal stamps or an engraver you can emboss their name or cute phrase.  For extra you can add pens or sharpies wrapped with a festive ribbon or twine.

Calligraphy

They have lots of paper options at the Dollar Tree and you can choose a size you like best and grab a Crayola Marker and go to town.  Your markers or pens do not have to be anything fancy.  You just have to remember that every down stroke you make it thicker.   Whether that means you do it as you are writing or you have to go back, add a line and color it in.  Both can look great.  Write their favorite Christmas phrase, like “let it snow”, song like “Joy to the World” or poem “Twas the night before Christmas…”.   If you want you can even add a little frame.  They have some cute gold ones currently!

Glass or Mug Design

This is by far the easiest activity.    Head to the dinnerware aisle and pick out a mug or glass.   The Dollar Tree sells adhesive sticker’s that are durable to go through the dishwasher and still stick and keep it’s picture.  We got a pack of three very cute options over the summer and I put them on my daughters’ water bottles and they have lasted through many times in the dishwasher.   All you do is peel the sticker off and place it on the cup and voila!

Make cookies or fudge.

Buy a quick mix and a cute container, everyone enjoys a yummy cookie during the holiday!  If you’re not a baker you can purchase their favorite candy bar/snack and then add nice note of appreciation.  Thoughtful words carry a lot of weight.

Epsom Salt

The Dollar Tree also has very cute glass jars with nice lids!!  You could get the lavender scented one or just the plain and add your own essential oil at home.  You’ll probably end up with extra from the bag so don’t forget to use some tonight after stressing about these last minute gifts!

 

I hope these ideas were helpful and can help you not be so stressed about last minute gifts.  Remember it’s not about the gift you give but the meaning behind it.   You could forgo all of these ideas and write out a very meaningful and thoughtful note to this person and I have no doubt it would go a long way. 

We hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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.

Look Up, Not Around

Look Up, Not Around

by | Nov 27, 2022 | Guest, One Blessed Momma

Look up…

Are you one of those people who can’t help but smile whenever Facebook or Google sends you a memory from your past? I do. It’s usually a post with pictures, but occasionally it’s a detailed experience from my life. This week, a memory popped up of a scenario that I had with my two daughters in 2014. The memory from my past reminded me to-look up, not around.

Memory Lane

It popped up on my phone as I was listening to my 12 year old have an emotional meltdown. This was a pre-teen meltdown in which I have been warned about from other parents. My 12 year old was feeling EVERY. SINGLE. emotion possible. I couldn’t even distinguish the correct way to respond to her. It was (according to her) “the worst day of her life!”  I just kept looking at the time on my phone thinking- oh my goodness, is this roller coaster of feelings ever going to end? Should I be contemplating boarding school? Have I failed her as a mother? Fortunately, out of the blue, a memory popped up. 

Why Me?

The memory took place in November, eight years ago. My girls and I were driving home from the E.N.T (Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist). I was feeling sorry for myself and angry with God. My husband and I already went through a long and difficult journey to even be able to become parents- but now our girls who were then 4yrs old and 2yrs old were keeping me up all night with horrible ear infections- BOTH of them. I was looking around thinking ‘why me’, ‘why my girls’? I was feeling EVERY. SINGLE. emotion. Right then, my 4yr old who was looking up outside the car window, interrupted my thoughts and asked me- “Mom, are we still on erff (Earth)?”…….”Are we ever going to leave erff?”

The Lord’s Provision

 This was the moment my 4 year old daughter reminded me to stop looking around, but to look up. I prayed that night and I felt at peace. I knew my girls were in God’s hands and I wasn’t alone. Within the next few weeks, the Holy Father blessed our family with doctors who could end our daughter’s pain, relieve my stress, and take away my sleepless nights.

 

It Will Be Ok

 

After reading this memory. I looked over at my 12yr old daughter who was still consumed by her emotions. I sighed and thought about her being 4 yrs old and saying ‘errf’ instead of Earth. I reflected how it felt when I was drowning with fear, stress, sadness, self doubt, and anger. I then placed my phone on top of her dresser and sat down beside her while tears continued to stream down her face. I then disrupted her thoughts of ‘why me?’ and I said, “you need to look up- not around you’’. 

 Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not to your own understanding.

Meet Melissa!

Hi! I was born and raised in Southwest Colorado. I married my high school sweetheart in 2007. My husband and I are blessed with two amazing daughters who are now 10 and 12.
We love to go camping, 4-wheeling, and boating together. I have always loved being around animals and children. They seem to always bring out the best in me-so it was no surprise that my path led me into teaching.
I am currently a 2nd grade teacher at Hope Community Christian Academy. I love working with the staff and families to provide a loving, Godly, and positive learning experience for kiddos. I especially love that I get to see my girls in the hallway and take part in their education.
Recently, I keep referring back to the verse Mathew 6:25-27

“….Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

Maybe it’s my age, the stress of the holidays, being a mom, or having the responsibilities as a teacher-but the pressure to have it “all together” can be overwhelming. Thank goodness our Heavenly Father provides us the insight to his everlasting and abundant love for each of us.

NICU Mom’s Share Moments with Nurses

NICU Mom’s Share Moments with Nurses

by | Nov 21, 2022 | Julia, One Blessed Momma

**Trigger Warning** Below are real life experiences from a traumatic birth and NICU life. If you are still processing your experience and want to chat with someone, please reach out to me. I would love to connect with you.

Birth Plan

That’s what they tell you to have before you go in to labor. With my first child, I had a plan. I was ready. I had taken the classes, I had practiced the moves and the breathing techniques. I knew what I wanted to happen, but I also heard that you should be open if things don’t go to plan. While my first child didn’t go exactly to plan, it did go pretty smoothly. She came on her due date and came out with rolls.

My second…well, they say no two pregnancy’s are the same and with mine, that was the truth. She came 3 months early at 27 weeks and we spent 100 days in the NICU. It was a whirlwind of a roller-coaster ride.

NICU

If you ever spent any time in the ICU whether as a patient or visiting a loved one you have met an amazing nurse. In the NICU there are so many amazing humans. Below I want to share special moments from 3 Momma’s who have been blessed by NICU nurses.

Blessed

First, I, Julia would like to share my experience with how I am one blessed Momma because of the interactions I have received from NICU nurses. When placed in a very scary and traumatic birth experience, a NICU nurse is usually your first interaction in the NICU. You are filled with all of the emotions, happiness to meet your baby, scared to touch your baby and guilty you couldn’t keep her in longer. The first time I met the nurse, Michele who chose to stand by my child’s side throughout her journey (and still to this day) visited me in my postpartum room. I was crying from the guilt that I couldn’t keep her in, my belly wasn’t big and I had to try and start producing milk but my body was only 27 weeks pregnant.

Momento’s

Michele came into my room and gave me a picture of my little baby. Along with a hat that she wore for me to smell and a paper with her very tiny foot prints. By giving me these items she made me an important part of my baby’s journey and gave me a sense of motherhood. I had yet to feel. This journey looked a lot different than my first. It didn’t feel the same. It wasn’t a joyful delivery, it was scary. She didn’t get to do skin to skin like my first or go straight to nursing, she was given breaths and almost intubated. I was grieving the loss of my birth plan.

Confidence

When you’re baby is so tiny that you can’t hold them for three days, you are so scared that if you touch your baby they may break.  You don’t quite feel like a mom.  The nurses there give you confidence that you can change their diaper.  That you can hold your baby against your chest.  Also, that you can touch your baby and not give them sensory overload. They remind you even though you may not know all the medical terms and machines that your baby needs to survive, you are still what your baby needs most. They give their all, to keep your baby alive and all they need to grow with soft talk, gentle touch. The way they position their bodies and their CPAP’s.  Their hold, their assessing, their skipping of meals or bathroom breaks just to stay near.  The staying late to clearly transfer information to the next shift.  The feeding, the arranging of tubes and wires so your baby feels comfortable and mostly how they advocate what is best for your baby during rounds. NICU nurses become the second mom’s for your baby, you connect so much with them because you have to fully trust they love your baby like you do. They truly make it feel like you are a team of mom’s. They are a blessing to this Momma, then and even to this very day. They not only help your baby, they help the whole family.

Kari

Kari is a NICU momma of her first baby, a 28 weeker, Ryland. After having the traumatic experience with Ryland, and then my first “normal“ C-section with Harper, I thought I was ready for my C-section Oliver. I don’t have memory from my experience with Ryland, so I don’t have a lot of triggers that have to do with that. But Oliver needed suctioned and it was bad enough that he need to go up to the NICU briefly.

NICU

I barely got to see him and he was being taken out of the room and I was still being put back together—it was triggering to say the least. But the thing that kept me calm was the fact that Michelle who was Ryland’s Primary NICU nurse, had gone out of her way to be the standby NICU nurse during my C-section, so it was her who took Oliver up. I just kept reassuring myself that he was with her and so he was fine. It was what kept me from full on panic. The bond runs deep with good nurses. It reminds me of how my favorite subjects in school were because there were taught by my favorite teachers—they made it my favorite. Their presence controlled the narrative. And that’s how it is with NICU nurses.

It’s the Little Things That are the Big Things

They brought me calm during a time of whirlwind I wasn’t expecting. They took time to explain things (and then explain them again and again when there was just information overload and I couldn’t always process). They took photos (which are still hanging in my kitchen 5+ years later. They helped me pose Ryland with boxing gloves when I spent my 4th of July in the hospital instead of on our yearly family reunion/vacation. They adjusted the camera so I could see him when I wasn’t there. They matched the bedding to his outfits. They made cute name plates for his isolette and holiday scrap-book-type pages (all of which I still have.) they came in on their day off for his release. They babysat for me the two times we actually went out that first year. They did their job but they also went above and beyond in so many ways. Their job was to take care of him but they took care of me—of all of us.

Ashlee

When asked what a NICU nurse means to me, I’ll admit it’s hard to put into words.  NICU nurses are literal angels on earth.  They are not only the caretakers and advocates of our precious babies when we as parents can’t be there or don’t know how to care for our babies but they are also our caretakers.  Wyatt, 26 weeker, spent nearly 5 months in the NICU and for a lot of that time my husband and I were learning how best to take care of him and I can honestly say had it not been for his nurses I’m not sure we would have had the confidence we did to take care of him.  Wyatt’s nurses were constantly providing us with the best tips on how to take care of him.  I remember one time in particular, Wyatt was unusually while I was holding him and my first inclination was to rock him to soothe him, but Michele reminded me that the rocking may in fact be overstimulating to him and that if I was just still and held him he would probably settle, and in fact he did.

Pays Attention to the Details

I also vividly remember a day I wasn’t feeling my best and couldn’t quite figure out what was going on.  I had a horrible headache and couldn’t focus and felt that I wasn’t giving Wyatt my all.  Michele, knowing that I had blood pressure issues, brought a blood pressure cuff into Wyatt’s room, checked my BP to make sure I was okay and then told me to go home and rest.  She reassured me that Wyatt would be okay and that she would call if anything happened or changed.  Knowing that Wyatt’s nurses weren’t just looking out for him but were also making sure we were okay provided a sense of relief in some ways.

Back to Work

I had gone back to work full time around 7 weeks postpartum and was only able to be at the NICU in the evenings once I went back to work.  I remember one day as I was walking to my car leaving work to head to the hospital getting a call from Bre, Wyatt’s nurse that morning, and being nervous to answer.  She called to ask if I was watching Wyatt’s camera because he was so alert and active and she didn’t want me to miss it.

Family

I could go on and on about how amazing NICU nurses are and what they mean to me.  I’ll never be able to thank Wyatt’s nurses enough for all they did to care for him and us.  They truly became our family and our biggest supporters through the most difficult time in our lives.  I will forever be indebted to them for their kindness and the love they had for Wyatt.  They loved him as if he was their own and being in that situation, that is all I could ask for.