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2 Comments» Continue ReadingWe started the week off here talking about motherhood, and what our kids really need from us. And today, we finish off the week considering what it is to persevere in the task and work of motherhood. Unlike many other jobs and endeavors, the work of motherhood does not yield a weekly paycheck, an yearly promotion, or necessarily an occasional accolade. Why and how do we persevere, then? Join me at The Better Mom today, as I share about the true reward of motherhood…that is truly better than being rewarded employee of the month. Have a blessed weekend, friends!
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» Continue ReadingTo my 11 yr. old Birthday Boy, You are so easy to celebrate. I’ve been writing letters to you since before you were born, but lately, the words are stored in my heart more than they are on paper. There’s much to say, just not enough time to say it all. I promise I’ll get back to it…eventually. I had no plans to have five little boys after you, but God knew his good plan for our family. He knew to make you patient, compassionate, tender-hearted, responsible, brave, intentional, inquisitive, smart, and funny. He knew you would lead the pack, and stay back with the one who can’t keep up. He made you to be a blessing. He made you the boy who cries with joy at the news of a new sibling, who desires to know God more, who helps with his brothers daily, who is fascinated by missions, […]
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» Continue ReadingSometimes my kids see a mom who is impatient and weary. Sometimes they witness a good cry. Sometimes my kids see a woman who’s distracted by thoughts they don’t quite understand. Sometimes they catch a glimpse of how grown ups experience hurts too. Sometimes my kids watch as I fret and worry over things I cannot change. Sometimes they observe their parents wrestle with the questions and the answers too. And so often we think our kids need us to be brave only. Be consistent invariably. Be right absolutely. Be faithful faultlessly. Be wise undoubtedly. Be happy seamlessly. We can try to be all those things at all times, but because we simply can’t in our fallenness, to do so may simply be to inspire superficially. And there’s really nothing more worthless to me than to encourage my kids with hope that is merely skin-deep. But to go further than […]
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» Continue ReadingIf you come over to my house, you will notice something about the way we are around here: Our kids do a lot of helping. You’ll find my boys making meals, using cutting boards and knives, loading dishwashers, doing their own laundry, and getting their baby brother up in his high chair for lunch. Don’t get me wrong–it is not automatic, always voluntary, or even all done correctly at times. In fact, there are lots of spills, scorches, mistakes, and do-overs. I would describe it less like a well-oiled machine, and more like constant tuning and training. We’ve not hired “a mother’s helper” and we don’t have the budget to eat out regularly or hire a housecleaner. So…we have an all-hands-on-deck approach because, truthfully, we simply wouldn’t survive otherwise. But, the point is– I’ve learned to let my kids participate in tasks around the house at every age. Even the 22 […]
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» Continue ReadingFor most of my life, I’ve been in love with the idea of being in love. In fact, now that I’m older and a little wiser, I’m finally coming around to the idea that love is hard work, it’s sacrifice, it’s a rewarding labor. As residents of a world that is infatuated with infatuation and addicted to the allure of finding that special someone, how do we, as parents, point our children to the beauty of Christ? To the True Love of their maker? So on this Valentine’s Day, I stop to consider: Am I presenting the beauty, the adoration, the love of Christ in such a way as to draw my children’s affections? Do I speak of Him and my relationship with the Lord so as to cause them to desire such a love for themselves? Join me at Mom Heart Online today as I share ways we can help […]
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» Continue ReadingNo mother sets out to discourage her children. No one wakes up saying, “I hope to fluster my children today and make them feel inadequate.” or, “I will allow my kids to determine the way I speak to them. I will decide what tone of voice to use based on whether they are compliant and well-behaved.” Of course we don’t think that way! And yet, that is what we often communicate in a day’s time. We’ve had some challenging days around here. There have been long hours poring over math problems, hard moments in relationships, quiet periods of soul-searching, fervent times of prayer, and determined strides made towards recovering from this remodeling chaos we are so grateful for, but so weary from. Challenging circumstances and stretching situations in life may be the context of your current discouragement, but simply cannot stand as excuses for discouraging your children. We have a […]
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» Continue ReadingThere’s a phrase that’s been going around our home lately: “Your actions show what’s important to you.” Because it’s not just what you say, but what you do. I find myself saying to the kids: If you are repentant, you turn from your sin. If you love someone, you act in a way that is loving. If you desire to know Christ, spend time with Him. It’s not just for the kids, though…it’s for me, too. If I want a clean home, I need to clean it. If I want meaningful time with my kids, I need to talk and play with them. If I want to nurture my relationship with my husband, I can shut down the computer for the night and spend time with him. And so, this week I did. All that. Rather than talk about all that I wanted for my family and in my home, […]
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» Continue Reading“God’s grace is manifest in not letting us be content with anything but Him. Every hollow feeling in the heart is a catalyst to drive us to Him.” -Paul Washer There is no doubt that motherhood is the most stretching, challenging, humbling, exhausting, and rewarding undertaking I’ve ever endeavored. The last 10 years of my life –the journey as a mom– has been the source of my most sleepless nights, my most anxious fears, my deepest desires, and my most desperate moments as a grown woman. And there are so many things we run to when we feel desperate… We run to food. We run to friends. We run to things to buy. We run to the internet. We run to status updates. We run to entertainment. We run to busyness. We want our thirst quenched, but so often, we fail to run to the Living Water, the Word of […]
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» Continue ReadingYesterday was a bit of a disaster. It was the kind of day that made me think I believed in putting my kids in front of TV for hours and hours. It was the kind of day that made me frustrated to have five noisy boys who play loud and argue louder. It was the kind of day that started with good intentions and ended with much repentance. I could blame it on the kitchen remodel. Because yes, it is still total chaos around here. I could blame it on the first day of Christmas break. Doesn’t it seem like first day of break is always a bit weird? I could blame it on the pressure of being completely behind and unprepared for Christmas. Nope, not one present wrapped under the tree. I could blame it on the pregnancy hormones. Is it normal that I’m responding to stress with crying […]
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» Continue ReadingWe took a walk down by the river a few weeks ago… …there’s nothing like the sound of crushed leaves beneath your feet paired with the cool autumn air. Everyone is off discovering something beyond the monotony of his everyday life… …gazing further than what can usually be seen from within the walls of your house… …and we discover these guys… …who seem to be sitting still and going nowhere… …but in reality, have already shed their infant shells… …and taken flight in their matured wings. Did you know that the cicada takes up to 17 years, nestled beneath the shelter of the soil, before it emerges ready to try out it’s adult wings? Be patient, Mama. This is but a short while…preparing them to shed that insufficient shell and take flight. What they will become is being molded day by day, hidden away in the safety of yours […]
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» Continue ReadingI have been long influenced and encouraged by the motherhood-mentoring heart of Sally Clarkson. My heart for homeschooling was largely shaped by the book she co-wrote with her husband, Clay: Educating the WholeHearted Child, and Sally’s The Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child’s Heart for Eternity gave me a sweet perspective for all that I can impart to my children through home and heart. I met Sally at Allume in October. I immediately felt a kindred connection visiting with her. I was so honored when she asked me to join her team at Mom Heart, a site “where any mom can come to be encouraged, equipped, and enabled as a mother after God’s heart.” I’m excited to share that I will be a monthly contributor at Mom Heart. In addition, I will be attending my first Mom Heart conference in Denver in January. Wanna join me? I’d love to meet you if you plan […]
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» Continue ReadingWe say we believe that God is sovereign and God is good. We say that we believe He always does what is best for our lives. And yet, we don’t always respond to life’s circumstances with absolute trust, submission, and peace in our loving God. I know I don’t. In fact, I can recall the past six ultrasounds accompanying the last six pregnancies. The first ended in miscarriage and the subsequent ones revealed little boys added to our family. Each time I trusted in God’s plan, but each time I inwardly struggled through tears and disappointment in not getting to welcome a little girl in our lives. I even wrote a psalm about the disappointment last time with Number 5. I share this to give Him glory…to praise Him for transforming my heart. Not only was I not prepared for this pregnancy, I couldn’t imagine the Lord entrusting me with […]
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Hello, friend...I'm Ruth. Welcome to GraceLaced, where you will find my imperfect, but grace-filled musings on the Gospel, motherhood, crafting, art, domesticity, cooking, and the often-times overlooked joys of finding grace in the everyday of life. Read my full profile here.
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