Friday’s Quote of the Week

Posted on January 27, 2012 by JillSavage

“My attitude shapes my children’s behavior. More than any other variable, it is my attitude that calls the shots.”

~Allie Pleiter

 

Posted in Miscellany | 1 Comment

Some days I get it right and some days I don’t…

Posted on January 26, 2012 by JillSavage

There are an endless number of times in a day when I have the chance to get it right, or get it wrong! They’re everywhere from the challenging, “Was I patient with my teen?” to the basics, “Did I floss before bed?” I mean, really, it’s crazy when you think of all the areas we strive to be our best at taking care of ourselves and our family – and the times that we fall short.

That’s why I’m convinced that being the best mom or wife or friend or anything is not about always getting it right….it’s more about accepting that I won’t. And, ya know, now that my children are nearly all grown up, I hope their memories of me aren’t so much about what I did right or wrong, but that I did my best.

I’m working on my next Hearts at Home book which is currently titled No More Perfect Moms.  It will take a look at the “perfection infection” that keeps us loaded with judgment and guilt we heap on ourselves and others.  I hope to help us learn to be moms of grace, love, and forgiveness who do our best without expecting perfection.

As I’m writing this book, I’m going to need your input!

Today’s question is this: What do you think is the opposite of perfection?  

Posted in Taking Care of Me | 18 Comments

The Beauty of Boundaries…One Major/One Minor

Posted on January 25, 2012 by JillSavage

Wow!  Yesterday’s discussion about nutrition was wonderful.  So many of you are intentional about what your kids are eating.  There were some WONDERFUL ideas shared. If you’re looking for some great strategies for healthy eating, check out yesterday’s comments here!

Congrats to Stephanie (calcari) who was the winner of yesterday’s drawing for the ViveLeDish book!  Stephanie, I’ll contact you by email to get your info to send out your book!

Over on our Real Moms…Real Jesus Facebook study, we’ve been talking about boundaries. In order to find balance in our lives and to give our family our best, we have to be willing to set up boundaries.  Jesus was a master at setting boundaries and we can learn so much from Him!

One boundary I’ve found to be helpful is making an advance decision of how many activities outside the home I will commit to.  Many years ago a friend shared with me the concept of One Major/One Minor.  I’ve found this to be so helpful!

This boundary is an advance decision I make to only commit to one major responsibility outside the home and one minor responsibility outside the home at a time.

A major responsibility is something that I have on a regular (weekly) basis like committing to teach Sunday School, leading a moms group, or even full-time work.  It requires daily or weekly (or almost weekly) preparation and a regular commitment.

A minor responsibility is a “just show up” responsibility.  Working in the church nursery or helping with my child’s Christmas party at school are minor responsibilities.  No prep needed, just show up, serve, and leave.

If I get asked to do a Major responsibility, I have to make a choice: either quit the major responsibility I’m currently doing or say no to the request.

I started using this boundary many years ago when I was home full-time and it applied only to my volunteer activities.  Now, however, I’m working more at Hearts at Home.  Yes, much of it is from my home, but the responsibilities are daily and more intense.  So now I’ve realized that my work leading Hearts at Home, writing, and speaking IS my major.  No more major responsibilities for me.

Do I grieve that?  Yes.  Are there some things I’d love to say yes to?  Yes.

But am I less stressed and more focused as a wife and mother?  Absolutely!

That’s the beauty of boundaries!

What about you? Do you have a boundary/guideline you use to determine how many activities you say yes to?  

Posted in Taking Care of Me | 8 Comments

Teaching Kids About Nutrition and a Giveaway!

Posted on January 24, 2012 by JillSavage

I love it when I discover a new free resource for moms!  At our 2o11 Hearts at Home conference in Colorado, I met a mom who is carrying out her passion to help kids eat healthy.

ViviLeDish.com offers FREE, fun, interactive tools designed to give children ages 3-8 a daily, digestible dose of wellness education.

The site is a great resource for homeschooling families or any parent committed to spending more one-on-one time with their child!

ViviLeDish.com is unlike any nutrition site out there. First, it’s designed for 3-8 year olds. Second, it encourages family time rather than take away from it. Third, the recipes and activities accommodate the attention span of kids and the availability of moms.  It takes only minutes to get through each day’s program.

The site provides parents a simple, comprehensive approach designed to:

  • Educate and entertain kids about nutrition and encourage exercise
  • Introduce children ages 3-8 to new foods in a way the whole family can enjoy
  • Reward children for healthy choices (kids feed the Giggle Grower when they make a healthy choice)

I no longer have a 3-8 year-old, but I know a lot of you do so I wanted you to know about this great resource!

ViviLeDish also has a children’s book about nutrition that I’m giving away today.

If you’d like to enter the random drawing for the book, leave a comment below (if you’re reading this in email, click here to leave a comment) about one strategy you use to help your family make healthy food choices!

Posted in In The Kitchen, Parenting | 84 Comments

Motivation Monday: Let Go of the Hurt

Posted on January 23, 2012 by JillSavage

A mom shared with me in the Real Moms…Real Jesus Facebook study, that she was having trouble letting hurts go from the past.  She was dwelling on what was said and done that caused deep wounds in her heart.  She asked how to move beyond that.

I shared with her that I had experienced something very similar at a church we served in. A counselor led me through a process that was very healing and helped me move forward instead of dwelling in the past.

It’s important that we tend to our wounded heart so bitterness doesn’t grow inside of us.  If you are having trouble letting go of the hurt from the past, may today be the day you find the motivation to move forward.

Here’s the process I went through to find freedom from the hurt:

1) Take some time to write down every hurt that you experienced from the situation

2) Now read I Peter 2:19-24: 19:

For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps

22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.

23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

3) Focus on the last part of verse 23. “He entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”

4) Take each of the hurts you have written down and entrust them to God–the one who judges justly. Picture yourself handing those hurts to Him.

5) Now destroy your paper and move on. When the enemy tries to bring it back to your mind, remember that you have given that to God and refuse to pick it back up.

Letting go of the past, let’s us live fully in the MOMent!  Now that’s something to get motivated about!

Posted in Faith | Leave a comment

Friday’s Quote of the Week

Posted on January 20, 2012 by JillSavage

 

“Choose to let the difficulties in life make you better not bitter.”

~Unknown

Posted in Miscellany | Leave a comment

Third Thursday Blog Hop: Organizational Ideas

Posted on January 19, 2012 by JillSavage

The Hearts at Home Third Thursday Blog Hop exists to connect moms to other moms!  I love today’s topic of organization!  With the start of the new year, many of us are looking for tips & hints for organizing things around the home to make life easier.

I’ll share a couple of mine and then I’d love to hear about your ideas!  To find even more ideas, just click on the Mr. Linky links below to “hop” around to other blogs that are about the topic of organization today!  (If you subscribe to my blog by email, you’ll need to go to my blog site to see the links to the other blogs!  Click HERE to go to the site!)

To store hats, gloves, and scarves, I use a shoe organizer on the inside of our mudroom closet door.  It works great for keeping these organized!

To keep kitchen counter clutter at bay, I use an old picnic basket.  Inside I keep my bills to pay, coupons, and other papers that are often on my kitchen counter.  When it’s closed, it gives an organized look!

By the way, if you are looking for organizing inspiration, check out the Hearts at Home book, The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized, by Karen Ehman. It’s a fabulous resource for every mom!


Posted in Home Organization | 11 Comments

Living With Less: Guest Post on Learning to Stockpile

Posted on January 17, 2012 by JillSavage

Over the past two years I’ve learned a lot about the value of supercouponing and the concept of stockpiling.  I’ve found it a very effective way to save money. Today’s post is a guest post by Rebecca Campbell, also known as “The Coupon Trainer.”  


No, that’s not my stockpile. I sure wish it was because that is pretty!

stock·pile – A supply stored for future use, usually carefully accrued and maintained.

A stockpile is buying more than what you need for immediate use when prices are extremely low, so that you do not have to pay full price in the future. A stockpile is a very important part of saving money!

Here are some pointers to build a stockpile:
::Only purchase and store what you know your family will be consuming in the next 8-12 weeks and make sure you rotate older items to the front and put your new purchases in the back of your pantry.

::When you find a good deal buy 2, 3, 4 or more of the same item if it’s within your grocery budget at that time.

::You have to keep an eye on expiration dates when you stockpile. Try to keep everything visible so that you know what you have or make an inventory list and post it where you can see it!

::Visit your pantry regularly, especially when you’re putting together your shopping list and when you’re planning your weekly meals.

::Don’t go overboard! It’s very tempting to buy tons and tons of products – especially when they’re free. Remember, it will go on sale again.

*Note: Stores run sales in cycles. Everything typically goes on sale about every 8 – 12 weeks. If you buy 8 – 12 weeks worth of everything when it goes on sale, then you will have enough to last you until the next time it goes on sale.

What about you?  Do you stockpile?  Do you have any additional tips for saving money by stockpiling?

Posted in Living With Less | 4 Comments

Motivation Monday: Martin Luther King, Jr Day

Posted on January 16, 2012 by JillSavage

Happy Monday Morning!

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  Let’s use this as a discussion starter with our kids. Who was Dr. King? How did he help change our country? Why should we remember?

 

Posted in Miscellany | Leave a comment

It’s a Focus on the Family Radio Broadcast Day!

Posted on January 13, 2012 by JillSavage

If you’re needing some perspective on keeping your sanity in the after school hours, join me today on the Focus on the Family Radio Broadcast.  Dr. Julianna Slattery, John Fuller, and I are discussing the ins and outs of making the hours after school an important time of connection for families.  You can listen anytime online here.

If you’re visiting my blog for the first time, welcome!  I’m so glad you stopped by!  Poke around a little bit.  You’ll find encouragement on all kinds of topics over to your right where my posts are categorized.

You’ll definitely want to hop on over to the Hearts at Home website, too, where you can find out about our 2012 mom conferences where thousands of moms will gather together to be equipped and encouraged this year! We’d love to have you join us!

After listening to the broadcast, I’d love to hear any additional strategies you have for connecting with your kids in the evening.  This is a place to find encouragement and share strategies.

If you’re dropping by for the first time, I’d love to “meet” you.  Let me know you were here, where you’re from, and how many kids you have!

Posted in Parenting | 6 Comments