Another Blessing on the Way

Wow! It’s been way too long since my last posting. I suppose I’m going to have to do something about that. Now that I am on the road to recovery and the worst is behind me, it’s time to catch up like never before. You just don’t realize how much you do on a daily basis until you’re playing catch up from almost two months worth of to do’s. I’m happy to announce that my body is just about back to 100% status and I know that the best is yet to come!

In addition to that good news I must share with you the blessing that is on the way. Guess who’s going to be a mommy again? Yes, in just a few short months we will be blessed with another bundle of joy in our home. It’s been a crazy past few months, but God always knows best and he put the cherry on top with this blessing in my womb. In the very beginning the Lord called us to be fruitful and multiply, and that’s what we are doing! “As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.” (Genesis 9:7). We are really looking forward to welcoming another little one into our family. I am so grateful that the Lord saw fit to bless us with children.

Parents, no matter how hard it gets on this road of parenthood, always remember that being a parent is one of the greatest blessings of all. There are so many women and men that long to have children of their own and haven’t been able to. So please take a few moments today to say thank you to your Heavenly Father for the children that have come forth through you.

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Thankful and Grateful

First off, I want to take a few moments to say thanks to each and every one of you who have been praying on my behalf. There is so much power in our unified prayer. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20) I can truly say that I am doing so much better and feeling very thankful and blessed right about now. When we celebrate Thanksgiving in a few weeks, I will have even more to be grateful and thankful for. Going through a health set back really can change ones perspective of things.

I want to take this time out to encourage each of you to listen to your bodies and get your annual medical check-ups. I can be transparent and say that because of my strong reliance on God and natural medicine, I have had a tendency to neglect going to the doctor as regularly as I should. I was under the thought process that if I simply took good care of my body, prayed for my healing when sick and sought out natural cures, that all would be well. However, medical professionals and the equipment that they utilize are here for a reason. If I had not listened to my husband and mother and gone to the doctor when things seemed out of whack, my outcome could have been very different.

I will definitely continue to rely on God and natural medicine, but I will also use the other medical resources that God has blessed us with. If it had not been for a much needed ultrasound, my condition would have gone undiagnosed causing long-term negative health repercussions for me. As mothers we must do our part to ensure that we remain as healthy and strong as we possibly can. We must do so not only for ourselves, but for the benefit of our families and the Kingdom as well.

I am back in the swing of things with a new outlook on life. I want to be the very best me that I can be and positively touch as many lives as God will allow. I wouldn’t trade my trials and tribulations for anything because they shape and form the woman that God designed me to be!

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

On the Road to Recovery

Wow! It’s been too long since I sat down to type a blog entry. I’m sure most of you all are wondering what happened to Saved MOM over the last few weeks. Well, to make a very long story short I have been experiencing some health challenges. I praise and thank God that I am now on the road to recovery and ask that each of you stand in agreement with me on this. I will visit the doctor’s office again on next week and I am claiming the victory. During this transition period I will not be blogging as frequently as before. I plan on eventually resuming and fulfilling my ministry obligations to Saved MOM as soon as possible. Thanks for your continued support and your prayers are greatly appreciated.


Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Frugal Mommie Fridays

So today I am going to talk about a way to save money that some people are totally against, but it really does work. That would be the wonderful art of shopping at Thrift Stores! Okay, okay this may gross some of you out, but just read a little further before making any judgments on this one.

I too was once very weary of the thrift store shopping thing. The thought of wearing someone elses clothing whom I didn’t know anything about, ugh! Then, one day I actually set foot into a thrift store and realized that there were so many more options than just clothing. If you go to a good thrift store you can find an abundance of items. We are talking decorative items for your home, accessories such as ties and belts, sewing material, small appliances, furniture and the list goes on and on.

After getting the hang of the thrift store shopping, I realized that most thrift stores have a discount day in which every single item at the store is discounted, sometimes as much as 50-75 percent off. The thrift store that I frequent has 50% off day every Monday. Therefore, the only day that you will usually catch me there is on a Monday. There are all kinds of treasures in a thrift store, you just have to be willing to set aside a decent block of time and get ready to dig through all the junk to find that gem you’ve been looking for.

Some of you may still be wary about the whole idea of thrift store shopping and it is definitely not for everyone. At least give it a try before making your final decision. It does consume a little extra shopping time, but for me it’s worth every penny of savings. We should all take a little time to plan ahead and get creative when it comes to spending our money. “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5).

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Interruption

Hi guys, this is an interruption of our regularly scheduled Wednesday blog topic. I have recently been flooded on all sides with stories of marriages going bad. There is a major attack on marriages and family units at this time and we must take a stance. We cannot just sit back and allow the enemy to come in and steal and destroy our lives. We have to take back our God given right and authority here on earth.

For those of us that are going through attacks in our marriages, we must roll our sleeves up and get ready to fight for what is ours. You may think that you are in an intense battle with your spouse right now, but there is something much deeper working behind the scenes. The Word says in Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

I just want you to be encouraged and know that you are not alone and we win in the end. Nobody told us that this walk was going to be easy but the Lord will see us through every trial and bring us out in a wealthy place. If you are going through in your marriage, make sure that God is at the center, pray with your spouse, read the word with your spouse and seek out good Christian counseling from a certified professional. It’s time to open up the lines of communication and walk through this with a willing heart. Just remember, don’t give up!

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

What’s In a Name

As I sat at my computer today to type out this blog entry I had to ask God for some inspiration. I had a moment of writers block in which I drew a total blank. Then the Lord said, “What’s in a name?” This hit me like a ton of bricks. I have been wanting to blog about the importance of properly naming our children for quite some time. I just hadn’t gotten around to it.

I get so bothered by the names that some people choose to give their children. I’m like, so did mommy not realize that her son or daughter would be stuck with this name for at least the first eighteen years of his or her life? People also don’t realize the importance of knowing the meaning of your child’s name. I once heard Pastor Creflo Dollar preaching about someone naming their child Diablo and then wondering why he was so misbehaved. The Spanish translation of Diablo is, “Devil.” Wow!

Some people tend to not believe in the power of words, but it’s real. As Christians we have to be careful of what we say and what we release into the atmosphere. There is power in our words and what we speak. Proverbs 18:21 states, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

Do you know the meaning of your name or the names of your children? Well, my name means “Marvelous” in Swahili, “To Sing” in French and “God’s Grace” in Hebrew. One thing is for sure, I haven’t yet been blessed with the gift of song, but I guess mom had high hopes for me. My sons name is of Hebrew origin and it means, “Faith, devotion and whole hearted.” Hopefully one day he will be thankful for the thought that hubby and I put into his name. Before naming your next child, be sure to put some serious thought forth. There is so much more to a name that just a string of letters that a person is called by.

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Family Time

Hello all! A couple of weeks ago I wrote a blog entitle, Family Ties, in which I discussed the importance of spending time with family. Well, you will be happy to know that hubby and I have implemented a Family Potluck at our home, which occurs every 5th Sunday. On yesterday we enjoyed about 25 of our closest friends and relatives and fellowshipped while stuffing our faces.

When I originally came up with the idea to have the Family Potluck I wanted to have it every last Sunday of the month. After speaking with my uncle, whom frequently hosts family gatherings as well, I was discouraged from doing so. He said that he thought the potluck was a good idea, but doing it every month would probably be too much of a strain in many ways. Boy was he right! I didn’t realize how much time, energy and money can go into putting something like this together. Having the event every 5th Sunday still accomplishes the same goal of getting the family together without overextending myself like I often do.

I seem to have this reoccurring issue of overextending myself, but always coming from a best intentions kind of place in my mind. I’m wondering if I should fast regarding this issue. I try so hard to be the best me that I can be, but then I end up overcomplicating my life and the lives of those around me in the process. Please pray for a sista!

Well, back to the matter of family time. Maybe it would be a good idea for more families to have monthly or quarterly potlucks to ensure that the family stays connected and has an opportunity to fellowship at times other than weddings and funerals. During your time of fellowship with your loved ones be sure to let your light shine! “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Family Ties

Good day to all! I had such a wonderful time with my grandmother on yesterday as we celebrated yet another birthday in her honor. My maternal grandmother, affectionately known as Honey, is like a second mother to me and I am so thankful and blessed to have her as an intricate part of my life.

I spent a lot of my childhood hanging out with my grandmother and learning many life lessons from her. She was a school teacher and taught at the elementary school that I attended, which had its advantages and disadvantages. Honey taught me so much about life and I learned the fine art of travel from her. We would go out of town every summer which allowed for a large breadth of experiences for me.

I believe most of us have that one grandparent that made a major mark on our life and Honey is that special someone for me. As I sat with her on yesterday I started to think about my time spent in her presence lately, or lack thereof. I realized that since my husband and I expanded our family, I have been coming up short on the time that I spend with my grandparents. I know that they aren’t getting any younger and that tomorrow is not promised, so I must make an effort to do better by them.

We all have a tendency to get caught up in everyday life and in the process we seem to neglect the ones that we love the most. Starting today I am making a vow to go visit my grandmother at least twice a month. I could tell that she really enjoyed our time with her on yesterday and the feeling was definitely mutual. Plus my son needs to have an opportunity to get know her as well. There is so much that we can learn from our elders and the generations that have come before us. The Word tells us, “Ask the former generations and find out what their fathers learned,” (Job 8:8).

One of my clients recently lost his grandmother and I am sure that he wishes that he could have spent more time with her before that transition took place. Let’s make an effort to spend more time with the ones we love, even if it means sacrificing a few things in our schedules. Time is one of our most valuable assets, but spending time with family is totally priceless. FYI… Grandparents Day is Sept 12!

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Nobody Told Me

Today is a continuation of the “Nobody Told Me Series”. This series is comprised of blogs about things that we face as mothers that most of us were not forewarned about before venturing into the realm of parenthood. So today’s topic is, “Nobody told me that being a married mother would give me an even greater appreciation for single mothers.”

I had some quiet time a few days ago, which seems to come few and far between nowadays. In those moments I started to think about just how much I appreciate my husband and all of the ways that he has my back in this thing called life. He is my friend, my partner, my confidant, my lover and so much more. I also started to think about the fact that he is an amazing father. He is always there to pick up the slack and tie up the loose ends when it comes to this parenting thing.

In that moment I thought about how different life would be as a mother if he wasn’t around. What would I do on the days that I didn’t feel so well, or the days that I had overcommitted myself, or the days when I just needed some me time? Then I started to think about all of the single mothers out there that are doing it all alone. I can’t even begin to imagine how much of a physical, emotional and mental load that must be to carry.

For many years my mother was a single mom and she did it with a smile on her face. When I asked her how she did it, all she could say was, “By the grace of God.” I just want to take a few moments to give a special word of appreciation to all of the single mothers out there. You all know who you are, but know that you are not in this alone. When the going gets tough, don’t hesitate to call on God and your loved ones. It truly takes a village to raise a child and Lord knows we have a lot of work to do in that department.

As mothers, most of us are doing the best that we can. Parenting is not an easy feat and we should seek God and help from others when we need it. We are striving to be that Proverbs 31 woman and we must remember that our rewards will be great here on earth and even greater in heaven. As stated in the last passage of Proverbs 31 “Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” (Proverbs 31:31).

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Word Wednesday

Today is officially “Word Wednesday” otherwise known as “Hump Day.” We’ve made it half way through yet another week on the wonderful, exciting and bumpy road of motherhood. Therefore, some of us are looking for some encouraging words to make it through the rest of the week with Joy and Peace. At night before my son goes to bed, in addition to reading bible stories, I read him a passage out of Prayers That Avail Much, First Blessings for Your Child by Germaine Copeland. Mommies we have to keep our children prayed up and constantly put Gods Word in their hearts.

Yesterday’s passage read, “… as you grow up, devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart, for you are a member of one body, which is called to peace.” After reading this passage I thought about the importance of teaching our children to pray. Following a recent encounter with a family member I came to the realization that there are many children that don’t even know how to pray. The Word tells us in Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” We can also skip over to Mark 11:24 and read, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

There are many instances in the Bible that lead us to believe that prayer is a vital part of our Christian walk. Prayer allows us to have direct communication with our Heavenly Father. We can literally make our petitions known to him from our lips to His ears. How powerful is that!

I can remember going to visit my great grandmother in Charleston, SC as a child. She made it a part of her morning routine everyday to dial into the prayer line and intercede on the behalf of others. My first memorable prayer experience was with her during a summer visit. I can remember feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit as I prayed fervently, although at the time I didn’t know what it was. It wasn’t until many years later that I started praying on a consistent basis, but Grandma Lottie definitely laid the ground work for a solid foundation in my prayer life.

As parents, let’s be sure to lay a foundation that our children won’t forget. We are supposed to lead them by our example. We can simply pray with them at some point each day and set something in motion that can change their lives forever!

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O M.

Something To Meditate On

Good day! I hope that each of you had an enjoyable and rest filled weekend. I’m feeling a bit under the weather today so I thought I would post a little something for you to mediate on. Enjoy!

Psalm 23

A psalm of David

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Nobody Told Me

Today is a continuation of the “Nobody Told Me Series”. This series is comprised of blogs about things that we face as mothers that most of us were not forewarned about before venturing into the realm of parenthood. So today’s topic is, “Nobody told me that my mom would be right about everything.”

During my childhood and teen years it seemed as though my mom wanted to give me advice about everything. I grew so tired of hearing her tell me that she was trying to help me and in some way save me from going through the things that she had gone through. I wanted to experience life for myself instead of having someone tell me how to experience it. Of course this led to many bumps and bruises along the bumpy road of growing up.

Over the past few years my perspective on this has totally changed. I actually should have listened to my mother more, but rest assured I definitely seek out her counsel now. When it comes to raising children of my own, she is usually one of the first people that I call for advice. Much to my advantage, she usually has a 99% success rate on the guidance that she gives.

It saddens me when I think about mothers that don’t or didn’t have their moms around to offer up good advice while raising their children. One of my friends and her husband have 6 children (yikes!) and she has done it without having readily available advice from her deceased mother, although, she has something even greater, The Holy Spirit.

I know that the Lord will lead and guide us through everything that we face in life. I just can’t imagine doing anything without mom’s counsel readily available for me whenever I need it. I think we should all take a few moments out of our busy schedules to call our mothers and tell them just how much we love and appreciate them.

As mothers, most of us are doing the best that we can. Parenting is not an easy feat and we should seek God and wise counsel from our own mothers when we need a little extra help. We are striving to be that Proverbs 31 woman and we must remember that our rewards will be great here on earth and even greater in heaven. As stated in the last passage of Proverbs 31 “Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” (Proverbs 31:31).

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Word Wednesday

Today is officially “Word Wednesday” otherwise known as “Hump Day.” We’ve made it half way through yet another week on the wonderful, exciting and bumpy road of motherhood. Therefore, some of us are looking for some encouraging words to make it through the rest of the week with Joy and Peace. At night before my son goes to bed, in addition to reading bible stories, I read him a passage out of Prayers That Avail Much, First Blessings for Your Child by Germaine Copeland. Mommies we have to keep our children prayed up and constantly put Gods Word in their hearts.

Yesterday’s passage read, “May God anoint your ears to always listen to the Lord, for He will never forsake you. Your inheritance is that His good Spirit will instruct you.” As soon as I read this passage I thought about the fact that God is always speaking to us and wanting to show us the way that He wants us to go. Unfortunately, we don’t always listen and we often decide to do things our way. What we must understand is that when we are totally submitted to God, He will never steer us wrong. He will even give us insight on things that our children are doing and forewarn us when they are headed for trouble.

I had a conversation with my mother a few weeks ago about my little sister. My mom told me that there was one night in particular in which she was having trouble sleeping and the Lord spoke to her and told her that my sister had set up a Facebook account. Well, first off my sister is definitely too young to have a FB account and secondly, my mother had instructed her not to create one. Soon after the Lord spoke to my mother she asked my sister about the FB account and low and behold, guess who had been on FB for the last month? Yup, little sis!

I wanted to share this example to show you that as parents we do have an ally that will help us through our parenting walk. God will forewarn us when our children are doing things that they shouldn’t, He will give us strength when we think we just can’t take anymore and He will protect our children for us even when we don’t know they need to be protected. “For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off; (Psalm 37:28)

My mother always told my sister and I that there were eyes and ears out there working on her behalf. I didn’t quite understand what this meant as a kid, but now I totally get it. I can say that mom almost always knew when I had done something wrong, but I never understood how, now I do. Thank you Lord for being our eyes and ears in our physical absence. As parents we definitely need all the help that we can get!

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

The Lock Dilemma

Well, today I am dealing with some serious hair drama! We all know that parenthood takes precedence over many things in our lives. For many of us mothers, our hair gets neglected more than it should.

I haven’t had much time to dedicate to my hair lately and boy oh boy does it show. My hair has definitely taken a back seat to many things in my life and I have nothing but split ends and dry follicles to show for it. However, no matter how frustrated I get with my lack of time to give to my hair I am definitely going to stay natural. I made a vow many years ago to never go back to the creamy crack; perm that is. Perms are extremely bad for your hair and your mental/physical health. I don’t knock anyone who uses it, but I would definitely say do your research before putting heavy chemicals so close to your brain again (short soap box moment is now over). Although, I must figure something out. My hair is constantly tangled and frazzled.

I have a slight dilemma here and I need some help. I would love to lock my hair, but my husband would probably be seen no where with me if I did that. I am really doing my best to convince him that I can totally rock the look and it would be super cute, but he doesn’t seem to be budging on the issue. The only other option is to pay to have my stylist do my hair twice a month and we know how much of a budget buster that could be.

I feel like I am stuck between a rock and a hard place but something has got to give. I could be rebellious against my husband and his wishes and lock my hair anyway, but that wouldn’t be very Christ-like, now would it? “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” (Ephesians 5:24) If anyone could offer up some advice as it relates to this matter I would be ever so grateful. I will definitely keep you all posted on my decision. Please pray that hubby has a change of heart

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Frugal Mommie Fridays

This morning I realized that I needed to start compiling my grocery shopping list for next week. Considering that I am all about eating a healthy diet, I do half of our grocery shopping at the local outdoor farmers market and the other half at the grocery store. I always plan ahead when it comes to shopping so that the budget doesn’t burst as a result of unplanned shopping trips.

One thing that really helps save money with grocery shopping is purchasing items that are on sale. I would say about 75 percent of the groceries that I purchase at the grocery store are sale items. There are a few things that are staples in our home that I usually have to purchase regardless of the cost, although, I try to stock up on these items when they are on sale.

You will find that most major grocery stores have a weekly circular that you can get in your newspaper, online or at the store. If you take time to go through the circular and make your grocery list based on what’s on sale, you can save a lot of money. Doing so does require some basic meal planning in advance, but after you get used to shopping this way it becomes second nature.

I will offer an example of meal planning in advance with the sale items in mind. When I looked at the sale items for this week I saw that pasta and pasta sauce are on sale. So that tells me that some type of Italian pasta meal will be in our future. I would simply need to purchase some ground turkey to complete the meal. I could make spaghetti, baked ziti or lasagna based on my findings.

Some of you may feel that planning in advance like this is too time consuming. It does consume some time, but for me it’s worth every penny of savings. We should all take a little time to plan ahead when it comes to spending our money. “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5).

Keep me posted on how much money you save on your next shopping trip. Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Word Wednesday

Today is officially “Word Wednesday” otherwise known as “Hump Day.” We’ve made it half way through yet another week on the wonderful, exciting and bumpy road of motherhood. Therefore, some of us are looking for some encouraging words to make it through the rest of the week with Joy and Peace. At night before my son goes to bed, in addition to reading bible stories, I read him a passage out of Prayers That Avail Much, First Blessings for Your Child by Germaine Copeland. Mommies we have to keep our children prayed up and constantly put Gods Word in their hearts.

Yesterday’s passage read, “This evening I thank God for His Word that will sustain us. He will never allow the (consistently) righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall or fail.) Our little child the Lord cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” The scripture that was referenced for this particular prayer was Psalm 55:22, which reads as follows, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” In part, what I received from this passage is that we mustn’t dwell on our issues and problems, but we should cast them on the Lord. This seems to be a pretty simple and well known principle that so many of us fail to follow.

We allow ourselves to get stressed out and frustrated way too much. When we have issues that arise in life we should simply cast our cares on God and move on. Why is it so hard for us to do this? It seems that most children don’t have this problem. If you can remember back to your childhood you can probably recall many instances in which you were upset or bothered by something, but it didn’t seem to last long.

I remember a time when my best friend and I got into a fight in grade school. At the time I was very upset with her and all I could see was red. We both got into trouble for our behavior, but a couple of days later, we were back on the swings together at recess laughing and playing as though nothing ever happened. Our parents and teachers had encouraged us to move past what had happened in the same way that we should encourage our kids and ourselves. We shouldn’t hold grudges with others, what good does that do? You only end up hurting yourself in the end. It takes so much more energy to be angry and upset with someone. We must realize their faults, pray for them and simply move on.

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

A Different Perspective

I was chatting with my mother over the weekend and I received a much needed dose of reality. As far back as I can remember I have been obsessive compulsive about meeting all of my self-made goals. I have always had this innate sense to strive for perfection at almost any cost. Due to this self imposed perfectionism, I haven’t allowed myself much room for deviation from my tunnel vision living.

Most recently, I have been in a crazy mode of sacrifice to meet debt elimination guidelines via the Dave Ramsey Program. Because of this sacrifice I haven’t really taken time to enjoy life. I don’t take time to hang out with my friends anymore because I don’t want to spend money frivolously. I haven’t gone to get my hair or nails done in quite a while or even pampered myself via a much needed massage. Hubby and I hardly ever go out because I don’t want to risk spending any money that has been earmarked for Operation Debt Elimination.

While talking to my mother on this past Saturday she laid it all on the line, no feelings spared. She told me that I am living in the prime of my life locked inside of my home focusing on only business, ministry and family while neglecting to live life to the fullest. She feels that it is good to have this kind of drive and focus and that family, ministry and business are important, but so is enjoying life in the process. She sees my determination as a good thing, but thinks that there simply has to be a balance in my life.

My husband and neighbor have been telling me the same thing for quite some time now. I respect all of their opinions, but I just haven’t wanted to do things any other way. I feel that once all of the unsecured debt is paid off next year, I can live and enjoy life a little more then. Mom wanted me to understand that tomorrow is not promised and that enjoying life a little while extending the goal is okay too. I know she has my best interest at heart and that she wants to see me enjoying the prime of my life instead of living under this veil of frugality and outright cheapness.

I feel that there is definitely an inner battle when it comes to this issue and I am seeking God and His Word for wisdom and understanding so that I know how to proceed regarding this matter. “Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.” (Proverbs 4:5). I know that there has to be balance in everything and that too much of anything is not good, but what’s a girl to do?

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

The Importance of Loving You

Good day, I hope that you are walking in the fullness of the blessing that God has prepared for you. Today the Lord is leading me to blog about the importance of loving yourself. There are so many people walking around with low self esteem and lacking in self-confidence. In many cases this is due to past emotional hurt or damage.

As Christians, we have to learn to move past the bad things that have happened to us. None of us is perfect and we all have things in our past that are far from Christ like, but God is not dwelling on these things, so why should we? We also have things that we are insecure about, but we were made exactly the way God intended. I don’t mind being transparent in saying that I have struggled with my share of insecurities, on many different levels. However, I had to come to the realization that God made me the way that I am for a reason.

We were all born with a specific purpose and with gifts that are to be used for His purpose. Sometimes I think back about things that my son used to do that would frustrate or irritate me. I used to try to pray certain traits and ways out of him, until I realized that those things could be gifts that God placed on the inside of him. They could be traits and ways that he will need later in life to carry out his God-given assignments. Therefore, I had to stop praying these things away and instead pray that God shows my husband and I the proper ways to cultivate His gifts and talents for good use.

Getting back to the importance of loving yourself; don’t allow yourself to dwell on the shortcomings or faults that you have. Pray about them and love you in the same unconditional way that your Heavenly Father loves you. He sees beyond our faults and our shortcomings and he accepts us with all our blemishes and bruises. He loves us and has set us free! “…To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,” (Revelation 1:5).

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Frugal Mommie Fridays

Today I must tell you all about my recent Craigslist purchase. I have talked about ways to save money via Craigslist purchases in the past. For those of you that are not familiar with www.craigslist.com, it’s a website that allows people to buy and sell used goods at discounted prices.

Well, earlier this week I was in the market for a baby monitor. I really wanted to get another video monitor for business purposes, but of course the audio-only monitor was cheaper, so I went that route. I called the seller to find out if the monitor that she had posted was still available and it was. I was so excited when I found out that I could get the monitor that same day. We arranged a public meeting location during daytime hours (very important with Craigslist purchases). We met about 45 minutes later and the deal was done.

I couldn’t wait to put this monitor to use. A few hours later I plugged it in and there was nothing but static. I read the directions and attempted to troubleshoot the problem. After wasting about 30 minutes of my day on this thing, I gave up. I immediately called the seller back and left a non-descript message for her to call me. We have been playing phone tag every since Tuesday and I don’t know what to do. I really want to get my $15 back so it can go towards the purchase of a video monitor.

I will definitely have my power converter ready in my car when the next deal goes down. I have learned a very valuable lesson when it comes to electronic purchases via Craigslist; always test before buying. I haven’t had any problems with previous electronic purchases and if I don’t get my money back, it was only fifteen bucks. I can definitely count this as a lesson learned. Just remember to always plan ahead when it comes to spending your money. “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5).

I would love to get your feedback regarding this matter. Should I keep calling the seller and attempt to return the product in exchange for my money or should I just let it go? Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Nobody Told Me

Today is a continuation of the “Nobody Told Me Series”. This series is comprised of blogs about things that we face as mothers that most of us were not forewarned about before venturing into the realm of parenthood.

So today’s topic is, “Nobody told me that you could love an individual in such an unconditional and unwavering way.” When I was pregnant awaiting the arrival of my son I had no idea what was to come. I knew that I loved my unborn child, but it wasn’t like the love that I grew to have for him after his birth. You always hear people referring to, a mothers’ love, although, it’s hard to understand this type of love unless you are a mother. There is a special bond that forms over the first few months of your child’s life. It’s like you just want to hug and kiss them as much as possibly you can. You realize that you will actually give your life to protect your little one and his/her well-being.

Words can’t even begin to express the feeling that a mother has for her child. It’s like a supernatural power that no one or nothing can replace or come between. It’s a power that allows you to still function after months of sleepless nights. It’s a power that allows you to wipe poopy bottoms and clean up the stinkiest throw up. It’s a power that causes you to pray without ceasing when your child is sick or in trouble. It’s a power that makes you want to be the best mother that you can be. It’s a power that can only originate from the love of God.

I wish there were a way to bottle up this love, drink a little of it every day and exhibit that love to everyone. It’s not always easy to get along with everyone but we can definitely love them in a way that is pleasing unto God. Let’s make an effort to love each person that we come in contact with and display agape love in every situation. As mothers, we know that we have the capacity to love this way. So be like Nike and Just Do It!

We are also striving to be that Proverbs 31 woman and doing the best that we can, to be the best women that we can be. Our rewards will be great here on earth and even greater in heaven. As stated in the last passage of Proverbs 31 “Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” (Proverbs 31:31).

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Thank You

Today I just wanted to share the Lyrics of one of my new faves…

Thank You by Lisa Page Brooks

For every time that You protected me
When I didn’t know Your name
(Lord I say thank you).
How You loved on me and cared for me,
when I didn’t return the same, I.
(Lord I say thank you)

Now when it seemed like I was losing and I felt like giving up,
I (Lord I) I wanna say (say thank you).
Your love rushed in like a mighty flood and lifted me above, and I (Lord I)
I wanna say (say thank you).

Chorus
I’ll be thanking You and praising You for the rest of my life.
For I’ve come to know the power of Your love and sacrifice.
(thank You for your sacrifice)
I appreciate all that You do
(everything You do, and I want to say)
Just want to say thank you

Well, how You kept your hand upon me though I’ve often gone astray,
Yeah I ….(Lord I say thank you).
And how Your spirit gently led me back to safety in Your way,
I wanna say, Lord I say thank You.
(and I’ll be thanking You)

Chorus
I’ll be thanking You and praising You for the rest of my life.
For I’ve come to know the power of Your love and sacrifice.
I appreciate all that You do (I just want to say)
Just wanna to say thank you (all of my days) ,
Just want to say thank you.

Bridge
(And I’ll give You praise)…just want to say thank you. Lord I thank You.
(Lord I thank You. Yes I do.
Right now I just want to say thank you)
I wanna say! (I wanna say wanna say)
I wanna say thank you. (I just want to say)
I gotta say! (Gotta say, gotta say it, thank you) I gotta say thank you!
(Now you’ve been good) I want to say
(And I want to say)
I want to say thank you
(That you’ve been kind)
I’ve gotta say
(Gotta say, please just let me say)
I’ve gotta say thank you
(You made a way)
I want to say
(You let me see a brand new day)
I want to say thank you
(You never let me go astray)
I gotta say
(And I gotta gotta gotta say)
I gotta say thank you
(Thank you for my family)
I want to say
(Thank you lord for keeping me)
I want to say thank you
(Thank you Lord for bringing me through)
I’ve got to say
(And I thank you for my husband too)
I gotta say thank you
(Thank you Lord for saving me)
I wanna say
(Thank you Lord for loving me)I wanna say thank you
(And I gotta gotta gotta say)
I’ve gotta say
(I want to say, gotta say thank you)
I’ve gotta say thank you
(Thank you thank you)

Hope you enjoyed the lyrics, this is a great song to listen to. We should all take time to say Thank You. “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (Chronicles 16:34) Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

The Heat Is On

Happy Monday! Well, it’s the start to another week in what feels like one of the hottest summers ever in the ATL. As I sit at the computer my thermostat is not going below 77 degrees and it is set at 70. I have to figure out if there is a malfunction with the air-conditioning unit or if it’s just way too hot to cool off below a certain level. If there’s anyone out there that can offer up some advice on this matter please leave a comment on the homepage.

I was so disgusted when I opened the electric bill on yesterday. I couldn’t believe that it was almost $300! You all know how I am when it comes to sticking to the budget. Well, guess who didn’t factor in $300 for the electric bill for this month. It seems as though the AC unit has been working overtime to try to keep the house cool, but it doesn’t seem to be working very efficiently.

This morning I was in the processes of transferring some files over from the old computer to the new computer when I realized that I was almost completely drenched in sweat. I turned on the oscillating fan and it seems to be offering up some relief, but not much.

I have called around to find out what may be wrong with the AC unit and I was told to check and try a couple of things. If by this time tomorrow none of that stuff works I will be forced to bite the bullet and have a technician come out to have a look-see. To combat the ridiculous bill, I am thinking about turning the AC up to about 85 every night this week. I will just go old school and put the windows up and turn all of the fans on.

I know that this hardcore tactic may prove to be uncomfortable for a few nights, but the opportunity cost is worth it to me. In life, sometimes we have to endure some discomfort to get to where we want or need to be. However, no matter what our situation or circumstance is, we can always find comfort in our Lord and Savior. The Word says, “May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.” (Psalm 119:76). So I guess I will be doing a lot seeking comfort in Lord this week!

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Frugal Mommie Friday

Today I would like to venture into the realm of coupons. As most of us know coupons can definitely add up at the check out line and save us a lot of money. However, many people don’t realize that there are numerous ways to utilize the use of coupons. Coupons can be doubled and sometimes tripled in value. If you want to find out if your local grocery store doubles or triples coupons, simply ask.

Many of us get the Sunday paper just for the coupons inside. However, you may not realize that there are lots of websites available with free coupons to print out. Some of these websites are, http://www.mycoupons.com, http://www.coupons.com, and http://www.grocerycoupons.com, just to name a few. If you are interested in finding more of these websites go to a search engine such as Yahoo or Google and type “coupons” in the search box.

If you have products that you purchase frequently, you can call the manufacturer direct and tell their reps just how much you use and love their products and ask if they have any coupons available. In addition, you can also go to the manufacturers’ website to print out coupons or sign up to receive specials and discounts.

We are all doing our best to work within our designated budgets. It’s not always easy, but we have to work with what we have. I know that some of these things may be time consuming, but a little bit of time could potentially save you a lot of money. It’s an opportunity cost kind of thing. Take a little extra time before your next shopping trip to collect some coupons for use. Just remember to always plan ahead when it comes to spending your money. “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5).

Keep me posted on how much money you save on your next shopping trip by leaving a comment at the end of one of the posts on savedmom.com. Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Nobody Told Me

Today is a continuation of the “Nobody Told Me Series”. This series is comprised of blogs about things that we face as mothers that most of us were not forewarned about before venturing into the realm of parenthood.

So today’s topic is, “Nobody told me that taking my first vacation without my child would be so emotional.” In the beginning of May, hubby and I took a much needed 7 day cruise. This was the first time that we were ever away from our son for more than two nights. Before leaving I was so confident that I wouldn’t get emotional or cry as a result of the time apart from our little munchkin. Boy was I wrong. About 2 days into the vacation I curled up in the bed and cried like a baby. I felt so bad for leaving him for that long. The worst part was that we were on a cruise so I couldn’t really talk to him. Then, the moments in which I could talk to him, I didn’t want to because I thought it might upset him. In my super emotional moment, hubby consoled me and assured me that he would be just fine without us; which he was.

I am a sensitive person by nature, but I really thought that I was going to be a tough cookie when it came to me being away from him for seven days. Well, of course I learned otherwise. I had two or three more emotional moments during the course of that week, but I enjoyed my vacation nonetheless. At the end of the vacation I couldn’t wait to get back home, but you will never believe what happened upon my arrival. I walked in the front door and my son just stared at me with this semi-angry look on his face and then he turned away from me. My heart dropped at his reaction to my return. I thought that he would have been completely overjoyed when he looked at my face, but that dream didn’t come true. A few minutes later he warmed up to me and it was like I had never left.

I know that some of you may be reluctant about being away from your kids for an extended period of time, but we ALL need time away. If you can just get two or three days away from everything to relax and rest, your mind, body and spirit will thank you for it. I remember watching the television show, Better, a few months ago. The topic was, “The importance of taking vacations without the kids.” Well, the psychiatrist that they interview actually said that we should vacate away from the kids every six weeks. I thought to myself, first of all who can afford that and secondly how on earth would one find a babysitter that often for at least 3 days of duty. Well, I think if we can just get maybe a weekend every quarter or 2-3 times a year, that’s good enough for me. Taking vacations without the kids is nothing to feel guilty about. We all need our quiet time every once in a while.

We are also striving to be that Proverbs 31 woman and doing the best that we can, to be the best mothers that we can be. Our rewards will be great here on earth and even greater in heaven. As stated in the last passage of Proverbs 31 “Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” (Proverbs 31:31).

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Word Wednesday

Today is officially “Word Wednesday” otherwise known as “Hump Day.” We’ve made it half way through yet another week on the wonderful, exciting and bumpy road of motherhood. Therefore, some of us are looking for some encouraging words to make it through the rest of the week with Joy and Peace. At night before my son goes to bed, in addition to reading bible stories, I read him a passage out of Prayers That Avail Much, First Blessings for Your Child by Germaine Copeland. Mommies we have to keep our children prayed up and constantly put Gods Word in their hearts.

Sunday’s passage read, “May I be a blessing to you, and teach you how to get along with others. I ask God to give you His wisdom that is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not twofaced. May He create in you a desire to be like Jesus.” It seems as though there are people that are sharing this space with us that have a difficult time getting along with anyone. I find that it’s a bit difficult having to interact with someone that is always negative and doesn’t seem to make any effort to get along with others. People don’t realize that it takes so much more energy to be contrary than it does to be pleasant.

I wasn’t here when Jesus walked this earth, but I’m pretty sure that he made an effort to get along with everyone that he came in contact with. As Christians, we are striving to be more like Jesus everyday of our lives. In doing, so we should also have the attitude of Jesus, an attitude that is pure, peaceable and gentle. James 3:17 says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” There are so many lessons that we teach our children simply by example. If we are exemplifying the traits and characteristics listed in James 3:17, it’s very likely that they will too.

Having a good attitude really does get you much further in life. People will want to hire you, do good things for you and simply be in your company. Also, when you have a good attitude and a positive outlook, you feel much better and you are more prone to living a healthier life. So the saying, “Don’t worry, be happy” should ring true everyday of your existence.

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Planning At Its Best

Well, my husband and I have been in the midst of planning for another baby. We’re not expecting yet, but have been planning on getting pregnant since January. It seems like every time we set a month to get started, we decide to delay based on a specific situation or circumstance. The latest month that we declared as “Get Pregnant Month” was August. Now we have found yet another reason to delay Operation Next Baby!

Our family and friends have kind of made fun of us for setting a date, per say. I’m starting to wonder if we should just stop setting dates and just let things progress naturally. I have always been all about strategically planning EVERYTHING, but maybe it’s time to let the reigns go a bit. My loved ones are always getting on me for being super organized and pre-planning everything to the T. Although, going through life planning every single event and moment doesn’t leave much room for God’s plan, now does it?

Maybe pre-planning every phase of life isn’t exactly what God had in store. Maybe if I allowed God to do all of my pre-planning I wouldn’t get so frustrated when my “Super Plan” doesn’t work out quite the way I wanted. God already set the best plan for us in motion, it’s just up to us to fall in line and follow suit. The Word says, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11). So the next time you and I find ourselves getting frustrated because something didn’t exactly go as we planned it, we should let go and let God!

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Nobody Told Me

Today is a continuation of the “Nobody Told Me Series”. This series is comprised of blogs about things that we face as mothers that most of us were not forewarned about before venturing into the realm of parenthood.

So today’s topic is, “Nobody told me that my evenings would feel like a race to the finish line!” My husband and I were just talking the other night about how our evenings are so consumed with our son that we hardly ever seem to have time for each other anymore. We go through the evenings as if it were a race to the finish line and when we get there we are usually pooped!

For most parents an evening with the kids is comprised of dinner prep, homework, meal time, bath time, brushing teeth, getting clothes out for the next day and the bed time routine. After having a full day, the evening seems to be so full of one consuming task after another. Before having children I didn’t understand why my friends with kids hardly ever had time to chat on the phone in the evenings, but now I totally get it. However, we must remember that we can’t get so caught in the routine that we don’t take time for us and/or our marriages. I also had to realize that if a night goes by here or there with a not so well thought out meal or no bath that it’s okay. Life will go on and we will all survive.

We are also striving to be that Proverbs 31 woman. Just remember that none of us are perfect and we all doing the best that we can to be the best mothers that we can be. Our rewards will be great here on earth and even greater in heaven. As stated in the last passage of Proverbs 31 “Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” (Proverbs 31:31).

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Word Wednesday

Today is officially “Word Wednesday” otherwise known as “Hump Day.” We’ve made it half way through yet another week on the wonderful, exciting and bumpy road of motherhood. Therefore, some of us are looking for some encouraging words to make it through the rest of the week with Joy and Peace. At night before my son goes to bed, in addition to reading bible stories, I read him a passage out of Prayers That Avail Much, First Blessings for Your Child by Germaine Copeland. Mommies we have to keep our children prayed up and constantly put Gods Word in their hearts.

Sunday’s passage read, “In the name of Jesus, I loose your mind from thoughts of fretting and anxiety. I bind you to God’s peace, which transcends all understanding. May this peace guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.” After reading this passage I started to really think about the words “fretting and anxiety.” I knew what the words meant, but I looked up their formal definitions. The definition of anxiety is: “distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune.” The definition of fret is: “to feel or express worry, annoyance, discontent, or the like.” When we see words like fear and worry we know that these things are not from God. The Lord wants us to be filled with joy, peace and happiness; not worry, fear and distress.

We should all strive to be at complete and total peace everyday of our lives. When you are truly in the rest of God, you should experience a peace that transcends all understanding. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7). As parents we can speak life and peace to our children by binding them to God’s peace as the passage above states. The Word tells us, “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 18:18). So whenever you are having a moment that is not so peaceful, bind your mind to God’s peace and get ready to enter the rest of God.

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Parenting Through a Storm

We all have situations in life that we face where we feel that we just need to be left alone and take time for ourselves. However, as parents, we don’t always have the option of doing so. Have you ever faced a difficult situation, but couldn’t fully ride out your emotional rollercoaster because you didn’t want your child to know that something was wrong?

We try so hard to create a loving and healthy environment for our children to grow up in. We do our best to make sure that all of their needs are met. We even make personal sacrifices so that they can have the things that we didn’t.

When we are going through a “rough patch” many of us try to hide the negativity from our kids, but in doing so we don’t always properly allow ourselves to face the reality of our situation. How do we find that happy medium of parenting properly and mending our wounds? I don’t know the answer to this question. I just know that with God all things are possible. “Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."” (Matthew 19:26) We have to learn how to not lean to our own understanding, but to look to God and His Word to bring us through whatever it is that we are faced with.

No matter what may be going on in your life, just continue to show love to your child as God continually shows His love towards us. "Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever." (Psalm 136:2) Parenting is not always easy, but the blessing of parenthood is so wonderfully amazing!

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Frugal Mommie Friday’s

I will pick up where we left off on last Friday and give you all an update on the status of the two major purchases. I did purchase the computer this week, but decided to delay the freezer purchase. After the budget talk on Sunday with hubby, we realized that we needed to delay the purchase of either the computer or the freezer. After much thought the decision was made to delay the freezer purchase. With the help of our wonderful neighbor and friend, my husband and I decided to purchase an E-Machine computer bundle online at a great price.

There was just one missing piece to the puzzle; the bundle came with everything except a monitor. So we did a little more research and found a monitor on the same website for $99.99. Unfortunately, this would push us over our $300 budget for a computer, so yet another decision had to be made. After much thought we came to the realization that if we could somehow avoid paying shipping on the monitor purchase, we could squeeze the complete package into the budget. Well, the website that we were purchasing the computer bundle from offered free shipping on orders of $100 or more and less than 25 pounds. There was just one problem; adding the monitor to the bundle would bring us over the 25 pound weight limit and purchasing the monitor separate would keep us under the $100 minimum purchase amount!

So what’s a girl to do? How about me and my bright ideas led to a frantic search on the website for an item under $10 to add to the monitor purchase in an attempt to avoid shipping costs. Well, there I sat at my computer with the bundle purchase in one window on the computer and an item for $7.99 that I found on the website in another window. I hit the “Complete Purchase” button in the bundle window and low and behold after checkout my order summary included the item that cost $7.99! How did this happen? How can I make it go away? This was supposed to go along with the monitor purchase so that I could avoid paying S & H and now it was in with the bundle order! What a blunder on my behalf!

I immediately called the company to have this item removed. While on the phone with the representative I was told that because these items shipped from a different location it may not be removed from the order before shipping out. He said we would just have to wait and see. Of course, when UPS rang my bell yesterday they had two boxes instead one and to make a long story short I may have to come out of pocket to ship it back!

The moral of this Frugal Mommie story is… Bargain hunting is great, but please know when to draw the line in the sand! I’m thinking about just looking on Craigslist for a computer monitor instead. Due to budgetary constraints the monitor purchase is postponed until further notice. Side note to purchasing items on Craigslist: ALWAYS HAGGLE. I normally shave 10-50 percent off of the original price after speaking to the seller. I will discuss haggling in further detail in a future posting. Just remember to always plan ahead when it comes to spending your money. “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5).

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. I would LOVE for you to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Word Wednesday

Today is officially “Word Wednesday” otherwise known as “Hump Day.” We’ve made it half way through yet another week on the wonderful, exciting and bumpy road of motherhood. Therefore, some of us are looking for some encouraging words to make it through the rest of the week with Joy and Peace. At night before my son goes to bed, in addition to reading bible stories, I read him a passage out of Prayers That Avail Much, First Blessings for Your Child by Germaine Copeland. Mommies we have to keep our children prayed up and constantly put Gods Word in their hearts.

Yesterday’s passage read, “I thank the Father that we are His people, and you, our precious child, will live in a peaceful dwelling place, in a secure home, in an undisturbed place of rest.” It’s very unfortunate that so many children grow up in broken and dysfunctional homes. When children are nurtured in that kind of environment, in many cases they grow up to be broken adults. I’m sure that just about any psychiatrist will tell you that many of the emotional problems that adults have stem from them having a childhood in which their homes were filled with disarray.

We have an obligation as Christian parents to raise our children in a peaceful and functional environment. Our children should see healthy relationships being cultivated instead of constant arguing, cursing and fighting. When these behaviors are displayed to children they become victims of emotional abuse. As a youth mentor, I have talked to many teenagers that have tarnished views of how a household should operate because of the things that their parents and/or family members did or said in front of them. The word says, “My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.”(Isaiah 32:18) What are you doing to make your home a peaceful place?

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.

Communication 101

Over the weekend my hubby and I sat down to have the much dreaded budget talk. This really shouldn’t be a subject that spouses dread discussing, but for us, on Sunday night it was. As most of you all know I am very anal retentive when in comes to most things in life. I am very structured and super intense when it comes to saving money and getting out of debt.

You see, a little over two years ago hubby and I decided that we would use Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover (TMMO) plan to get out of debt and build wealth. We started out super focused with gazelle intensity. We were reorganizing our finances, selling everything that didn’t have a pulse, and paying off bills left and right. Several months into the program my husbands’ intensity level began to wane, as my intensity grew stronger and stronger. Hubby continued to go along with the plan, but I could tell he wasn’t as excited about it as I was.

A little over a year into the TMMO I noticed that it seemed as though my husband was starting to build up resentment about the whole thing. This became very frustrating to me because I felt like he was always trying to buck the system in some way. He didn’t feel as though his expendable cash amount for the month was enough, he wanted to start making large purchases and he felt as though I was hording all of the money for credit card bills.

I realized that there was a major disconnect that needed to be mended. According to the “rules” of the TMMO, husband and wife should have a budget meeting once a month to discuss expenditures and budget issues. Well, we had not been adhering to this rule. For one my husband didn’t really care to talk with me about the budget because of his resentment and I didn’t really care to discuss it because I didn’t want it to turn into something negative.

So months and months have gone by since our last budget meeting, but on Sunday night that all changed. We started this budget meeting with prayer, which was what we should have been doing all along. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6) I am so happy that we finally sat down and formally communicated about the issues regarding the budget. We both had an opportunity to express our feelings and come to a consensus about how money will be handled going forward. I didn’t necessarily get the outcome that I wanted nor did my husband, but we came to an agreement that we are equally content with.

This is one example that communication in relationships is key. Weather it be a marriage or a mother-child relationship, there must be some level of continuous communication so that dissention and resentment don’t have the opportunity to build. The enemy will use anything that he can to throw us off course in our lives, but it is up to us to do all that we can to stay positive and to always walk in love. As parents, we should exemplify this for our children as we raise them the way that the Lord intended. Keeping the lines of communication with your children open could one day save a life.

Until our next appointed meeting time. Stay tuned for more words of encouragement and inspiration for M.O.M.’s near and far! Please share this blog with as many people as you know (www.savedmom.com), we have so many lives to touch. Feel free to post a comment and/or subscribe (if you are reading this from your inbox visit the site address referenced above to post a comment). If you would like to submit prayer requests send them to info@savedmom.com. Thanks for your continued support!

Mommie Blessings,

Saved M.O.M.