Heart of Motherhood- Shelli Majesky

Introduction
I'm Shelli, wife, mother of four, and needy woman of Jesus. Why am I here- all started on a sledding hill years ago. Met Sarah, we prayed for one another on the hill, and there began a sweet friendship that has been a breath of fresh air.
Not here because I am a model mother or wife, but because I am on a journey with the Lord, and He has breathed new life into me through a sweet conference I went to, I shared it with Sarah, and there we go!

Luke 7 – Simon the Pharisee and the Sinful Woman
Read the passage
Love this story, it's a beautiful contrast between two characters:
Sinning woman: She knew of Jesus great grace, and her great need. Because of this knowledge it
gave her courage to seek out Jesus, despite damaging her own reputation and more humiliation. After
finding Jesus, moved her to show great emotion and affection through washing His feet with her tears,
kissing them, and happily expending all of her resources with a life savings worth of pure perfume,
poured out on His feet!
Simon the Pharisee: He was a Pharisee, who had a traveling preacher, Jesus, into his home for dinner. This was not unusual, but rather expected, a respectable thing for him to do. He was rather dutiful in having Jesus into his home. He did not go above and beyond. He did not offer to wash Jesus feet or even order someone else to do it. Rather, he was somewhat put off and judgmental of the “sinning woman” when she did. These characters in this story, highlight two different ways of living: One is entitled, duty- on display in Simon’s life, one is happy, wasteful living- on display in the sinning woman’s life.

Two ways of living- lived out!
Entitled, duty:
We know that God calls us to faithful parenting
Parenting verse (Prov. 22:6, Train up a child n the way he should go; even when he is old he will not
depart from it.)
But what motivates that obedience?
Curious verse in Rom. 12:2, says, Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.
We are not to be conformed to the "Pattern of the world"
 1. One pattern?- work hard and receive what you are owed
 2. Find the right techniques and work them (vending machine idea!)
 3. This develops entitlement around the results, doing just enough to get the results, like Simon.
 4. Leads to "gritted teeth" in the way I parent (example: Getting kids ready to go worship the Lord with             the church, my daughter says,” Why are you always so angry when we get ready for church?”)
 5. We are NOT to be conformed to this pattern!
 6. Mothering is not a list of formulas, techniques, or programs.
 7. Mothering is not a competition or stage where we seek our validation, or a circus where we try and               create our circus bears.
 8. The Lord has entrusted us with human beings to care for and raise up - this is a supernatural thing,                 that involves supernatural involvement! Ladies, formulas are for math, systems are for science, and                 techniques are for handwriting.
There is a different way -the way of happy, wasteful living.
The way of a renewed mind - thinking in a different way, Holy Spirit-led, gospelpaved way, not                     seeking a result, but rather a relationship.
Begins with believing in, and being satisfied with all that has been accomplished for me already in                   Jesus as Savior and Lord
My sin doesn't need to drive me to more hard work but to rushing to the feet of Jesus. ( idea of                     seeking a covering by sitting with a mom that I think has it all figured out!)
Is my first default going to Jesus! Do I believe: John 6:67-69, or James 1:5-6?
If our default becomes Jesus first, what an opportunity to take what Satan intends for harm, and                     pull the rug right out from under Satan’s schemes.
In this response, I reestablish my hope, regain my strength and courage to move forward.
Out of love, not entitlement, and feeling I am owed!
The way also allows me to see the heart of my child!
Which means I look for more than behavior in them (and support more than behavior in them)
Mac and dinner table- see your children's heart behind their words and they will be blessed.
"And that's not my child" - what did the child hear?  That they are only my child when they act rightly.

What does this look like, practically, in manner, not technique?
This means that mothering is not about the how's but rather about the why’s
How parenting is duty driven and result oriented, versus why parenting which is obedience oriented             and love driven, overflowing out of an appreciation for grace.

How parenting 
fear driven
trusts in the method
Responds quickly and usually in anger
is anxious and wrought up
sees the many adjustments in a child and corrects 1st
environment in this home lacks humility, and
therefore lacks freedom and grace

Why parenting
faith driven
trusts in the Lord
responds slowly and with clarity
is peaceful and joy filled
sees strengths, encourages them,and comes alongside of the weaknesses
environment generally swims in humility and there is safety and health

Where do you feel like you spend more time? If in how parenting, do not be discouraged. Seek Jesus,
ask Him for grace, and for His kindness to lead you to repentance. This is the who point of the story in
Luke 7. If why parenting, celebrate, but stay on your face at the feet of Jesus.

Conclusion
Jeremiah 1:11a The Lord said, “Have I not set you free for their good? Have I not pleaded for you before the enemy in the time of trouble, and in the time of distress?” This set free means: We have had all of our questions and needs met and answered in Jesus!
Acceptance - MET, He died while I was still a sinner. (Rom. 5:8)
Affirmation - MET, He laid down His life for me insecurity - MET, secured my place in His family,                through death. (1 Peter 1:1-5)
Alone - MET, I will never leave you or forsake you. (Heb. 13:5b)
Loved - MET, loved me, and gave up his life for me, took on what I deserved. (Gal. 2:20b)
Afraid - NO NEED, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear! (Heb. 13:6)

Oh ladies, we have been set free! May we position ourselves at the feet of our Savior and experience
true delight in Him, and therefore love well!

Phil. 1:6- "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

Hebrews 10:39- "But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls."

Little Moments for Smiling- Jeanette McBee

Little Moments for Smiling

A heart full of thankfulness for those moments that are small, sometimes fleeting, refreshes our soul, relaxes our muscles. Who allows these glimpses of joy? Who loves you so much and knows what makes you laugh? He created your smile and chuckles. There are times when I believe the lie that I'm not any fun and I can't remember the last time I laughed out loud. Who wants to be around me? Have you every felt that way?

The Lord God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, says you are precious and He loves you (Isaiah 43:4). 

Let's make smiling a little easier. What are some things that make you smile or laugh? This may sound funny (pun intended), but I have a "Smile File". Jokes, quips, articles I've read along the way that make me laugh out loud are here. It's a great pick-me-up. For practice, write 3 things that you enjoy doing (This is not the time to muffle a cry of "when will I ever have time just for me!!" Trust God for time to experience joy He made for you.) Here are some ideas to get you started: Listen to music that soothes or energizes; A cup of your favorite warm drink in a pretty mug; Sitting with a book for 15 minutes uninterrupted and quiet; Playing a game with your kids that you like, too; A bouquet of flowers in a prominent place; A candle, which shape, color or scent is attractive to you; A breakfast that you take care in preparing for yourself and/or your family (use the "nice" dishes and flatware, eat the food you like most, etc.).

Now maybe it goes without saying, so if you already understand this please be patient with me as I'm going to say it anyway: Making an idol of these little joys, meaning having an expectation that your "moment" has to be perfect to be enjoyed, will backfire.

Be alert, notice, recognize when God, seemingly spontaneously, creates little joys just for you.

Rustic Potato Soup- Darcy MackMiller

Rustic Potato Soup

6 c chicken broth
2 lb red potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp butter
1 lb Kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/2 in pieces
2 large leeks, white/light green parts only, cut in 1/2 lengthwise, then sliced thin crosswise
1/2 bunch kale, stems removed & leaves cut crosswise into 1/4 inch strips (about 4 cups)
Ground black pepper

Bring broth, potatoes & bay leaf to boil in large pan over med-high heat. Reduce to med-low & simmer til potatoes are tender, 10 min or so. Discard leaf. Using masher, coarsely break up potatoes, leaving some chunks.
Melt butter in Dutch oven over med heat. Add kielbasa, stirring frequently til browned in spots, around 4 min. Add leaks, cook 4 more min til soft. Add potato mixture & kale to Dutch oven & simmer 5 min until kale's tender. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve & enjoy! ;)

No Work Bread- Adrienne Wier

Jim Lahey’s No-Work Bread

Makes: 1 large loaf

Time: Nearly 24 hours, almost completely unattended

This innovation—the word recipe does not do the technique justice—came from Jim Lahey, owner of Sullivan Street Bakery in New York City. Jim has created a way for home cooks (and not even ones who are serious bakers) to nearly duplicate an artisan bakery loaf, with a crackling crust, open-holed crumb, light texture, and fantastic flavor. All without kneading, fancy ingredients, or special equipment. A wet dough and slow fermentation are the keys to success, as is the baking method—a heated covered pot, which creates essentially an oven within an oven to trap steam as the bread bakes. This is the original, simplest version, though many people have tinkered with the formula since it was first published in 2006. I’m not kidding when I say the results will blow your mind. The only thing required is forethought. Ideally, you will start the dough about 24 hours before you plan to eat it; you can cut that to 12 and even 9 (see the variation), but you’ll be sacrificing some of the yeasty flavor and open crumb.

4 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus flour for dusting

Scant 1/2teaspoon instant yeast

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups water at about 70°F

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Cornmeal, semolina, or wheat bran as needed

1. Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and stir until blended; you’ll have a shaggy, sticky dough (add a little more water if it seems

dry). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or put the olive oil in a second large bowl, transfer the dough to that, turn to coat with oil, and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for about 18 hours at about 70°F. The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Rising time will be shorter at warmer temperatures, a bit longer if your kitchen is 60–65°F.

2. Lightly flour a work surface, remove the dough, and fold once or twice; it will be soft but, once sprinkled with flour, not terribly sticky. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking, gently and quickly shape the dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton (not terry cloth) towel with

cornmeal or wheat bran (or use a silicone baking mat); put the dough seam side down on the towel and dust with more flour or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel (or plastic wrap) and let rise for about 2 hours. When it’s ready, the dough will be more than doubled in size and won’t spring back readily when poked with your finger.

4. At least a half hour before the dough is ready, heat the oven to 450°F. Put a 3- to 4-quart covered pot (with the cover)—it may be cast-iron, enamel, Pyrex, or ceramic—in the oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. (Slide your hand under the towel and just turn the dough over into the pot; it’s messy, and it probably won’t fall in artfully, but it will straighten out as it bakes.) Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned. (If at any point the dough starts to smell scorched, lower the heat a bit.) Remove the bread with a spatula or tongs and cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

No-Work Bread, Sped Up. Reduce the initial rise to 8 hours; skip the 15-minute resting period and just shape the dough as in Step 3. Proceed immediately to Step 4.

Homemade Carmel Corn- Jill Curry

Pop your popcorn

Carmel Corn

In a sauce pan melt 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup karo, 1cup brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Boil for 4 min stirring continually. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp vanilla. Stir and pour over popcorn. 

Jill curry

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup- Joani Parrish

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 carrots chopped
2 celery chopped
1 onion
1 1/2 cup frozen green beans
1 cup frozen corn
2 cloves of garlic
2 cups of cooked wild rice or 1 cup uncooked
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups milk
Salt, pepper, and parsley to taste

Directions:
   1. Sauté celery, carrots, onions, green beans, corn, garlic, and seasonings, in evoo until softened.
   2. Cover with chicken broth and boil chicken and veggies.
   3. When chicken is cooked through remove and cube or shred.
   4. Add rice, milk and cook on low til rice is done and sauce has thickened. Do not let milk boil. You can also add a little flour to help it thicken.

~I like to serve with warm homemade biscuits or in bread bowls. I hope you enjoy!

Fun Fall Giveaway!

*GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED! DRAWING TOMORROW!

Who doesn't love a giveaway?!  In celebration of this beautiful fall season that's upon us and the start of our new year at Real Moms, I have something special to give away!  Is this ceramic owl candle holder not adorable?  And how bout some Harvest spice tea lights to go inside him?  And what's fall without your favorite hot drink on a crisp morning?  This mug is large, just the way I like it:).

How to enter:

1.  Leave a comment on this post telling us what you love about fall and where you plan to put this owl should you win.  This will get you one entry.

2. For three extra entries, simply submit something for the blog. (Recipe, craft idea, a verse or verses that have spoken to you lately, what God is teaching you.) Email them to me at: sarah.longoria4@gmail.com

*The giveaway will close on 9/16/13  night at 8pm (The night before our next Real Moms meeting).  The giveaway drawing will happen at our next meeting on Sept. 17th.

Happy fall! May you find, in this season of coziness, a renewed desire to draw near to your Savior and His Word.

Pastor Pep Talk- Aaron LeDuc

Pastor Aaron both encouraged and challenged us this morning in our calling of motherhood.  He first asked us to put the following priorities in the order our culture puts them in for women.

Cultural Priorities

- College (3)
- Entertainment (2)
- Travel (5)
- Career (4)
- Good looks (1)
- Marriage (6)
- Motherhood (7)

The numbers I've placed next to each is the priority order our table put them in, again the order is according to popular culture.  He pointed out how out of order this cultural order is with God's priorities for us as women, that we are fighting this cultural order on hostel ground.  He shared how comedian Jim Gaffigan talks about the way culture makes fun of or feels sorry for large families.  Add to this against-the-current battle we face the fact that motherhood is exhausting!  He jokingly gave this quote in regards to the exhaustion of motherhood:

"Imagine you're drowning and someone throws you a baby".

All joking aside, he then encouraged us that the deep rest we are looking for can only be found in Jesus, not in the things the world promises. He will give us deep rest when we abide in Him, but He also calls us to hard work in a hostel world.

In Genesis 3:15 we see the first hope of the Gospel in God's promise that the Savior will come through Eve's lineage.  In other words, children have to happen to lead to Jesus.  God could have chosen any way to put on flesh, but He chose to come through a mother, Mary.  Motherhood is a calling, the key mechanism God uses to save lost sinners.

He reminded us that motherhood is not about you, it's about the glory of God!  It's a call to full time ministry, laying your life down for His use and Glory.

Application Points

1. Lay down your life for the Gospel to your children.  Preach to them with your life.  You are always representing the Gospel to your children, the question you have to ask yourself is how well are you doing?
- Are you resentful in your role?  Your kids know where they stand with you and how you feel about them without words.
- Do you love your kids the way Christ loves you?  You may be able to fake it in front of others, but how do you love them behind closed doors?
* They know if you value their lives above your own. The call on EVERY Christian is to come and die.

2.  Know the Word. Proverbs 22:16 talks about folly being bound up in the heart of a child.  God's Word, He Himself has the power to penetrate hearts and save.  It requires repeated diligence to point our children towards fear of the Lord.  When we abide in the Word, it overflows.
- Live life with your little "cyclones" and disciple them always by knowing the Word.

3.  Trust Jesus. It's a daily act of faith, we often don't get to see results, but trust Jesus, it's His work through you! Believe His promises.  Aaron shared how Isaiah had a similar challenge as he looked at the ministry He'd been given. 

Isaiah 49:4- "But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”

It was such a joy to hear from the Lord through Aaron this morning.  We hope to see you all on September 17th!

Mom Minute- Lessons From my Dad- Joani Parrish

Lessons from my Dad

  I'm not sure if many of you know, but my dad passed away last year. During this time
I have spent a lot of time reflecting on what skills and lessons in life he taught me. My
dad’s favorite quote, one I heard him say almost every single day of my life, was "You
accept me for the pain in the butt I am and I will accept you for the pain in the butt you
are." (I'm using nicer language, because my Dad was a Marine for 40 years and his
choice of words would not be socially acceptable for a REAL Moms blog post.) My Dad
said this to me for 26 years. Every time I was exasperated with him, when his friends
were giving him a hard time, even to the grocery store clerk checking out his bags (My
Dad could be a pain in the butt). I heard him say this ALL the time. I also watched him
live this way.

 Shortly after he died a friend asked me, "What is the main thing you will miss about
him?" I'm not sure if I could articulate very well at that point because I was so overcome
with absolutely everything I was going to miss about him, but now if you asked me I
would say it was: his unconditional love and support.
 Most recently I missed him when we started foster care. I could hear my Dad
building me up and encouraging me, saying things like "Wow, that's amazing!" or "You
guys are going to be great!" or "Gosh! I wish I had grown up in a home as sweet and
loving as yours." He said things like this ALL the time. He would not say, "Gosh! you
guys are going to need a bigger car" or "Isn't this going to be really hard on your
biological children?" I missed him. I missed him a lot.

 He was one of those people who knew how to just be happy for someone and not put
fears or doubts in their mind. If we bought a bigger house he would not say, "Oh are
you sure that it's not too much?" He would say "That's awesome! I can't wait to see it!"
He would truly mean it. It's not that he didn't have any concerns about me, but he never
focused on the areas in my life he was concerned about. I think he realized the world
has enough people to question you, it has enough people to make you feel concerned
about your actions, it has enough people to place fears and worries and doubts in your
mind. He made me feel like I could do anything or be anyone I wanted to be.

 This lesson he taught me has been such a gift in my life. It gave me confidence
when I was a loner in high school, it gave me courage to get married and not fear the
constant stream of divorces that plagues my family. Many of my choices and the
confidence I can put in them are because of his unconditional love and acceptance.
Most importantly, it has greatly affected my view of God. Rather than thinking of God as
someone constantly judging my actions, I hear God as an unconditional lover of my
weary broken soul. He was the kind of person I want to be, the kind of friend, wife, and
mother I want to be, and with the grace of God I hope to see him someday and thank
him.

~Joani