View {Five Minute Friday}

May 24, 2013 By Erin 2 Comments

It’s Five-Minute Friday with lovely Lisa-Jo!

Set a timer and just write. Don’t worry about making it just right or not.

For me? An exercise in letting go and letting words flow. Five minutes only. {yes, I do set a timer and it quacks like a duck at 5 minutes, which totally makes me smile}

Today’s prompt: View.

*****

And go…

I know a lot of women in their thirties – well, women of any age – who don’t like the view when they look in the mirror. As someone who battled acne and dealt with the typical girl self-image issues, I know the view isn’t always what we hope for.

Yet, here in my thirties, still breaking out here and there and with tired mama eyes, I like the view in the mirror better than I ever have before. But I don’t think it has to do with what I see, but more with what I know.

Having relationship with my Creator has made me appreciate the view like never before. He looks at this face, this body that has carried three babies, these worn feet, and He sees His creation doing all that He created it to do.

And He sees the same view when He looks at you, friend.

Whatever you may see when you look in the mirror, He looks and says, “Beautiful. It is good.”

When the view doesn’t seem to please you when you glance in the mirror today, remember what He thinks of you as His creation.

Perfect.

Wonderfully made.

Beautiful.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well. ~Psalm 139:14

That includes you, my dear.

Stop.

*****

Check out many other beautifully-written viewpoints over at Five Minute Friday with Lisa-Jo!

Buffer

Filed Under: five minute friday, Scripture, women

What I Wore: Gloomy Day at the Zoo

January 30, 2013 By Erin 7 Comments

It may have been cloudy and cold and windy and cold, but we just had to get back to the zoo to check out the lion cubs!

Yellow boots and a striped shirt were just the cure for this gloomy day! And a bun was the only way to go with the wind and humidity! {Thanks to The Hubby for getting a few shots of me, even when I wasn’t looking!}

What I Wore Gloomy Day Back Full

What I Wore Gloomy Day Back

What I Wore Gloomy Day

Striped shirt – GAP Outlet

Jeggings, blue vest – Target

Happy yellow rain boots – Lands’ End

Which wardrobe piece is your go-to day brightener?

*Joining What I Wore Wednesday at The Pleated Poppy!

Buffer

Filed Under: fashion, what i wore, women

Motherhood, Community, & Lions

January 28, 2013 By Erin 27 Comments

What do you think? Do you like the new digs? {If you’re reading this in your email or feed, you might want to click on over to check it out!} I hope you find this space fresh, fun, and easier to locate exactly what you’re looking for when you visit Home with the Boys! Thanks for being a part of our little home here! Now, on with today’s post…

****

The boys and I took a little field trip to check out five newborn lion cubs at our local zoo.

Lion Cubs

Oh boy, we they ever cute! They were sleeping the whole time, two snuggled together in a corner, and three more piled on top of each other snoozing away.

At less than a few weeks postpartum, the mama lion was also resting in the same enclosure as her cubs alongside a fellow female lion. We stepped over to the zookeeper to ask which one was the mother, and at that moment I overheard an interesting conversation.

The zookeeper informed those of us listening that the two female lions were sisters. In the world of lions, the female of the species are very social and do most things together. In the wild, they are able to time the births of their cubs within their pride so they can take care of and even nurse one another’s little ones.

These female lions are the perfect picture of what a community of mothers – yes, us human mothers – can look like. Well, except for the whole “nursing each other’s children” part…

Community of Lions

Find your “pride.”

This might be family members if you live near one another, but for many of us, our family is far away so we need to find our own local “pride” of mama friends. For me, it’s my Bible study girls. It might be a MOPS group or a few other moms in your neighborhood. There are advantages to a “pride” of mixed ages, where older mamas can help mentor younger ones, but having children of similar ages can bring about great camaraderie as well!

Don’t leave a new mama all alone.

I don’t care how many babies a woman has had, she always deserves some post-partum help. For the mama lion, she had her sister helping care for the cubs. A meal, a nap, an adult conversation – anything you can provide for that new mama in your life will be a breath of fresh air for her! And don’t forget about her a few months down the road when she is worn down from many sleepless nights and most people have stopped providing help. The mother of a three-month old will appreciate a meal just as much as the mother or a newborn! If you ARE a new mama, let others come alongside you!

Do life together.

Female lions raise children together, hunt together, do life together. Doing everyday things with other mamas makes me feel like my life is normal. I feel united with them when we play date or field trip or cook or eat together. Feeling normal and united is a good thing for every mama. Even just talking about the ups and downs of your day with another mom will be uplifting when you are able to laugh together and spur one another on!

It’s amazing what you can learn about the importance of community for moms from a day at the zoo!

What does community look like for you as a mom? Who is in your pride?

Buffer

Filed Under: family, motherhood, Uncategorized, women

Getting My Spark Back

January 14, 2013 By Erin 6 Comments

It’s not just because of winter. I’ve felt a little dull for a while now.

Not dull as in boring, but dull as in not bright, not sharp.

I used to be bubbly and optimistic and a total social butterfly. Yep, I’m the one who constantly got a check next to the “talk too much” box on her report card. In elementary school.

I’m not sure what exactly to blame the dullness on – lack of sleep, the hormone rollercoaster that comes along with being pregnant and nursing, a never-ending to-do list that felt like it was swallowing me whole – I can’t really pinpoint it. I have not felt sad or hopeless or depressed – just BLAH. And the strangest part is that 2012 was a GREAT year for me and for our family – one of the best ever. But still…

Late last year, partially thanks to reading Desperate, I started to realize that I did NOT like my current frame of mind. I related so much to this quote from Sally…

Sitting in the dark, I could suddenly sense the Lord whispering in my ear, “Don’t neglect to see the beauty of life around you while being overwhelmed by the duties of life.”

I don’t know that many people would notice much of an outward difference in my behavior, but ho-hum, cynical, sometimes pessimistic thoughts had taken the place of my old eternal optimist self. I wasn’t feeling like there was much to get excited about in my day-to-day.

I kind of felt like a punch in the gut to make this realization, but a good one, if that makes any sense at all.

What in the world do I have to feel pessimistic or cynical about? Nothing, I tell you. And allowing those thoughts to take over had stolen some of my spark for life as well.

Then God got a hold of me in a few ways to say, “You have LOTS to be excited about, my dear, and I’m going to help you find that spark again!”

It started with my word for 2013: celebrate. Celebrate isn’t about parties and presents, but about the way I want to live every day: celebrating the life God gave me, the calling He has placed on me, the people with which He has surrounded me! One day it meant dancing in the kitchen with Double J, another meant making homemade donuts just to see the smile on the faces of all of my guys. Challenging myself to find reasons to celebrate has made me smile and be silly and I’m loving the word He gave me for this year so much already!

The word of the year choice also naturally led into my commitment to take Ann’s Joy Dare – counting 1,000 gifts in my life in 2013. I used to write a Multitude Monday post here every Monday counting my blessings, but it started to feel unnatural to share those blessings for all to read, so I stopped for a while. Now, I’m craving the counting and, just 14 days into 2013, I’m so glad I took this dare! I have a little moleskine notebook next to my bed to record these gifts each night and my soul rests well when I end the day with gratitude.

Desperate also helped me realize how good creating is for the well-being of my mind. Sally wrote this in a note to Sarah Mae…

Celebrate life in your home in the ways that bring your pleasure. Cultivating the art of life in your home not only brings you happiness, but it makes your home a lively, fun, fulfilling place.

I love making beautiful things, whether it is food or a crochet project or decor for our home. Creating is calming and exciting for me, all at the same time. And a creative project can be completed, which feels like a major accomplishment in the world of laundry and dishes and diaper changes that just don’t stop! I’ve made it one of my goals to do something creative each and every day, even if it is only for five minutes!

And to round this all out, God sent me one more way to bring my spark back. The opening sermon series at our church for 2013 is called “Ignite.” I kid you not. It’s all about bringing back the spark in our relationship with God. He really does give us the desires of our heart when they are lined up with His, doesn’t He?! I know my joy and spark for life are truly found when I am regular communion with Him.

This week’s sermon was about the study of God’s Word. My passion for daily morning study of the Word has come and gone in recent years, but this Advent, I dove into the Good Morning Girls Advent study using the SOAP method and rediscovered how much I LOVE starting my day that way! I’m now working through the current She Reads Truth: Fresh Start plan on YouVersion using the SOAP method. I crave that time in the Word as much as I crave my morning coffee. I call that a “win” towards getting my spark back!

I’m not content to live a dull life, expecting each day to be just like all the rest, missing out on the joy of living with Him and for Him and surrounded by His blessings. The life of a mom is full of routine and responsibility, but it does NOT have to put out your spark for life!

If you’re feeling like I was, let me pray for you and me and all who feel like life is making them dull. There is joy in the midst of the every day and we must each find what ignites the spark in our own lives and make those things a priority!

And if you are a mom feeling this way, I must recommend you read Desperate. You will find encouragement and hope and understanding there. Read it with a friend. Share your feelings with someone who will listen and pray and help. You are not alone.

*This post contains affiliate links.

Buffer

Filed Under: Celebrate, faith, joy, motherhood, women Tagged With: desperate, joy, moms, motherhood

What I Wore

November 14, 2012 By Erin 6 Comments

My look for today…

I love this outfit because I look dressed up, but I am SUPER comfy and can move around easily with the boys!

And putting on leggings, boots, and a jacket with a dress gives it more life for the fall and winter!

Check out more ways to make your dresses more versatile in this post!

Do you wear dresses in the fall and winter? How do you spice them up?

*****

Gray dress, black leggings, black nursing tank: Target

Denim jacket: Old Navy {thrifted for $1!}

Black riding boots: Lands’ End

Necklace: Lisa Leonard from DaySpring

Flower hair clip: Petunia Blooms

And I’m giving red lips a try again!

*****

Linking up with What I Wore Wednesday at The Pleated Poppy!

Buffer

Filed Under: fashion, what i wore, women

What I Wore: dotMOM

September 26, 2012 By Erin Leave a Comment

It’s Wednesday, so a little “What I Wore” is in order! This week is all from my weekend at dotMOM…

Love this pink Lands’ End scarf because it is bright and soft and lightweight!

And I ventured to the south with a new pair of cowboy boots! Of course, they are from Target! Love!

I may have been wearing a chocolate stain on my dress before breakfast was even over, but I had my gorgeous scarf from DaySpring to cover it up! Win! {Isn’t Korie’s shirt beautiful?! I must ask where she bought it! Remind me, ok?}

And this gorgeous Lisa Leonard necklace from DaySpring has been worn almost every day since I got it. Just the daily reminder I need!

As a bonus, I took this pic before the Monday Night Football game this week…

I was not so cheerful afterwards, but I have decided life will go on. And I will always be loud and proud for the Pack!

Check out more WIWW fun at The Pleated Poppy today!

Buffer

Filed Under: fashion, what i wore, women

What dotMOM Did For Me

September 26, 2012 By Erin 12 Comments

This weekend, I found a whole lot of much needed encouragement, clarity, and perspective and I only had to fly 1,900 miles to find it!

The little man and I traveled to Alabama and the dotMOM Conference as guests of LifeWay where we were treated to the most wonderful few days of fellowship with inspiring women.

My brain took in a LOT, but after a few days, I’m starting to sift out the messages God had just for me this weekend…

*dotMom made me rethink my mindset as a mother of boys.

This was mostly thanks to Jen Hatmaker, David Thomas, and Vicki Courtney, who were each keynote speakers. I was challenged by all of their truth-filled messages, but these quotes are resonating with me the most…

“As moms, we teach something unique about the mercy & compassion of God to our sons.”

“Two of your hardest callings as boy moms: being safe for him and letting him go.”

David Thomas hit the nail on the head for me. Being his safe place AND being able to let him go? This boy mom thing is complicated!

He also shared this quote from The Art of Family by Gina Bria that I can’t stop thinking about…

“The work of mothering a son is mostly about stepping aside with precise timing. I want my sons…to learn from me that they are free to be rooted in home and still be abroad in the world as men.”

Wow. Food for serious thought and digestion for all boy moms.

“If we don’t allow our kids to suffer from life’s consequences, they’ll learn that rules don’t apply to them.” – Vicki Courtney

I wanted to shout a loud AMEN to this, but that also means I need to get better at establishing natural consequences and following through!

And then there are these hard-hitting gems from Jen Hatmaker that I can’t stop thinking about…

“I don’t want my kids safe & comfortable. I want them brave… I want to raise “go for it” kids.” We learn most through failure, messes, loss; we need to parent kids through these things with wisdom & discernment. We’re doing a kids a disservice by sanitizing their lives & cushioning every blow…it’s not the mark of a disciple.”

“I don’t want to be the reason my children choose safety & comfort over bravery.”

“Scared moms raise scared kids. Brave moms raise brave kids. Real disciples raise real disciples.”

Oh boy. THIS was convicting and challenging and hard to hear and awesome all at the same time. You know what I mean, right?! I’m pretty sure more posts will come from these wise words.

*dotMOM encouraged me to REST and RENEW.

“A day of rest is worship unto God.” – Jen Hatmaker

I don’t think rest has been in my vocabulary much lately and this weekend, God said to me, “This is NOT OPTIONAL!”

“Some of us are trying to live on yesterday’s bread. Spiritual nourishment is perishable.” -Jen Hatmaker

And THIS is why I do Hello Mornings. Fill me up every morning, Lord, because I am spent at the end of the day.

Melissa Greene led us powerfully in worship over the weekend and shared Matthew 11:28-30 from The Message…

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

I need this posted in a highly visible place RIGHT. NOW. And I’m guessing many of you do as well. Just a guess.

*dotMOM gave me the gift of time with beautiful friends.

Jessica, Teri Lynne, and Brooke

Brooke, Double J, me, Amanda, and Jessica

{You can more pictures of the dear friends I hung out with at dotMOM in this post for earlier this week! For the full list of bloggers at the event, click here!}

I’m not sure these ladies {and more who are not pictured here} know how much it meant to me to spend time talking and dreaming with them this weekend. A gift is the only way to describe it.

And I will not be attending Allume {formerly Relevant} this year, so this unexpected time together was an extra special blessing!

*dotMOM reminded me God intended for our blogs to be used for GOOD.

This was again the work of the lovely Jen Hatmaker as she spoke to us at a blogger dinner Thursday night. I’ve made apologies {in my head and aloud} for using this space to promote fundraisers and causes, but I will never do that again. When God lays something on my heart, you will hear about it. If you feel led to act on it in anyway, WONDERFUL! If you don’t, I hope you will keep reading here, but also pray for God to help you find your place for doing good. Because you do have a place. We all do.

And I’m super excited about the good that can be done with what God has laid on my heart for the next few months!

*dotMOM clarified my heart for you and for this blog.

We spent Friday morning sitting down in small groups with wonderful LifeWay staff and talking about our blogs. I didn’t realize how much this short amount of time would change the way I think about this little space in which I write. I heard the souls of my best blogging friends laid bare and I was moved to know their deepest desires for their blogs and readers.

When it came time to spill my guts, I suddenly knew WHY I write here. Why I do everything I do here. This jumbled mess of posts and words and pictures has never made more sense to me and I hope you’ll come along for the journey as His plan for this blog unfolds!

God moved in mighty ways in the hearts of over 1,000 moms this weekend. The ripples will be felt for a long, long time as the lives of families are focused more to Him. I’m grateful to have been one of those moms.

Many, many thanks to LifeWay for an incredible weekend. The little guy and I felt loved and blessed in every way!

Buffer

Filed Under: dotMom, motherhood, women

My Unglued Antidote

September 18, 2012 By Erin 14 Comments

This week, I finished reading Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst.

Whoa.

I underlined or highlighted something on 90% of the pages of this book.

Ladies, Unglued is a MUST READ book for every single one of you. There are very few books on the planet that this could be said of, but I honestly would recommend this book to any woman with whom I came in contact.

We will all come unglued in some way at one time or another. Learning how to deal with those emotions and prevent most unglued moments is the key.

Lysa offers many wonderful tips for avoiding and handling unglued moments, and many of those involve turning to God’s Word. Truth, as only the Scriptures can provide, is the BEST way to combat the lies of the enemy.

However, when I’m starting to fume and headed towards coming unglued, I’m not very likely to pick up my Bible.

What I AM likely to do is grab my iPhone or iPad and turn on some music, and my preferred music in those moments is kids’ music.

Yep, listening to children’s music helps me get my emotions in check and focus on truth.

Ok, not just any children’s music – it has to be Seeds Family Worship because Seeds IS God’s Word.

It happened just this week. The boys were not listening well. The baby was spitting up all over the place. My to-do list was three miles long. Nothing was going the way I wanted it to in my mind. I was in the kitchen ready to blow – which usually means yelling – and I actually realized what was about to happen.

I grabbed my phone, opened up my music, and clicked on my playlist called “All Seeds.” I have all seven of the Seeds albums on this playlist. I hit “Shuffle” and let God speak to me with whatever pops up.

It never fails – I hear just what I need within minutes of turning on that music.

Last week, it was “Heavenly Lights,” which is James 1:17 set to music…

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…

I cried, but I did NOT come unglued. I cried because I knew exactly the gifts to which the song was referring – too many gifts to count in that moment, but more than enough to snap me out of my emotional funk. I did not yell. I breathed deep. I moved on and my day was not ruined, and neither was my children’s.

THAT is the power of God’s Word, friends. And His Word never returns void – even when you feel like you’re about to lose it.

Seeds Family Worship works for me as my “unglued antidote.” What works for you?

*****

*I was not asked to write this post by either Lysa or Seeds Family Worship – just wanted to share two things I absolutely love and that are helping me in my everyday life!

**This post contains affiliate links.

Buffer

Filed Under: Scripture, seeds, women, works for me wednesday

Dear Friend…

September 12, 2012 By Erin 21 Comments

Dear Friend,

Did you know I’ve been praying for you?

I have. I’ve been praying for you a lot lately. Even if this is your first time reading this blog, I’ve been praying for you.

My heart is heavy with all of the judgement and dissension and comparison being flung around groups of women. On the web, in our communities, even in our churches. In a quest to be “right” and look good and convert others to our own way of thinking, women’s hearts are being trampled on.

Chances are you are or have been that trampled heart at some point or many points in your lifetime.

Is this really what we want to use our words for, ladies? To make others feel wrong or less than or judged in some way?

Words are so painful, especially when written down in black and white, aren’t they? When did we forget the command given to us in Ephesians 4:29?

Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. ~Ephesians 4:29 {The Message}

Each word is a gift. I want to use my black-and-white words today to tell you this:

You are loved just the way you are.

You are dearly loved by our Heavenly Father and He wants to speak words of love into your life. That other stuff is NOT from Him.

That Facebook post that made you feel like a terrible mother? Not from Him. Let it go…

The blog post that had you feeling like a failure as a wife? Not from Him. Let it go…

The woman at church that gossips about clothes and shoes and makes you feel self-conscious? Her words are NOT from Him. Let them go…

Let all of it go and run to His Word – the only words that matter. The only love and approval that matters. And He has already offered them both to you.

God so loved YOU that He gave His one and only Son. {John 3:16}

While you were still a sinner, He demonstrated His great love for YOU by dying on the cross. {Romans 5:8}

He loves YOU so much He calls you His child. {1 John 3:1}

And nothing can separate YOU from His love. {Romans 8:37-39)

You are loved with the greatest love there ever has been and ever will be.

And as for those we make you feel inferior and unloved? Don’t allow any of that to take up residence in your heart and mind. Fill them with these thoughts instead…

I am doing the best I can.

I already am beautiful inside and out.

My worth is not determined by anyone else’s actions or non-actions.

And know that I am here to give you a pep talk whenever you need one.

With love and prayers,

Erin

*****

Today is the National Day of Encouragement – would you pass on some kind words to the people who matter in your life? Your words will go a long way! Each one is a gift!

Buffer

Filed Under: friends, make a difference, Scripture, women

Be Still: A New Film from Lisa Chan

September 9, 2012 By Erin

Every woman knows the feeling. Regardless of her age, her income, or her family situation, women today are facing the challenges of a busy life and the stress that comes with it. Obligations to children, husband, job, church, friends, committees, and the pressures of everyday life have created a spiritual crisis for women. Because in their efforts to be everything to everyone, women have forgotten the ONE who really should be their everything.

Do YOU know this feeling? I do. All the time.

I need reminders to just BE with Jesus often so I don’t neglect the most important of all my relationships. This week, that reminder came in a beautiful short film from a well-known pastor’s wife.

Be Still is a brand new film from Lisa Chan {wife of Francis Chan}, the first in a series entitled True Beauty. This 20-minute film is like listening to a girlfriend talk about how the busy of life has pushed out any time she once had for Jesus – and how she got that time back.

I was captivated by the storytelling from Lisa in this film because I felt like she was speaking my heart. The “busy” must wait. Stillness with our Maker is essential to our very survival as women, wives, mothers, and every other role we take on. I think this would be a fabulous discussion starter for a women’s group!

Take a minute to watch the trailer for this wonderful film…