I rejoiced with my friend and told her what a great job she was doing as a mom. I told her my belief is that a parent’s job is to raise well-rounded, self-sufficient, productive citizens who love Jesus. She agreed and said she wanted to get together soon so we can talk more about parenting.

A parent’s job is to…
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The real question is how do we accomplish that goal? It isn’t always easy because kids have a free will, but I strongly believe that when parents take their job seriously and parent with purpose, that goal can be reached. As Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Lay the groundwork for adulthood as your child grows in all areas of their lives.

• Expose them to arts, sports and other activities and see which ones excite them.
• Give your children boundaries-but don’t hover too closely. It is ok if they fail, or fall-we learn from our mistakes and they make us try harder next time.
• Teach personal responsibility early on in life, it is an important trait that is sadly slipping away from our society.
• We need to coach our children to be self-sufficient and productive. Requiring chores and teaching life skills over the course of their lives makes them better adults, citizens, employees and parents later on.
• Submerse them in the Word of God. Use music, stories, videos etc to keep them in the Word day and night. Family devotions and Bible studies as well as Sunday school, Children’s Church, mid-week church classes and youth groups are all important activities to help kids of all ages keep their eyes on Jesus.

As we move through this year, I will be sharing the tools and methods we have used over the years to raise our awesome sons. I know every child and every family is different but all I can do is share what worked for us and hope that some of it works for you. Parenting is hard work and I am here to be a friend that walks beside you on the journey. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

BTW that picture is from 2006! LOL!

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I have been a fan of Bob and Dannah Gresh for years. In case you aren’t familiar with them; Bob and Dannah Gresh are creators of the nation’s largest touring ministry for tween girls, Secret Keeper Girl, as well as authors of numerous books. The Greshes have three young adult children—Rob, Lexi and Autumn—and live on a farm in Pennsylvania.

Even though I am a mom of boys I appreciate their work, which is mostly on behalf of girls though there are wonderful books for boys and adults too, to help us grow kids with pure hearts. Their ministries Pure Freedom and Secret Keeper Girl do great work and I have used their resources when I ran the girls’ ministry at our former church for 18 years.

The Issue

Research shows that by the time a girl is 11 years old, 30 percent will have had a boyfriend. Some seem to even be born crazy about boys. Even if your daughter isn’t one of them, her friends probably are. What’s a parent to do? And how can we keep our tween girls off the boy-crazy train?

About “Talking with Your Daughter About Understanding Boys”

In Talking with Your Daughter about Understanding Boys, the Greshes add to the popular Secret Keeper Girl 8 Great Dates series by offering eight dates specifically designed for dads and daughters. Each one and a half hour date has a different focus but follows the same general format, including special audio messages, dad-daughter discussion time, and a fun challenge activity, including a wilderness adventure hike, a treasure hunt, and even, well, pulling a fun prank on friends. Each date focuses on topic such as helping your daughter begin to understand that boys are part of God’s plan, discovering the difference between true love and counterfeit love, and helping her learn to believe that her value comes from God, not from boys. The dates are designed for girls between 8-12.

The 8 Dates

1. Mission Possible-Adventure Pranking 101 (To begin to understand boys as a part of God’s plan).
2. Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice-Recipe for Success (To begin to understand what it means to be a girl).
3. As You Wish-Movie Night (To discover the difference between true love and counterfeit love).
4. Sticks and Stones-A Wilderness Adventure Hike (To learn to believe that her value comes from God, not a boy).
5. Natural Treasure-A Treasure Hunt (To discover that she is a treasure and should expect to be treated as one).
6. How Does your Garden Grow?-Plant Something (To grow by feeding herself with God’s Word).
7. Star Track The Final Frontier-Stargazing (To learn to rely on God for guidance).
8. Dress for Success-A Celebration Date with Mom and Dad (To begin to view marriage as a picture of God’s love for His people).

Mom Maven’s Thoughts

This book is wonderful! Any dad who truly loves his daughter and wants God’s best for her life would love this book. Talking with Your Daughter About Understanding Boys (8 Great Dates for Dads and Daughters) would make a great Father’s Day gift. The book is written for men and the 8 dates included in the book are a perfect mix of fun and frilly.

We raised our boys from birth with the understanding that courting was preparation for marriage and dating was the world’s way of perverting it. Never did our boys have little “girlfriends” at age 4 or 5-it just wasn’t acceptable. They were taught to cherish the woman that God brings into their life and that marriage is a lifetime commitment. I truly appreciate that the Greshes are teaching young girls that they are to be treasured and I hope that some day soon they will write a similar book for young boys.

The Giveaway

One reader from the US or Canada will win a copy of Talking with Your Daughter about Understanding Boys. The giveaway ends at midnight on June 9, 2014. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and the winner will be notified via email. The winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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In her book There’s a Green Plastic Monkey in My Purse: And Other Ways Motherhood Changes Us, author Jessica Clemence takes on topics we have all struggled with like being a smart, organized, healthy mom and gives practical and Biblical advice with a splash of humor.

About There’s a Green Plastic Monkey in My Purse and Other Ways Motherhood Changes Us

There’s a Green Plastic Monkey in My Purse humorously and practically explores motherhood and the ways it changes women.  Readers will enjoy Jessie Clemence’s practical insights, biblical wisdom, sense of humor and casual, encouraging tone as she experiences the joys and challenges of everyday motherhood and seeks to allow the daily exercises in patience, selflessness and service to grow her spiritually and as a mother.

“The last thing a tired, stressed-out, grumpy woman needs is a book that is going to make her feel worse.  She doesn’t want to read a book that gives her standards she cannot possibly reach.  She doesn’t want to feel even more overwhelmed and inadequate.  The tone of this book is one of encouragement.”

MomMaven’s Thoughts

This is a good book for young moms and moms-to-be. There are study questions at the end of each chapter so it could easily be used as a small group study for young moms. Personally, since my kids are all young adults, I didn’t get much out of the book but it will make a great baby shower gift for a young friend of mine.

If you want more from Jessica Clemence you can follow her blog, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All opinions are 100% mine. There are affiliate links in this post.

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Powerful huh? Now go see the whole movie…then come back here and let me know what you thought of it.

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Thoughts? Leave me a comment and let me know.

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Welcome back So, have you heard it yet? The new song Courageous by Casting Crowns? Enjoy the music video!

What did you think? Leave me a comment and let me know.

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Here is the movie synopsis:

Four men, one calling: To serve and protect.

As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, and their partners are confident and focused. They willingly stand up to the worst the streets have to offer. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood.

While they consistently give their best on the job, good enough seems to be all they can muster as dads. But they’re quickly discovering that their standard is missing the mark.

They know that God desires to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, but their children are beginning to drift further and further away from them. Will they be able to find a way to serve and protect those that are most dear to them?

When tragedy hits home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a newfound urgency help these dads draw closer to God … and to their children?

COURAGEOUS is the fourth release of Sherwood Pictures, the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Church in Albany, Georgia. Their first release since FIREPROOF, the No. 1 independent film of 2008, COURAGEOUS joins FACING THE GIANTS and FLYWHEEL in touching and impacting lives through heartfelt stories of faith and hope.

Moviegoers will again find themselves crying, laughing, and cheering—sometimes simultaneously—as they are inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kinds of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children.

Protecting the streets is second nature to these law enforcement officers. Raising their children? That will take courage.

Courageous … honor begins at home.

We will be on vacation for opening weekend but we will be bringing our kids to see the movie as soon as we all get home.

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^1-2 I’m thanking you, God, from a full heart, I’m writing the book on your wonders.
I’m whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy;
I’m singing your song, High God.

^3-4 The day my enemies turned tail and ran,
they stumbled on you and fell on their faces.
You took over and set everything right;
when I needed you, you were there, taking charge.

^5-6 You blow the whistle on godless nations;
you throw dirty players out of the game,
wipe their names right off the roster.
Enemies disappear from the sidelines,
their reputation trashed,
their names erased from the halls of fame.

^7-8 God holds the high center,
he sees and sets the world’s mess right.
He decides what is right for us earthlings,
gives people their just deserts.

^9-10 God’s a safe-house for the battered,
a sanctuary during bad times.
The moment you arrive, you relax;
you’re never sorry you knocked.

^11-12 Sing your songs to Zion-dwelling God,
tell his stories to everyone you meet:
How he tracks down killers
yet keeps his eye on us,
registers every whimper and moan.

^13-14 Be kind to me, God;
I’ve been kicked around long enough.
Once you’ve pulled me back
from the gates of death,
I’ll write the book on Hallelujahs;
on the corner of Main and First
I’ll hold a street meeting;
I’ll be the song leader; we’ll fill the air
with salvation songs.

^15-16 They’re trapped, those godless countries,
in the very snares they set,
Their feet all tangled
in the net they spread.
They have no excuse;
the way God works is well-known.
The cunning machinery made by the wicked
has maimed their own hands.

^17-20 The wicked bought a one-way
ticket to hell.
No longer will the poor be nameless—
no more humiliation for the humble.
Up, God! Aren’t you fed up with their empty strutting?
Expose these grand pretensions!
Shake them up, God!
Show them how silly they look.

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The other day my creative 16 year old came to me with a plan to create a pink duct tape cover for his beloved Bible. “Cool!” I thought. So today we headed to Walmart where he spent $3.50+tax on a roll of pink duct tape.

First he had to repair the binding, he used superglue and packing tape. Once that was dry he started my measuring and cutting the duct tape strips.
He started laying the duct tape strips in the middle and then overlapped as he worked toward the edges.

He made the tape strips long enough so that they would overlap onto the inside of the cover and then he placed strips there to tidy up the look.

All that was left was his “decorative” touch, done in silver duct tape…
A duct tape cross.

Great job Aaron, I’m proud of you! If you want to let Aaron know what you think about his creation you can leave a comment here or send him a tweet. He is @ax2music on Twitter.

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