S Club Mama

Emotions are a normal part of life, but if not taught properly, they can run rampant over a person's life. God gave us emotions to signal us to things - anger when something is not right, sadness when hard times happen, happiness when life is peaceful and swell! However, as it's taken me a long time and many books to understand, our emotions do not have the right to control our responses. image via B&H/LifeWay This can be a difficult concept to teach children but a vitally important one. "What Am I Feelings?" by Dr. Josh and Christi Straub gives parents a tool to use when teaching this lesson to children. It's one you'll teach over and over again because this book is easy to love - characters that kids relate to, cute illustrations by Jane Butler, and an easy plot to follow. My Princess has brought it to me several times since it arrived for me to read to her. What I liked: Like I mentioned, I like the illustrations by Jane Butler. They are simpl...

Most people are insecure about something. Whether that is in relationships, how they look, how good they are at their roles, something. I found when reading "Silencing Insecurity" by Donna Gibbs, that I have more than I though (which makes me feel a little insecure haha).  image via Baker Book House I found the book to be helpful in identifying some insecurities and symptoms of them. We can identify insecurities by finishing this sentence: "if only..." If only I looked like ________. If only my emotions weren't too much.  If only I could go here or do that.  If only I had a friendship like so and so.  If only my kids acted like theirs.  On and on. These aren't all necessarily mine but you understand my point.  Once you identify these identity thieves (as Gibbs calls insecurities) then you can begin to learn how to replace those thoughts (often half-truths and lies from the enemy) with truths from God himself.  My favorite...

About a year ago or so I read Lysa TerKeursts's Unglued (the devotional version, not the full book) and God has been using it to, little by little, change my life. I am not the most patient of persons. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I have a short, fast fuse. I am that fool that all the Proverbs speak of. It's bad. I've known it was bad for a long while. And then I was reading a devotional or my Bible study (I can't remember which) either yesterday or today (the days are swimming together). There it was: conviction. Not that made me feel guilty (I don't believe conviction is to make us feel that way because that's not God's way), but that made me repentful (not a word according to my word check but oh well). The Lord loves me just the way I am. He loves you just the way you are. That does not mean he wants us to stay the way we are. He does not want me to have a short, fast fuse with little patience and be a mess emotionally whenever things go out of wh...

I have struggled my entire life with my emotions - I cry over the littlest things (earning me the most awful nickname of "cry baby" growing up - yeah that still stings a little), I yell over the littlest things. I can go from calm to off the wall in no time whatsoever. This has created problems in every facet of my life. Arguments with my parents and sisters got way out of hand (like the time my older sister punched me a few days prior to my wedding). Parenting and marriage have been fun with these emotional outbursts...ask my dear husband and children. Thank God (literally, thank Him) that I have God because He has instilled it in me to be unhappy with these outbursts. He has created in me a desire to be emotionally stable - not unfeeling but not linked by DNA to TNT. So for the past 6 years, I have been trying - and failing - and trying - and failing - and trying - and failing (you get it) to be patient, kind, calm. I struggle with comparing myself to more patient fri...

-Proverbs 15:1 Moose learned this verse awhile ago. I know it speaks volumes of truth. I know that I have a temper and I let it flare - at my boys, my husband, myself, and (if I'm being honest) with God at times, oh and those random strangers (specifically drivers). Our pastor let the truth flow from his lips. Hear this great sermon about Anger Management here . Truly God has not only gifted Charlie with the gift of being a great speaker and charismatic man, but He has blessed him with the ability to really share God's Word and be a shepherd to his congregation. I'll share 5 of his 4 points (I missed the first one having a wonderful talk with a couple of friends prior to the service). 1. Practicing unoffendability (yes, he realizes this is not a real word) limits anger. Proverbs 19:11 Basically when you get over yourself, you have more patience. And impatience is often brought about by pride. We can see the unoffendable nature of God in Exodus 34:6-7 and Micah 7:18....

Moose doesn't show a wide range of emotion - mad, happy, REALLY mad, excited, anxious. I don't remember ever seeing him sad but it's possible it's come out as another emotion. Many autistic children don't show a wide range of emotion; I know this doesn't mean that they don't feel or have a wide range. They just may show it differently or not know how to express what they're feeling. That can make it tough when you're the parent. Sometimes I have to put words to Moose's expression of emotion and pray I'm putting the right words to what he's feeling. I had the opportunity to review the Emotion Dominoes from the store From Fragments to Furniture and Beyond Etsy shop. Megan's own son is autistic and the inspiration for these emotion dominoes. I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to find a shop so tuned into my world. ha! Megan also has listings for texture buttons, opposites buttons, alphabet buttons, and number buttons - all wonde...