Coach Mom

I am very excited about a book club that I have joined that started today.  I have started reading the book, "Coach Mom" by Brenna Stull.  Brenna has 5 children and they are looking into adoption.  I cannot imagine being a mom of five children...and still possibly more!  She is a great author and I am really looking forward to what the Lord has to show me in being a mom and ways that I can really influence my children. 
God is so amazing.  I thought I loved my parents and then my husband, but there is something so amazing about a baby that you carried for 9 months and that has your spouse and your qualities.  I am absolutely blown away at the love I have for my sweet Tucker boy.  Can you imagine how much the Lord loves us if we love our children this much??  There are not words enough to express the love He must have for us.  I cannot fathom sending my son to die on a cross for all the world.  It brings me to tears just thinking about how powerful the Lord is and yet He still cares for the little parts of our lives as well.

So back to Coach Mom...I will be making updates about what I am learning each week and how we plan to add these lessons to our everyday lives now.

I have already learned so much and I'm only on chapter one!  The first chapter is being more than a survivor in your home.  We need to strive in making the most of each moment the Lord grants us.  Brenna's life verse is "Teach us to number our days alright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12.  I want to make the most of my time with my relationships and live intentionally.

She makes note that our children are motivated from the top...if mom and dad are pessimistic, then why wouldn't the children be?  It is our responsibility to teach them to do their part in helping the family so we can all enjoy each other and our homes.  We are the coach of our team and we will keep them encouraged or drag them down. 

Proverbs 25:11 says "A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver."  We still have to discipline our children, but we also can praise them when they do good or help out with something.

Also, family dinners must be a priority in your household.  Right now that is kind of hard for us because J works late hours, but in the winter time we always eat together and we try to do this at least 4 times a week now.  That time to eat allows time for discussion about your day, and whatever else is going on with the family at that particular time.  I know that right now we aren't really able to include Tucker in the discussion, but he is now sitting in his high chair and just all being together that one time is important for us to establish it now.

I'm excited about each stage of our lives and I look forward to learning about ways we should be teaching our children and also come across topics that J and I haven't really ever thought about or discussed previously.  Thanks for taking this journey with me over the next 8 weeks!