Metro Moms

Mommy's Little Helper

Good Morning! Don't you love it when the furniture is rearranged? It's always amazing to me how different a room can look when the sofa is moved to the other side of the room. What is it about change that makes familiar things fresh and inviting as if they were new? We may not know the answer as to why this is so, but we do understand that all things need a makeover from time to time; this includes our humble blog. It has been nearly two years since Metro Moms Blog was born, can you believe it? So, it's time to change things around a bit. Join us on Monday as we reveal our new look. We think you're going to love it! We sure do!!!

Speaking of things we love...what Mom doesn't love it when her children are helpful around the house, especially when they weren't asked? This Mommy was enjoying such a moment until...

Have a great weekend and come back first thing Monday morning to see our makeover!

Posted by Debi

10 Tips to Help You Encourage Your Husband

I am always looking for tools to help me love and serve my husband more effectively.  Left to myself I will go about my days without regard to doing this consistently.  I recently came across an excellent list of 10 ways to encourage our husbands during the work week.  A couple of these are aimed at husbands toward their wives, but the tips will work either way. 

In the midst of your busy days at home with your children, how often do you stop to think about how hard your husband is working to provide for your family? 

Has it been awhile since you communicated your heartfelt gratitude to him? How well do you encourage him when he walks through the door?  Here is another article that offers practical advice on the type of encouragement that our husbands not only need, but desire from us.

Ponder these ideas, and let's secretly work at surprising them while they're at work next week, and encouraging them when they come home.  After all, there will be a day when our children are grown and leading lives of their own.  We don't want to neglect the one we've been called to love and serve "until death us do part."  Oh, let us know what you did - maybe your ideas will spark someone else to do the same! 

Have a great weekend!

Posted by Debi

One of my Favorite Blogs

As we finish week two with this series on getting the first button right for 2008,  I wasn't sure what to post for our Friday Favorite.  Leave it to Paul Tripp to post about exactly what we've discussed this week - prayer.  He has a way of summarizing all that we've expressed through confession and repentance, and raises the bar as to why we can pray to our Heavenly Father in the first place.  He lists five reasons in his post from Wednesday.  May this encourage you to pick up the banner of prayer on a daily basis.  Why?  Because God not only hears us, but He delights to answer us for His glory.

Have a great weekend!

Posted by Debi

Can you relate?

This story made me laugh out loud.  I have felt the same way many, many times.  Maybe you can relate.  Thank you, Stephanie for sharing this with us...

An old, tired-looking dog wandered into the yard.  I could tell from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home.  He followed me into the house, down the hall, and fell asleep.  An hour later he went to the door, and I let him out.

The next day he was back, resumed his position in the hall, and slept for an hour.  This continued for several weeks.  Curious, I pinned a note to his collar:

"Every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap."

The next day he arrived with a different note pinned to his collar: 

"He lives in a home with ten children -- he's trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come with him tomorrow?"

NOTE: Tonight marks the beginning of Metro's Annual Men's Retreat.  Set aside some time to pray for your husband today that God would meet him in a special way, and then, find time over the weekend to ask him about it.  We are called to build up and encourage our husbands.  This will be a great opportunity to do just that!  Maybe you can even release him to take a much needed nap so that he doesn't fall asleep next week at work! 

On behalf of the blog team, have a restful weekend!

Posted by Debi

January 08 Mom's Meeting

If you are local to Orlando, mark your calendar for our first Mom's Meeting of 2008 on January 17th.  Sheree and Jesse Phillips will be talking about the mother/son relationship, followed by a time of questions and answers.  This is in response to our last meeting in November when there were several questions raised about this special but sometimes challenging relationship.

Even if you don't (yet maybe?) have a son, the principles you will hear can be applied to your relationship with your daughter, or possibly others.  Biblical truths have wide application in our lives! 

Even if you've never attended on of our Mom's Meetings, make this your first time!  Everything is free, including wonderful childcare your children will LOVE and breakfast for you while you chat with other moms in your season of life.

If you aren't local, this message -- as well as all our Mom's Meetings messages -- will be available online.  Just click on the month you desire to your left.

See you on the 17th at 9:45 at Metro Life Church!

Favorite Cookies to share

I love to cook, and I especially love to bake.  One of my favorite things to bake are Christmas Cookies.  Every year I make dozens of cookies, some years much more than others.  Starting before I even had children, a friend and I would have a baking date together.  Our children now help us and it is a lot messier, but it still is a tradition we try to keep.  I give away most of what I make, and it is so much fun to do that with my children.  Even the years when circumstances have been challenging, we always manage to at least make some gingerbread.  Here are a couple of my favorite recipes:

• Gingerbread People - These are the very best gingerbread,even if you don't have time to decorate them.

• Chocolate-Dipped Melting Moments - These are my favorite cookies.  They take a little bit of time, but oh, are they worth it!

I hope you find time to enjoy baking some cookies during the holidays, but what about this weekend?  They say there's no time like the present! In fact, your family and friends would probably enjoy your fresh baked delights like a precious gift.  On behalf of the Metro Moms blog team - have a hospitably wonderful weekend!

Posted by Elyse

Hospitality Meets Reality

I've decided to share with you one of my most embarrassing moments when it comes to hospitality.  I do this, not to scare you away from practicing this Biblical mandate, but to encourage you that our initial idea of what a perfect evening looks like, and how it turns out in reality, are often two different things.  I'm certain that God knew exactly what I needed to serve that night - and it wasn't pecan pie!

I was in the throes of homeschooling three small children when we decided to invite two couples over for dinner and dessert.  I love to bake, so I worked hard to make sure the pecan pie would still be warm when I served it after dinner!  When one of our friend's took his first bite, I expected to hear compliments.  Instead, I was horrified to watch him reach into his mouth and pull out a long hair - slowly I might add - which allowed a pecan half to dangle from the end as it left his mouth.  The entire table broke into laughter, and so did I - on the outside!  My pride was crushed - a good thing - and I was embarrassed beyond measure.  This person continues to remind me to this day of my "wonderful baking abilities". 

I never tasted that pie;  I was too full from the big slice of humble pie I had already been served. 

Posted by Debi (I was tempted to leave my name out!)

Summer Sets Over Florida

Summer is officially over, but we are blessed to have access to the world's greatest beaches year round.  As the sun sets on another Florida summer remember that each day we live counts for eternity.   What we do every day of the year matters, even the seemingly mundane tasks of keeping our homes happy and healthy for our families.

Have a great weekend enjoying the Florida sun, but more importantly serving and loving your husband and children!

Posted by Debi

Are You Invisible?

This is a great story taken from the book, The Invisible Woman.  It will encourage and inspire you, but it isn't short.  Find some time today or over the weekend to grab a cup of coffee or tea and read it slowly, but please make sure you read it!  We believe that God will use the words of Nicole Johnson to help you with your "cathedrals"...you'll understand this once you read it! 

Happy Columbus Day!

Pancake Parable

A MOTHER WAS making pancakes for her two young sons, Kevin and Ryan. When the boys began to argue about who got the first pancake, Mom saw the chance for a moral lesson.

"If Jesus were sitting here, he would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake. I can wait.'"

So Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus."

Posted by Debi