Last night as I was getting dinner ready, my 19 month old toddled in to the kitchen from outside where she’d been playing with her older siblings, grinning from ear to ear with dirt smudged all across her mouth. I paused for a moment, deciding what to do, shrugged, and kept making supper as an,…
My seven and five year old kids fight over the silliest things…and they try to pull me into their battles at the worst times. They expect me to be super-hero-mom and save the day. It doesn’t matter if I’m on the phone, finishing an email, taking hot food out of the oven, driving,…
When I got serious about reaching my goal of at least 75 contributors to this Series, I did some hunting. I was originally searching for ideas for images to make for the Series. In doing so, I found some sites that seemed to focus on exactly what I wanted to do. I decided…
I’m so blessed to have another guest post! This time, I’m posting on my friend Starla’s site, Pressing in and Pressing on. Here’s a snippet! We’re poor. Not like destitute and living on the street, but as in living in debt just to get through each month. We have many medical problems – Depression, Type…
There are definitely moments in my days when I feel like a successful mom: The moments when all 4 kids are playing together and all I hear is laughter; the moments when the twins hold hands and walk together; the moments when they say, “Mommy, you are the best!” or when they say, “thank you,”…
Mamahood is the piecing together of a puzzle. Each piece giving us a bigger picture of Jesus. Of his grace and mercy and love. With each passing season and newly formed stories, our reflection grows closer to his. Embracing the imperfection as a mom is the place in mamahood where transformation takes place and dependence…
There are so many valuable lessons to be learned in motherhood. Among the most important for myself is to find the humor in all the crazy. I really don’t want to be the mom who walks around looking like she’s been weaned on a pickle. Even God’s word says that “A cheerful heart is good…
Okay Homeschooling Mommas…we need to chat. Last week a woman was reading some of my blog posts on Layered Soul and felt like I was one of those amazing homeschooling moms that has it all together. I immediately felt sad because have it all together…I do not. This is a tragedy…when a reader compares blog…
When my kids were little, I always kept them close by me whenever we’d go out anywhere. We’d make a trip to Walmart and if they were not contained in the cart, I constantly had a hand on them. I’d hold their hands when we walked down the street. I was momma bear when it…
Show me a perfect mom, and you’ll show me someone who’s hiding. Mistakes, pain, shame, guilt, vulnerability, depression, rage, a past…She’s hiding something, I promise you. Not one of us is perfect, even if that’s what we portray. We’ve all been there at one time or another. Feeling way less than perfect. Inadequate….
A quick note from Jenn: James is in a blog author Facebook group with me, and when I posted the invitation to join the Imperfect Mom Confessional, he approached me with an offer to blog for me. Since he’s not a mom, I obviously couldn’t have him officially post in the series, so…
Sometimes when the weight of this world seems far too great to bear, it’s only because we have forgotten how much greater is He that holds our world in the palm of His hand. We have the Lord on our side and nothing is too heavy for Him. The reason we feel overwhelmed is because…
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.Isaiah 43:2 I remember this one time as young kid, swimming in the local river with some friends….
Lately I have seen so many posts about the undercover Planned Parenthood video. It is so disgusting and so terrible that it is truly beyond words but, unfortunately, not shocking. Not shocking at all in today’s America. The idea of bargaining over the sale of specific body parts, from aborted babies, over dinner, is nearly…
You’ve always heard, “Love Your Neighbor As Yourself.” What if you don’t? I mean, what if you don’t love yourself? What if your ability to love others is crippled by an inability to see yourself as God sees you? What if it is easier to accept that you are a sinner, but difficult to believe…
According to to a 2014 gallup poll, three fourths of all Americans believe in God and 75 percent of them identify with Christianity. The numbers are still rather large but where they drop off is in regards to the Bible. The poll reveals that only 22 percent of Americans believe that the Bible is the…
Every day, I make mistakes with my kids. It could be a pretty good day with one little mistake, but often, I yell too loudly and too much, lose my patience too often, and just act like a complete fool. On those days, I can completely blow it. I don’t treat my kids in a…
Last Saturday night, Jenn and I watched an amazing movie that I found so inspirational, “Old Fashioned.” I had already felt led to begin writing a post, and probably a series, called “Be To Do” that deals with our our spiritual walk with Christ. When this movie came along and really fit so perfectly with…
One day at work, I (Jerry) passed a co-worker and she asked absently, “How’s it going?” It was clear that she was in a bit of a hurry to get wherever it was she was going and wasn’t really looking for a detailed answer. She was just trying to be polite. But feeling a bit…
How are we to act toward those who hurt, offend, mistreat, or speak evil against us? The Bible tells believers to love their enemies and to even pray for them. (Matthew 5:24) It also tells us to live peaceably with all men and to not repay evil for evil but to repay, instead…
It’s all over the news and social media, so I know you know what I’m talking about. I have to admit, there is a part of me that is repulsed by what Bruce Jenner has done to himself but that is the self-righteous part of me that just loves to think that I am so…
This may seem disjointed and tangent-y (yes, I wrote that), but stay with me. Someone posted a status update about homosexuality and I thought about adding to the discussion but changed my mind. I just don’t know where to start. The comments were overwhelmingly unscriptural. There is just so much bad theology being tossed about…
We rewrote Jerry’s Masterpiece post to enter a . Both of us would appreciate every vote! If the piece blesses you, we’d love for you to share it with friends as well. 🙂 Recently, we watched Ragamuffin, the movie about the late Christian singer, Rich Mullins. When you get down to it, the movie was…
This week on Blogging Through Music, Jenn and Jerry look at Do Everything by Steven Curtis Chapman. Please note that this post is geared toward our Christian brothers and sisters. 🙂 If you are familiar with this fun, upbeat song, you’re probably wondering how we can write something deep about it. While it is an…
