Gather Moms

WE MISSED YOU!! Let’s catch up or, as some would say, SHOOT THE BREEZE; which begs the question: what does it mean to shoot the breeze? Join in as Rebecca speculates on the meaning of the phrase and tells us her tale of the yellow river of Israel.

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If bad karaoke sounds like a good time to you, you’re gonna love this episode! We start off talking about classic summer songs, the kind you might sing along to on a road trip. Let’s hope if Kate and Rebecca are in the car with you, the music is turned WAY UP to drown out their voices. Bless their hearts.

One of the fun things about summer is getting to take a trip. Whether it’s a big one out of state or a smaller one close by, many of the same truths apply: something will be forgotten, something will go wrong and someone will ask: Are we there yet? This episode is all about tips and tricks to make your summer trips the best ever! Let’s go make some memories with our families, mamas.

My biggest tip is that travel is an opportunity to make God bigger for your kids. They get to see a new part of the world, new people and get the blessing of a zoom out-a new understanding of who their God is.

Take the opportunity to help your kids be in awe of God. When they see a mountain, the ocean, beautiful flowers, a people group that looks and speaks differently than you do.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice[b] goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5     It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
    and makes its circuit to the other;
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

We can get so used to the beauty of our daily surroundings that we forget to marvel at them. We have a fresh opportunity to marvel at the goodness of our God, His creativity, his beauty in a new place. Help your children see him and worship him.

We love you. We’re taking a little summer break to be present with our families. Stay tuned on Gather Moms Instagram and Facebook as we continue to provide resources and encouragement for you throughout the summer.

Love you, moms!

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Listening to this episode in your closet or by yourself in your car and just trying to steal a few quiet moments? YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Summer can make us each want to get in our cars and head to Mexico for a little peace and quiet because this season requires so much of us as moms. Often, our rhythms get interrupted, our sleep gets off and we stop taking care of ourselves. The still, quiet moments where we snuck away to spend time with the Lord may slip away in the unpredictability of summer and we can find ourselves run down and even depressed.

We’re talking in this episode about the signs of depression, what to do if you start to experience them and how to implement healthy rhythms so you take care of yourself this summer.

TIPS to help take care of yourself this summer:

Monitor your caffeine intake

Keep exercising

Get time with your friends

Drink water

Take rest days

Keep your healthy rhythms

Limit social media

Let others help

And most importantly:

Spend time with the Lord

And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

When you struggle, ask God to help you focus your mind on him. Are you getting anxious preparing to travel or about getting into your swimsuit? Ask God to help focus your mind on him and what is true.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Summer will reveal weaknesses in each of us. It shows our limits, our lack of patience, the heat puts us on edge. As unbelievable as it sounds, we can celebrate that. Actually revel in it. Those weak places are where our God shines. When you see the temp tip past 100, look to your God and say: You’re up! He’s ready and wants to show his power in your weakness.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Moms, summer is such a blessing of more time with our families but can also be a stressor as it often requires more of us. Take care of yourself and check on your friends.

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Mom, I’m booooored! Oh, the challenge of scheduling just enough fun things so you make good memories and keep everyone busy enough and not over-scheduling and wearing everyone out. Summer is a great time to slow down and let our kids get a little bored, for sure, but we all know that too much unplanned activity can lead to sibling fights, too much screen time and a summer that passes without purpose.

In this episode, we’re talking about how to make the best use of the time we have this summer. How we can practically set a schedule that works for us and our family, helps us create the memories we want to make and provides a framework for intentionality.

Scheduling Tips:

-get your family involved in the summer plans; brainstorm fun things you want to do together in the summer

-talk with your kids about summer rhythms, trips and expectations; the conversation on the front end is key

-give kids jobs and projects

-set goals

-let people help; if the grandparents want to take them for a couple of nights, let them!

Little kid tips:

-have a boredom buster jar

-have each kid do 5 things before screens

-get out early

-don’t feel like you have to do something every day

Big kid tips:

-be fun mom one day each week

-it’s fun to do stuff with friends but it’s also okay just to go as your family

-have one screen free day each week

TRUTH:

Ephesians 5: 15-16

15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 

Ephesians 5:15–16 in the King James Version says, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” 

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Mosquito Shield

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Jesus had some pretty modern views about women. In that time women were ignored, considered property and given very little worth. Jesus saw them differently and extended his hand toward them, puling them into a place of honor. He still does that today by calling our hearts heavenward in prayer. Throughout scripture we see women praying. Some examples are Hagar, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Esther and Mary. Regardless of their background, God the Father listened to their cries of pain and praise.

The modern MAMA needs prayer. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or a consistent prayer warrior, the time you spend pouring your thoughts out to God will bless your heart and home. Why should moms pray?

Over the next week, Kate and Rebecca are praying for YOU each day from May 8 to May 14. Join our Patreon to get access to all the prayers and the opportunity to share that prayer with another mom. Gather Moms loves you and wants you to know that all our MAMAS are constantly in our prayers. Happy Mother’s Day week!

JOIN US ON PATREON:

Prayers for Our Mamas May 8-14 on Gather Moms Patreon

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The Pearl at Sabine Creek

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You are a modern MAMA! Modern life expects a lot of moms soothing our busy schedules by offering a stream of conveniences. Do they really make our lives easier? The reality is that each of us wage a different war with lots of parallels. It’s easy to feel like we’re never doing enough. It’s simple to see we’re all doing too much.

The modern MAMA needs rest, but an extra nap or morning without the alarm clock isn’t the answer. Those are temporary and will be needed again tomorrow. True rest is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Matthew 11:28-30, “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Join us today as we talk about how modern mamas wrestle with the definition of rest. Is it negotiable? Maybe if I work harder today, then tomorrow I can get a break. Some of us may believe rest is earned by checking off our list of daily mom-tasks and some have given up altogether and think rest is unattainable. We believe rest is a walking out of trust every single day. What we need more than anything is to know and be known by a Savior who offers lasting rest for our souls.

JOIN US ON PATREON:

Prayers for Our Mamas May 8-14 on Gather Moms Patreon

SPONSORS:

Raising Cane’s

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Remember Dr. Phil saying to someone stuck in a bad situation and continuing to make the same bad choices, “How’s that workin for ya?” The question makes you stop and think, “Is this working?” And then, if it’s not, why in the world do you keep doing it? But WE DO! And that’s the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

In this two part episode, we’re talking about what IS actually working for us, what ISN’T and what we can do about it.

TRUTH:

Exodus 18:1-27

Galatians 6:7-9

Plan, Communicate, Delegate

MENTIONS:

Atomic Habits

SPONSORS:

Raising Cane’s

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Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook

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Remember Dr. Phil saying to someone stuck in a bad situation and continuing to make the same bad choices, “How’s that workin for ya?” The question makes you stop and think, “Is this working?” And then, if it’s not, why in the world do you keep doing it? But WE DO! And that’s the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

In this two part episode, we’re talking about what IS actually working for us, what ISN’T and what we can do about it.

SPONSORS:

The Pearl at Sabine Creek

Support Us: Monthly Donation | One-Time Donation

Connect with Us:

Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook

Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook

May is sneaky. It pretends to just be the beautiful end of Spring and the fun beginning of summer BUT it is so much more. May is the December of the Spring; MAYCEMBER. Let’s be proactive this year and start thinking through all that May holds so we are ready because, even though it’s still April…it’s gonna be MAY.

Prepare for: summer activities, teacher appreciation and Mother’s Day.

SPONSORS:

Mosquito Shield

Zanata

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We’re tackling the strange celebration of a bunny who leaves eggs, why we call it Easter and how we can use all of this to point to Jesus. For Christians, the big deal about Easter is the Resurrection. We can follow the example of Christians of old to take secular holidays and use them to share Christ. We don’t have to be afraid of the bunny because yall, Jesus loves every BUNNY.

SPONSORS:

Dr. T Acupuncture and Chiropractic

Rockwall Ford

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Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook