5 In Faith/ Family/ Motherhood/ My Journey

My BAD habit…and why Mary and Martha really BUG me!

I have a hard time being “still.” My mind is always thinking and my hands are always moving. There’s always more work to be done than there is the time in the day. I have a job that I love where people depend on me. At home, the laundry and dishes are never done. There are always crumbs on the floor and hungry boys to feed. I have a really hard time sitting and being still.

This is why the story of Mary and Martha has always bugged me (Luke 10:38:42). If you aren’t familiar with the story, Jesus comes to the home of Mary and Martha. Martha is the one doing all the work and Mary is just sitting by Jesus. Martha asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her. Jesus tells Martha that MARY has chosen what is BETTER!!!!

I read this and thought, “What?! Doesn’t Jesus understand? Why did he say that Mary was making the better choice? Mary was just SITTING down! Not doing anything productive. She was just sitting at Jesus’ feet.”

I want to say, “Jesus, that’s not fair! You wouldn’t have LUNCH if it weren’t for Martha. The house wouldn’t be clean and presentable if it weren’t for Martha. How could a person just SIT in this situation? Tell Mary to get up and HELP!!”

However, I’m beginning to understand why Jesus said Mary made the better choice. She chose relationships over tasks. She chose people over projects.

I went from being irritated by this story to being so grateful that I follow a Jesus who invites us to rest. To sit. To listen. Jesus doesn’t need us to do anything for him. He just wants a relationship with us. Martha was doing so much, working so hard – for Him! Yet Jesus said that Mary chose what was better. Mary was sitting at his feet, listening. Growing in her relationship with Him.

That story would always sting because I’m Martha. I choose to get work done when I could be connecting with my kids. My husband comes home from a long day at work and I continue to stay focused on a task (or hand him a list of things to do) rather than just stopping to connect, to make eye contact and ask about his day.

Ouch. Sorry Ted.

I’m learning that it’s good to be still. It’s okay that the house stays messy so I can invest in my kids. The dishes and laundry will eventually get done (or not?), but people are the only things that are eternal. My children need me to be present and engaged. My husband needs my heart and attention. Jesus wants me to ‘sit at his feet’ so that He can refresh my soul.

Mary chose what was better because she chose to stop, listen, and get to know Jesus.

Today I’m choosing to be more like Mary. I will STOP what I’m doing, look my husband and children in the eyes…LISTEN to them and TALK with them. That is the better choice.

Today I choose RELATIONSHIPS and CONNECTION over tasks.

I choose PEOPLE over projects.

Have you found yourself trying to just “get stuff done”? What have you found that helps you overcome this and just “BE STILL?”

February 28, 2018 By Kathryn

2 In Family/ Making money/ Marriage

Six Tips for a Stronger Marriage

Help Friends! Today we have a special guest post. My good friend Corey is about to celebrate 25 years of marriage and is sharing what makes a great marriage. I hope you love this as much as I do!

“A good marriage isn’t something you find; it’s something you make…and you have to keep on making it.” – Gary Thomas

Hiya! I’m Corey. I’m a friend of Kathryn’s, a mom of two teen boys, a lover of dark chocolate, a scrapbooker, a recent transplant to Minnesota, and a wife who’s married to her high school sweetheart.

I met my husband, Jeff, on the first day of cross country practice in 10th grade. A couple of years later we started dating seriously and this summer we’ll celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. During those 25 years, we’ve had our ups and downs, moved around the country, faced serious injuries and illnesses, and discovered you can love each other more today than yesterday. In no particular order, here’s what I’ve learned about building a happy marriage:

1. One bank account.

All of our money, whether it’s my paycheck or a bonus he gets at work, goes into one account. We’re in this together and all our money is OUR money. It means that we have to agree on how to spend it and that’s a good thing.

2. A hobby or three.

We love seeing movies, camping, and playing board games. Right now we’re having a great time seeing Oscar nominated movies together and talking about who we think should win. (If you haven’t seen The Shape of Water, it’s unusual and beautiful). When our boys were little, they consumed most of our time and energy. As they’ve gotten older, it’s been important that Jeff and I have things in common to do and talk about that don’t revolve around our boys.

3. Agreed upon rules for fighting.

Ours: no name calling, no leaving the house, no dredging up past hurts. Jeff gets the credit for this and it’s made a world of difference. Disagreements are inevitable so knowing what’s in bounds and out of bounds makes sure that those fights don’t escalate or cause damage.

4. 10:1

There’s research that shows that you should offer your spouse ten times as many positive comments as negative ones. We notice the little things we do for each other and call them out every day. When Jeff stopped by the grocery store to pick up my almond milk yesterday, I thanked him and let him know it made me feel cared for. It’s easy to take each other for granted and remembering to express gratefulness for each other feels wonderful!

5. Different is good.

One of the things I loved first about Jeff is that he’s spontaneous and fun. One summer day in college, he came by my apartment on the spur of the moment to pick me up and spend the day at WaterWorld. It was so fun and unexpected! He loved that I’m planful and organized. When we moved from Colorado to Florida for grad school, I rented the moving truck, found us apartments to look at, and did research on our new home state. But over the years the very things that attracted us to each other inevitably drive the other one kinda crazy. He doesn’t put things back where he found them and I get stressed when things don’t go according to my plan. But when I’m facing a difficult situation and can’t see the solution, Jeff can often see it because he thinks differently than I do.

6. Build a support network.

Long term marriages are precious and rare. I’ve found it helpful to talk to other couples, particularly those who have weathered tough times. Over the summer I had a great opportunity to spend time with Kathryn’s in-laws, Kevin & Shirley, and they were generous in answering my questions about how they’ve kept their marriage strong. Marriages evolve over time and learning how other couples have handled challenges has been insightful.

I’d love to hear from you. What works for you? What have you discovered about how to have a great marriage?

February 26, 2018 By Kathryn

2 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Family/ Motherhood/ My Journey/ Raising boys

A Peek into our Week(end)

Today the weather is COLD, but we had a BEAUTIFUL weekend in Colorado Springs!

Saturday we went exploring in Garden of the Gods. Paul found a large hole and decided that, “a bear must live there…but he’s out hiking right now.” (Watch out for the hiking bear!)

Thankfully, we never found the hiking bear, but we did find a herd of Big Horn Sheep!

A purchaser from Garden of the Gods trading post asked me to drop off a copy of my book so that she could review it to consider selling in their store! We dropped it off and then went to our favorite spot to take in the view. George watched his VERY first sunset and was SO excited! He said, “Did you see that? The sun just dropped behind the mountain, that was SOOO cool!” I love experiencing things through my kids eyes!

At home, Clark built his own Bear Cave:

Sunday we went to the Cottonwood Creek Rec Center – it’s part of the YMCA, so as members of the Y, we get to use this awesome facility. It’s almost as nice as Great Wolf Lodge!

That afternoon lots of the neighborhood kids played in our cul-de-sac while the parents gathered to catch up and chat.

Monday the kids were out of school for President’s day so we met some friends and played at Monkey Bizness. Afterwards we came home and made some cookies. While Luke napped, George and I edited a video for their YouTube Channel – Free Range Eglys.

What did you do over the weekend!? Leave me a comment!

February 22, 2018 By Kathryn

2 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Family/ My Journey/ Raising boys

A Peek into our Week

Saturday was a day we were going all different directions! I went to a friend’s baby shower in the morning, then took the 3 big boys to a birthday party at SkyZone. Luke and I ran errands while they were at the party. That evening I spent some time with my Help Club friends, celebrating their birthdays. We had a great dinner then made Bath Bombs together.

Can I give you moms a tip? If your kids fight you on bath time – introduce them to The Bath Bomb. All the sudden, bath time becomes the best time!

Sunday we went to church where Pastor Brady taught on Psalm 23. After church I made some snacks for the Super Bowl game. We set up a table in the living room (Clark’s request – he wanted to eat and not miss a second of the game). I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the game! I can’t believe that the Eagles beat the Patriots.

Monday the boys went to school and Luke and I went to the store, then I let him play and eat at ChickFila. That evening we did homework and the boys played outside. The weather here has felt like spring and I love it!

Luke Loves Chick Fil A – especially their ice cream.

Unfortunately, Monday night we lost a great man named Micah Flick. Micah is local police detective, a father, and husband and was shot while serving our city. He, his wife and two children attended New Life and are a precious family. I am heart broken for them. However, I have been astounded by how our community is gathering around them with love and support. One of our moms from church has created a spread sheet for Micah’s wife with information on every person who has expressed an interested in supporting her long term! The sheet includes our names, numbers and how we will help. Our church and the local police force are setting aside money for the family as well. These are the times when I see how important it is to be a part of a community.

Tuesday I stopped by the Garden of The Gods Trading Post (the largest and oldest gift shop in Colorado) to talk to them about carrying my book. Unfortunately, the person I needed to speak to was not there. I got her info and emailed her and she said she does want to get a copy of the book to review for the store! After that, I drove over to New Life to get some work done until Luke was done with preschool.

Tuesday evening I took George to Cotillion where he’s learning manners, etiquette, and ballroom dancing. I love watching these young men and women learn to be leaders!

Wednesday I worked for part of the day, then picked the boys up from school. One of our favorite restaurants, Larkburger, was having a customer appreciation day. If you wore green, you got a free side item with your sandwich. We went during happy hour (3-5pm every day) – so the sandwiches are only $3! Then we got some incredible Truffle Fries and Edamame for free!! My friend Leah and her children met us there. We posted pictures on instagram with #LarkBurgerLove because they will choose one of the posts and give that person free food for a year! With four sons – I can use all the free food I can get.

After dinner, I dropped the kids and some food off for Ted, and went back to New Life for “First Wednesday.” It’s a monthly night of worship (and a few words from one of our pastors). It was extra special this week as we mourned the loss of Micah and worshiped God in spite of the pain.

Thursday, George and I both woke up not feeling that well. We took some Tylenol and I felt completely better and it helped George a little. In fourth grade, they do most of their work on iPads and computers and he knows that being on electronics make his head feel worse, so I let him stay home and hang out with me. We took Luke to preschool and took copies of “Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore!” to the first store in town that asked to carry my books! Why Not Books? is a cute bookstore that specializes in used books and new books by local authors! George and I found a couple books to buy and left some to sell!!

Next, went to Safeway and George was so excited that the “monopoly” game is back. With every purchase you make at Safeway, you get little prize tickets. George is SURE that we are going to win a million dollars. (I like his positivity!) He’s also decided that we are going to divide it equally between the six of us since he’s the one taking care of the tickets. Clark is hoping we will win a sports car. I’m wishing for a family vacation (but I’d happily take a million dollars)!

That evening we tried out Prime Jui Juitsu. George, Clark and Paul all got to participate in a class together. They loved it. I loved it! Not only do they teach self-defense, but they work with them on respect, team work, and your attitude. The teachers were incredible and if it weren’t so dang expensive, I would have signed them up that night! (However, if we win that million…)

Friday Luke and I stayed home and cleaned. Ugh, I hate cleaning. I mean, I LOVE a CLEAN house, but don’t like that it’s a NEVER-ENDING JOB! Thankfully, a sweet girl named Idera came and helped me to earn money for an upcoming missions trip she’s taking.

That afternoon we went to Clark’s school to watch his 2nd grade performance.

George and his friends, waiting at school for Clark’s performance

Friday night I trained several new volunteers for New Life and then heard Andrew preach on Psalm 22 – a great message on mourning. So timely for this difficult week.

Saturday was Deputy Micah Flick’s funeral at New LIfe Church. I was overwhelmed to tears with the number of Police Officers that came to show their love and respect for him (thousands!). The staff at New Life set up every room in the church with breakfast, snacks, lunch, pastries and hot coffee for all of the officers. I had the honor of hosting a room set up for Micah’s team – the men and women who were his partners – who were there on the night he died. Please pray for them as you pray for Micah’s family. They considered Micah a brother and are hurting. The service was powerful and I was so thankful to be a part of such a beautiful day.

Thanks for stopping by! I’d love for YOU to share with me something about your week. You can leave a comment by clicking on that little box beside the title of this post.

February 10, 2018 By Kathryn

6 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Family/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Colorado

Our Saturday adventure at the Siamese Twins!

Saturday was a beautiful, sunny day and we wanted to get out and enjoy it!

We went to Garden of the Gods and found our favorite spot … well, we have lots of favorite spots…so we went to ONE of our favorite spots…the Siamese twins.

Siamese Twins (and can you spot Ted?)

It’s an easy hike, but off the beaten path!

Here are more pictures from our hike around Siamese Twins:

My favorite grown man and four little men!

Being outside feeds our souls. We love living in Colorado!

What feeds YOUR soul? Leave me a comment!

January 28, 2018 By Kathryn

0 In Faith/ Family/ Motherhood/ Raising boys

The Awesome Jar

Tattling. Tattle-telling. Whatever you want to call it – it’s been around since the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:12-14). I haven’t found a way to stop my boys from pointing out what their brothers have done wrong, but my husband and I found a tool that helps them watch for a what they are doing RIGHT!

We use something called the “Awesome Jar.”

We stumbled upon the idea of the Awesome Jar and have used it in our family to help us live out Philippians 4:8. To notice and call out things that are excellent, praiseworthy, right, noble and admirable.

The Awesome Jar is just a glass container that sits on our counter. My husband and sons decorated it with stickers and some duct tape!

Awesome Jar

We use this Jar to celebrate the good things in our day. When something happens that is admirable, excellent or praiseworthy, my kids, my husband or I will write it down on a slip of paper and add it to the Jar. You’d think we’d remember all these good things, but somehow we forget. This “AWESOME” Jar is a like our “remember the good” Jar. It’s a way to highlight the small wins and bright spots that occur throughout the day.

Recently on my son George’s 10th birthday we put a note in our family’s Awesome Jar that simply says: “Clark’s birthday Surprise for George.” Let me tell you about it. Clark, my 8-year-old, gathered the neighbor kids and gave them each a gift bag. Each of the kids put random (used) toys in each bag, placed them by our front door, rang the door bell, then hid. When George answered the door, they all jumped out and shouted, “SURPRISE…Happy Birthday!” George opened the silly gifts, and we all laughed about each one and enjoyed a few minutes there on our porch – brothers and neighbors. It was awesome!

Every few weeks we sit down and pull out the notes from our Awesome Jar and “relive” those sweet moments. It also reinforces to my kids what they’ve done right. It encourages them to keep thinking about these things, doing these things, and looking for times when their brothers are doing these things!

Find a container and make it your family’s AWESOME Jar. Make it a habit to add one thing each day. It might be something like:

“(My son) cleaned up the play room without being asked.”
– or –
“(My daughter) befriended the new girl at school.”

If it was a really hard day, then you have even more reason to pause for a moment, reflect on the day, and identify at least one thing for which you are grateful. Was it an event, a moment or a person? Write it down and put it in the jar.

When you look for the GOOD, you will find it! And the more “good” things you notice today, the more you will notice tomorrow. Not only YOU, but your CHILDREN as well. My sons have started to say, “Mom, did you see/hear that, it should go in the Awesome Jar!”

Do they still tattle? Yes. But they are also noticing and calling out things that are excellent, praiseworthy, right, noble and admirable! And that is AWESOME!

____________________________________________________________________________

I was honored to be asked by Homefront to write an article for their magazine. Homefront Magazine equips parents to create fun, spiritually forming times in their homes. This magazine helps re-center our focus and align our priorities to what is best! It’s filled with helpful articles and activities that equip us to become the parents that we want to be!

Check out the Homefront website for good articles, game suggestions, and printables. You can also subscribe to the magazine or buy a digital copy from their site. I love receiving my copy each month! It’s the only magazine that I read cover to cover.

January 25, 2018 By Kathryn

4 In Book Review/ Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Family/ Giveaway/ Product Recommendations

Book Blitz – Signed copies Only $10 (shipped!), plus a GIVEAWAY

Hey Friends! To celebrate the fact that you can buy Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore directly from my blog – I am holding a BOOK BLITZ!!!!

You can order as many books as you’d like for only $10 each – I will cover the shipping fees and taxes! This deal with last for 14 days or until the 200 I have in stock are gone!

Buy it now for:

friends,
teachers,
your office,
nieces and nephews,
your child’s school library,
your public library,
grandchildren, or
CLIENTS!

I will personally sign each book, ship them to wherever you’d like (within the US) and let the receiver know that the gift is from YOU!

Just click BUY MY BOOK

(at the top of this page)!

When ordering, leave a comment to let me know who I should sign the book to. Locals can pay upon delivery.

Click HERE to read a recent article about the book!

GIVEAWAY!

I will be GIVING away a signed copies! How do you enter? Just SHARE this post (via the social icons below), then leave me a comment letting me know where you shared it (twitter, facebook, email – one entry for every platform)! I will have the Magnificent Four choose names on Sunday, February 4th. One name will be drawn for every 10 shares!

WINNER is KRISTALL W! Congrats Kristall!

Happy Shopping and Sharing! And thank you so very much for your support!

Kathryn

January 21, 2018 By Kathryn

3 In Family/ Motherhood/ Product Recommendations/ Raising boys

Power of a Praying Mom

Mama, are you tired?

Do you ever wonder if you are failing?

Do you feel like you just aren’t enough for this ‘mom’ job?

Jesus understands what you are going through! He had 12 disciples and I imagine it felt to Jesus like having 12 children. Now granted, they were all potty trained and dressed themselves but still…

they didn’t always listen to him,
they fought over who was his favorite
they fell asleep when he desperately needed their help.
one ultimately betrayed him.

Jesus gets it. He understands our exhaustion and frustrations. He wants to help us.

Here are some ways to partner with him throughout the day.

MORNING:

Start the day with “Help.”

Help me to be the mom you want me to be. Speak through me. Love through me. Help me to be PRESENT and engaged. Holy Spirit fill me. (Holy Spirit is God in us!)

Try to start the day by getting up a few minutes before your kids. If that’s a struggle for you (it is for me!) Ask God for help! He will help you get up so you can have a few minutes to spend with Him, to fill YOUR tank, before you give all day long.

AFTERNOON:

Just like we prefer a mid-day cup of coffee…don’t forget your midday cry for HELP!

God is available all day long. When you are tired, He gives your Strength. When you need wisdom, ASK! The Holy Spirit will reveal things you need to know about your children.

NIGHT:

Start the night with “HELP!”

Night can be so hard. I am so exhausted by the time I put my four boys to bed. But bedtime is an important time to invest in your children. Kids are most vulnerable at bedtime. They will suddenly share things that they haven’t said all day. I take time to climb into bed with each of my boys – to listen, sing a song and say a prayer.

My mom did the same thing with us and it brings back such sweet memories.

Me in the center, my mom on the left, & 3 of my 4 sisters.

Let me share an awesome story about how our nightly prayer time had an impact on one of my boys.

Each night when I prayed with George, I prayed 5 Ls. I asked that God would help him to be:

– a strong LEADER,

– a good LISTENER,

– a fast LEARNER, and

– to know God’s LOVE and show God’s LOVE.

I got his report card and his teacher wrote that George has “Enthusiasm for LEARNING, is a superstar LISTENER and is a Kind to his classmates!”

It thrills my heart to see how God is answering our prayers.

Not only do our prayers cause heaven to work on our behalf; we are inspiring our kids and reminding them of who God has made them to be!

Through our nightly prayers, my boys are reminded that that are Leaders, Listeners, Learners – boys who know God’s LOVE and show God’s Love!

What NOT to pray: SHAMING PRAYERS!

“Forgive my son for being a BAD boy!”

Pon’t do that! That will make your children feel ashamed and NOT want to turn to God when they mess up.

What TO PRAY:

Pray prayers that inspire and encourage your children. Prayers that give them something to live up to! “Thank you Lord for making my son Strong and Courageous, Kind and Bold!”
Pray Scriptures with them and over them!

God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind! 2 Tim 1:7

My favorite prayer book is The Power of a Prayer Parent. I received this book as a gift from my sister Kara when I was pregnant with my first son in 2007. I’ve read it over and over since then. It gives you specific and powerful prayers to pray over children. It teaches you how to pray for your children. I love this book.

Remember that God chose YOU to be the mom to your children and wants to help you be the best mama that you can be! If you have a bad day, that’s ok, we all do. We get a new start every day. Please know that You are loved by your heavenly father, you are chosen! You have what it takes. You’ve got this!

Please feel free to leave me your prayer request in the comments section (the little box to the right of the title) and I will pray for you!

Don’t forget to subscribe (in the column on the right) so that my posts come directly to you via email!

Love,

Kathryn

(The link to the book is an affiliate link, which means if you choose to purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you!)

January 15, 2018 By Kathryn

2 In Colorado/ Family/ Motherhood/ My Journey/ Things to do in Colorado

Goals for 2018

I haven’t been good about setting goals for myself in the past, but in 2017 I set 3 goals:

Read 40 books
Launch a blog by September 1
Publish a book by the end of the year

Somehow, 2017 ended up being a year that I did all three! I launched a blog (on September 1), read lots of great books, and published my first book! WOW!!! This goal stuff might actually work! So…

Here are my goals for 2018!

1. Personal Goals

Market my book
Continue writing –
- 2 posts per week for this blog,
- Bible Studies for the Help Club and
- articles for Homefront Magazine,
- and write new drafts for my next children’s book
explore new places – Aspen, Telluride, Cave of the Winds, Crag, Paint Mines, Wolf Sanctuary
Keep learning – podcasts, classes, books, etc

2. Marriage Goals

Go on a monthly date with my husband
Go on an overnight with just the two of us

3. Motherhood Goals

Stay ENGAGED, present with my sons – enjoying each moment (It’s going by so quickly!)
Spend one-on-one time with each one

4. Ministry Goals

Build relationships with kids and volunteers
Invest in current volunteers
Personally invite 50 more people to serve

Leave a comment with a goal you have for 2018 (Little box beside the title of this post)!

Don’t forget to subscribe (on the right under my picture)!

December 30, 2017 By Kathryn

7 In Family/ Joy

The Merry in My Christmas, the Jingle in my Bell…

Our First Christmas, 2001

You are the Merry to my Christmas,

The tinsel on my tree,

The jingle in my bell,

The holly to my jolly,

The joy in my world.

The nut to my cracker,

The ginger in my bread,

The love of my life!

Our 16th Christmas

Our Christmas Card

Sending love your way!

Leave me a comment and tell me something special about your holiday!

December 26, 2017 By Kathryn

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