“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 (NIV)

As mothers, we have the ability to sooth little heartaches and kiss away boo-boos. But, what about when we are forced to make difficult decisions regarding our children, our relationships, our finances, our jobs or even our time?

God gives us the solution in Proverbs 2:6.

“For the LORD gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

The solution is wisdom. There are, however, two kinds of wisdom that we can obtain. One is man’s wisdom, and the other is God’s wisdom.

Man’s wisdom is based solely on the learned knowledge he possesses and on life experiences. Godly wisdom, on the other hand, is not confined to any earthly knowledge or past circumstances, because He is our all-knowing God.

Godly wisdom is what we need when we don’t know what else to do or where else to turn. The wisdom He is referring to in these two passages is Godly wisdom.

But, are you a candidate to receive this wisdom? Yes, you are. God doesn’t say if some of you lack wisdom, He says if any of you lacks wisdom. There are no educational prerequisites or degrees required, just faith.

God knows we are in need of Godly wisdom every day in many areas of our lives. This is why He told us to ask Him for it, and He will give it to us generously.

Prayer Time: Ask God to give you wisdom and understanding for making decisions in every area of your life and to help you use that wisdom to also aid others around you when they are in difficult times.

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Posted on April 5th, 2009 in Mom's Corner | One Comment

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The scenario: You have just polished off the last of your paycheck. You go to the mailbox and your semi-annual car insurance payment is due, and you just realized that your favorite nephew’s birthday is next week. What do you do? Panic!

Many times when we figure our budgets, we forget about those things that only come up once, twice, three or four times a year. Well, there is no reason to have to panic when these times come.

The formula to ward off panic

List out any expenses that come around only a few times a year. Here are a few suggestions that may apply to you:

• Real estate property tax
• Home owners insurance
• Auto insurance, or other insurance premiums
• Regular subscriptions and dues
• Doctor or dental checkups not covered by insurance
• Car tags
• Termite bond and/or pest control fees
• Birthdays
• Christmas

Once you have listed these items determine and jot down approximately how much each one will cost you during the course of a year.

Divide your total by the number of paychecks you receive in a year: 52, 26, etc.

The amount that you come up with is how much you should take out of your paycheck each pay period. Then, put this money into a special savings account specifically to pay for these items when the time comes.

Now, I know that this may sound like a lot of money to take out of your check and put into savings. But, remember, you have to come up with the money regardless, in either smaller increments over time or in a large lump sum at once. Which sounds more logical?

By using this method, you will be able to remain completely calm when those, once unexpected or forgotten, bills come in the mail. Plus this will keep you from having to put Christmas, birthday gifts or any of those other expenses on your credit card.

It’s all about thinking and preparing ahead.

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Posted on April 4th, 2009 in Money Matters | No Comments

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So, there you are in the grocery store with the kids, one is asking for everything he sees, and the other is crying for reasons unknown to you. Has this ever happened to you? Well, I’ll say, it has for me on more than one occasion.

Obviously, we can’t always predict what our kids moods will be on any specific day or in any particular situation. This being the case, I figured out that the best thing to do on shopping days is to be as prepared as possible before I ever leave the house.

Here are a few things that help me survive my weekly shopping trips. Just to let you know, I do most of these things regularly.

1. Go first thing in the morning or after a nap - The last thing you want to deal with while you are trying to decide which brand of toilet paper you want to buy this week is a sleepy kid. If she’s bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, she’s much more likely to remain calm and happy.
2. Make sure no one is hungry - If you don’t feed junior before you take him to the place where he is going to see food, food and more food - well, you know that can’t possibly make for a peaceful trip.
3. Go during the week - Instead of trying to fight the crowds on the weekend, try going during the week, if possible. It is amazing how much faster you can get in and get out. The grocery aisles are a lot less busy and you’re not having to wait forever in a check-out lane.
4. List groceries by aisle - Making my grocery list by aisle has to be one of the best things I have ever done to make my shopping easier. It will tremendously cut down the time you spend in the store.
5. Dress children accordingly - Sometimes stores, especially grocery stores, tend to be a little chilly. So, even if it is the middle of summer and you know that your little ones tend to get cold, bring along a light jacket or long sleeve shirt. A cold toddler can make for a grouchy toddler.
6. Brings snacks and a sippy - Even if my 1 1/2 year old has just had lunch, when she sees food, she wants to eat again. I’ve learned to pack a little something in a sandwich bag for her to nibble on. Don’t forget the sippy, though, food and no drink is no good.
7. Let the little one hold something - To occupy the little one’s mind, try letting him hold something that you will be purchasing. Of course, make sure that it is unbreakable, and not dangerous to your child.
8. Explain to older children your expectations - Let children, that are old enough to understand, know where you are going and how you expect them to behave, before you get to the store. My son acts much better if he feels that he knows what is going on and that he is not just along for the ride.
9. Get the kids involved - Older kids can be a great help if you let them. When you need something off the bottom shelf, ask them to carefully grab it for you. They will feel useful and needed, and you won’t have to bend over. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.
10. Don’t over do it - Doing too much shopping in one day can be very exhausting even for adults. For kids, especially when they are bored out of their minds, it can be even more overwhelming. Take it a little at a time and all parties involved will be much happier at the end of the day.

Shopping with kids isn’t always the easiest or the most fun event in our lives. However, many times it is necessary. But, by following some, or all, of these tips, it can make the trip a whole lot smoother.

Unfortunately, there are no magic tricks or spells that can make every shopping trip with kids trouble-free. Just think, if there were, we would miss out on those wild and crazy stories that begin, “you won’t believe what she did the other day at the grocery store.”

What tips do you have that help make shopping with kids easier for you?

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Posted on April 3rd, 2009 in Kids and Family | 9 Comments

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