Tag Archives: stay-at-home mom

January 28, 2013 · 6:00 am

He Speaks through the Moon

I’ve been thinking a lot about the future.

Hubby and I have been discussing what needs to happen with our family financially, especially because we have baby #3 on the way.

When I quit my job as a teacher six years ago, I did so with the understanding that one day I would go back to teaching, but at the earliest only when all of our children were in school.

But lately I’ve been reconsidering that. It’s getting a bit more difficult to live off of one salary, as many of you know.

So I’ve been praying about returning to work, even part time, to help support the family.

This is not something I desire to do right now– the desire of my heart is to continue being a stay-at-home mom, especially while my children are small.

So with discernment in mind, I’ve been praying and seeking wisdom.

And God has been speaking.

The other day I was reading a book about raising boys, and the chapter on mothers and sons spoke to me loud and clear– it was all about the importance of being a stay-at-home mom if at all possible.

Confirmation? I didn’t think so, but it certainly made me want to consider every last option before returning to work.

And then, the other night, God spoke to me through my oldest son.

My husband and sons and I were driving home from my parents’ house where we’d enjoyed a wonderful dinner for my birthday. The moon was very, very bright, and my sons were enthralled.

The conversation quickly turned to all things outer space, with my three year-old declaring that he wants to be an astronaut when he grows up.

I chimed in with the following: “You know, Mommy has always loved space. I wanted to be an astronaut when I was a little girl.”

My six year-old then spoke with unknown wisdom. “But Mama, you’re a mommy and you’re what God wants you to be.”

My heart was moved. With no idea what I’d been praying about, my son gave me the confirmation I’ve been looking for through a conversation that began about the moon.

I’ll do everything I can to remain at home with them. I’ll work from home, if possible, but I’m not going to give up on being at home just yet.

I am a stay-at-home mom because God called me to it out of a career that I loved. Who knew I’d love being a full-time mom even more.

With that calling comes faith– the faith that God will provide.

Share with me: How has God spoken to you lately? What verses have brought you hope?

Not bored with me yet?? I’m guest posting over on Lindsay Harrel’s blog today. It’s a fun post about marriage and I hope you’ll check it out! 🙂

18 Comments

Filed under The Christian Walk

Tagged as faith, moon, stay-at-home mom, wisdom

May 11, 2012 · 6:00 am

Moms, Stop Being Catty

Uh oh.

I’m dusting off that old wooden soapbox and taking my place atop it, fired up about a topic that really, really gets my goat every time.

Totally off topic, where do those random phrases come from? “Gets my goat, stuck in my craw, etc…” Yeah, I guess I need to research that.

Anywho, back to my soapbox issue.

I’m a stay-at-home mom and I know that many of you are, too.

So, SAHMs of the world, unite with me in screaming from the rooftops:

WHAT I DO IS A FULL TIME JOB!!

It’s a full time job and then some, right?

So where do people get off, especially women who work, in assuming that stay at home moms have tons of time on their hands, and maybe (dare I say it?) don’t actually DO anything?

Grrrr.

I’m annoyed. Can you tell?

More than once this week I’ve had different women make offhanded comments about me having tons of time, eating bon-bons, taking naps, and not having to “work” because I’m a SAHM.

Ye-ouch. Yeah, that gets me fighting mad because you know as well as I do that their idea of what a stay-at-home mom does is far from reality.

Because not only am I a full time mom, maid, cook, laundress, teacher, babysitter, nurse, shopper, imagination leader, disciplinarian, tutor, housekeeper, chauffeur, coach, and wife (yeah, that’s a whole other set of duties), I’m also a full time writer, bookkeeper, volunteer, room mom, and yeah, occasionally I like to work in a few hobbies, like reading.

I’ve been a working mom. I DO have the experience to compare the two worlds and I will tell you that without a doubt, I had far more time for things when I had a paying job.

SAHMs- have you ever noticed that because you stay home, the people who assume you have tons of time actually call on you MORE in order to get stuff done? More positions at church need filling. More school functions need desserts and bodies to man tables. More volunteer organizations want you.

Wonderful. I’ve had to learn how to say no, because if I didn’t, I’d never actually get to see my family.

Yeah, I’m ranting. I’m ranting on behalf of the zillions of women who are stay-at-home moms.

The moral of the story: It’s not a competition.

The vast majority of moms that I know work really hard, whether they stay home with their kids or only get to see their kids after work and on weekends. It’s not a contest. Being a woman is an over-worked, under appreciated position, but one that has more joy in it than we women often take advantage of.

So ladies, instead of looking down on each other for our career choices and positions in life, why not build each other up?

Have you told a SAHM you know how much her kids will appreciate her? Have you told a working mom you know how much her kids will appreciate her? Have you told either of them what a good job she is doing?

Reach across the aisle, SAHMs and Working Moms. Unite under the banner of motherhood, because it’s a great place to be.

Share with me: Do you have hot-button issues that really make you nuts?

11 Comments

Filed under Parenting

Tagged as motherhood, stay-at-home mom

May 26, 2011 · 7:35 pm

I am a writer.

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. -Psalm 37:4

Once again, God has taken my calm, “planned,” mapped-out life that is driven by my Type-A personality and given it a good shake, which never ceases to surprise and amaze me with results that are always way outside of what I could have imagined for myself.

As many of you know, my professional career began in the classroom. I was a high school History and Social Studies teacher; a career that I loved and would like to return to at some point. However, once my oldest son came along, I felt the Lord leading me to step away from my job and become a stay-at-home mom.

I’ve always been an avid reader. I can devour an 800 page novel in no time, which really sort of freaks my husband out. I particularly like the genre of inspirational (Christian) fiction, and for years I’d read a book and then think to myself, “I can do this.” So, awhile back, I tried it. Yep, I wrote a novel. A couple of them, actually.

After much prayer and consideration, I sent my novels out and with much excitement, signed with an amazing literary agent who is currently shopping one of my novels while I work on getting the other ready and busily create new stories to be published.

So, once again my life has taken an unexpected, wonderful, exciting turn. I am a writer. I am a write-from-home mom. Hopefully you will soon be able to purchase one of my novels at your local bookstore (or download it, for you e-reader people). In the meantime, here is what I need you to do for me: I would love and appreciate your support and your prayers as my family and I embark on this journey. The world of publishing is a wonderful, frustrating one that comes with many highs and lows, but can be an amazing place to be in ministry and glorify the Lord.

I hope to be the kind of writer that creates not only inspirational historical and contemporary fiction, but brings a little reality to the world of cookie-cutter, predictable fiction. There are some amazing authors out there, and I hope to one day be blessed enough to be among them. Until then, please continue to support my blog, follow me on Twitter, follow me on Facebook, and let your friends know about the things I’m writing here.

Thanks!!
xoxo
~Jennifer K. Hale

*PS- I hope this news now explains to many of my friends and family why I seem to be at my computer so much. It’s not because I have hours to goof around on facebook (ha!). It is, of course, because I’m writing whenever possible. Thanks for your support!

*PPS (or is it PSS?) Help me out with your prayers and support and I promise to give you little tastes of whatever I’m working on. 🙂