Giveaway at Eternal Encouragement & SALE!

Just a quick note to my readers!  Eternal Encouragement has partnered with 10 different companies for a GREAT Giveaway! 

Here are the prizes!



§  First Place Winner will receive a Kindle Fire AND a $100.00 gift certificateto the Eternal Encouragement Shop.

§  Second Place Winner will receive a Nook Simple Touch eBook Reader (Wi-Fi Only) and a $50.00 gift certificate to the Eternal Encouragement Shop.

§  Third Place Winner will receive a $50 Amazon card and a $25.00 gift certificate to the Eternal Encouragement Shop.

§  Fourth through Tenth Place Winners will receive $25.00 gift certificate to the Eternal Encouragement Shop.

Also, over at the Eternal Encouragement shop EVERY product is 50% off!  What a GREAT time to get some of the things you have wanted!  This sale is only through Friday the 8th at midnight! Read More

Creating Contentment - Eternal Encouragement Seminar

Lorrie Flem started Eternal Encouragement back in 1997.  She is the proud mother to 8 children and wife to Randy.  She has published a magazine (which is now available online!), written books, spoken at conferences and retreats, and made many audios and videos that are designed to encourage women.

I can't even begin to tell you how much I needed this seminar.  Creating Contentment - it almost seems impossible to do in this day and age where it is modeled that you can only be content when you have stuff and things are perfect in your life.  But situations aren't perfect and there will always be the next best thing.  Whether it is a car, mp3 player, cell phone, computer, tablet, there is always something new on the horizon.

So how then can one be content with all those things floating around there?  Well in her online seminar, called Creating Contentment, Lorrie details 14 ways to create contentment.  Each one, while very simple to do, is very effective! 

In the beginning of the seminar she gives information about how the Bible talks about being content.  Every verse she gives is so powerful.  She uses one of my favorite verses.  Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) 6 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  I think we rely so much on ourselves and forget that it's God who is in control.  We try to make ourselves happy and that leads to being discontent.  We aren't perfect so in essence we let ourselves down.  But God is perfect!  He will never fail us!  Things may not happen when WE want them to, but all things are perfect in His timing. 

The 2nd half of the seminar is focused on the 14 ways to create contentment.  I won't give you all of them, but just one or two to get you started till you can get this seminar. 

Two of the biggest ones that struck me most to Trust and Perceptive Improvement. 

Trusting means you know that HE will always provide what you need!  Note I said need and not want.  There is a big difference.  The car needs new tires for the winter, but I don't need a new car for the winter.  (though 4-wheel drive would be nice in the winter)  God always provides what we need!  When my husband was let go from the company he had been with for 9 years and I was also on maternity leave for our 2nd son.  To find out that we had no income (I had a limited amount from short-term disability) and we weren't sure what unemployment would bring in for us.  It was a scary time.  It was also the year that we started homeschooling.  Talk about a lot going on.  I admit, I was quite stressed staying home and not working.  I know Darren was too.  But we trusted that God was going to get us through.  He always provided a way for us.  Whether it was a donation from my parents Sunday School class (I still remember crying when we got the letter from them and their generous gift), or someone dropping off groceries, or just someone to talk to, He always provided.  So Trust Him!  He will never fail you.

The 2nd thing was Perceptive Improvement.  Lorrie says this "The outward circumstances of our lives may or may not change, but our perspective of them can."  I think that goes along with Trusting Him.  While it took a long 5 months, we tried to keep a positive outlook of what was going on.  God had the perfect job waiting for Darren.  It just wasn't one of the 100's he had applied for nor the 25+ he interviewed for at the time.  We tried our best to keep positive.  It wasn't always easy and there were days that I doubted and went into a funk over the whole situation.  But God was in control and I tried to focus on that as much as possible.  Darren was really a rock during those hard days.  I see now how God used him to show me how to be strong.

I will admit that it can be very hard to be content.  I know I have a list of things right now that I would love to have.  But will they make me any more content/happy?  Most likely not.  But after listening to Lorrie's seminar and writing things down, I feel that I have a lot more control with being more content in my life.  Now to put these things into practice so I can work on being more content in my life.

If you would like to purchase the Creating Contentment Online Seminar click here.  It is just $3.00!  What a DEAL!  You get the seminar and a pdf of the slides.  The slides show ALL the scripture references and 14 ways to Create Contentment.

Also, Lorrie is releasing another seminar on March 1st!  I can't wait!  This one is called True Womanhood is Not for Wimpy Women.  (I like that title!)  The cost for this one is $6.00  This one has 2 Videos and 1 Audio file!  Plus you get a pdf of all the scripture references!  What a GREAT deal! 

 ** I was given this product in exchange for my honest review of the product and was not compensated in any other way. 

 

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Can I get a little help please?!?

Mom's probably have the hardest job out there in the world.  First we are privileged to be able to grow a human being for 9 months.  Those may or may not be easy.  Then comes 18 years of love, training them to grow into Godly men and women, correcting them, praying endlessly, kissing booboo's, hugs, tears and that's just the kids.  Take into running a household.  Cooking, cleaning, laundry, finances and if you homeschool, well where does the time go?!?

It isn't easy to do it all.  I am a firm believer that your children should be helping you as soon as they are able to do so.  It teaches them responsibility, accountability and to earn their keep.  It also teaches a hard work ethic which is important today and something that is often forgotten.  Today it seems more and more that children think they are entitled to things, to an easy life, to have things handed to them.

As a member of the Gabby Mom's, I am fortunate to be able to be inspired by a woman who truly cares for other women.  Lorrie recently wrote an eBook called Helping Hands at Home.  You can get it for your Kindle at Amazon.com.  As a busy mom I don't have a lot of time to devote to reading, but this was just short enough that I could squeeze it in 2-3 nights.

I loved how she gave advice on how to get your children to help clean the kitchen and bathrooms.  And believe me, with 3 boys in this house, I pretty much want them clean up their mess in the bathroom and the kitchen when they help cook.  She offers advice on how to keep you motivated.  A little each time goes a long way!  5-10 minutes every day in one room can add up over a week.  She also give you a little guideline on how to train your children.  5 steps.  So very simple. 

But don't get me wrong.  It does take time and effort on your part, but if you are consistent you can and will succeed and give your children a strong foundation.  A strong foundation is vital in all aspects of life.  It doesn't matter if it's in cleaning the bathroom, that will stick with them through life.

Something else that I loved about this book is the household cleaning recipes she includes that save my family $$!  Laundry detergent & window cleaner are a couple of the recipes!  I love saving money for my family by making this things at home.  I used to spend $20 a month just on laundry detergent!  Now I spend about $5 every 3 months.  Works out so well for us.  I have used both the liquid and powder detergent.  Both have worked well.  :)  This part alone is worth the price of the book!  By the way, did I tell you the book was $.99cents for the Kindle?  What a STEAL!

So if you are looking for a place to start your kids in helping you keep the main area's of your house clean or even just a place for you to begin and you also want to save money while taking care of your house, then Helping Hands at Home is a GREAT place to begin!

If you want to see more products of Lorrie's head over to Eternal Encouragement.  She has an online magazine and so many books, ebooks and mp3's. 


 ** I was given this product in exchange for my honest review of the product and was not compensated in any other way. Read More

Power of a Postitive Attitude

We've all heard the saying "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."  So, have you ever noticed that when you are having a bad day that your kids seem to follow?  We are their examples.  They look to us to see how we handle things that come up.  Each day provides it's new challenges.  So how can we have a better day?  More importantly, how can we have a positive attitude?

Lorrie Flem, creator of Eternal Encouragement Magazine and author to many other helps for us moms, has a Brand New product coming out.  It is called Power of a Positive Attitude.  It is several audios and notes to help you discover 1 of several ways to have a Positive Attitude.  This session covers Gratitude.  Lorrie then breaks it down even further into 3 sessions.  They are Centered & Sane (this one was important for me), Growing Gratitude & the How To's of Growing Gratitude.

Each session's notes were great in helping me write down things that I definitely wanted to remember.  Sometimes I tell myself that I'll write it down later.  Then as things go on, I forget...Having notes is such a benefit!  Plus there are extra Bible verses and little exercises to do at the end of each session.

I think the one thing that really struck me was when Lorrie said that I am the one who sets the tone in my household.  There are many days when I feel grumpy and I have seen it pass to my kids.  And then I blame them for my grumpiness!  I am setting a poor example for my kids and then getting frustrated when they act the same way I do.  I have also noticed the polar opposite too.  When the day starts off right and things are going well, the kids seem to be happier and enjoyable.  What a difference my attitude makes!

I want to set the tone to have a good day and listening to these sessions by Lorrie and having the notes to fill in gave me a good starting point.

If you are interested in learning more and purchasing this product, it will be available November 1st.  :)  You can go to http://www.attentionmoms.com/ and purchase this product on November 1st.

 ** I was given this product in exchange for my honest review of the product and was not compensated in any other way.


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So you need a Schedule...

It has been more than 10 years since the birth of my first child, 5 for the 2nd, nearly 3 for my 3rd and 19weeks since the birth of my 4th child.  It has also been 11 years since my husband and I got married, and almost 15 years since my husband and I met online!  WOW!  Where has the time gone?  It seems like yesterday I was pregnant with my first child.  But as I see each of my child in various ages and activities, I realize just how precious life is.  It goes by all too quickly.

Each day seems to go by quicker than before.  Between school, extracurricular activities, Church, group activities, cleaning house, laundry, driving to and from places it seems like every minute of the day is spent doing something.  But is it being done effectively?  Are you managing your minutes effectively?  So many days it seems like I am doing something but nothing gets done!  That is quite frustrating for this mother of 4 children.

Lorrie Flem, a mother of 8, also had to deal with managing her minutes.  She wants to help mothers so much that she wrote a book about time management.  "Managing My Minutes.  Do I Really Need to?" was written to help give guidance to moms about how scheduling will help you accomplish more with your time.

I can't tell you how much I needed to read this.  It gives so much inspiration and hope that I know I can do it!  But it won't just be through my own strength, it will be with God's help!  For it says in Philippians 4:13 "I can do ALL things through CHRIST who strengthens me." (NKJV)  I have struggled with schedules and routines.  Reading and coming to understand that I am not the only one is refreshing.  Not that I delight in others troubles, but knowing I am not alone is somewhat helpful.

Lorrie gives some GREAT Biblical advice and support for schedules.  You maximize your time when you are on a schedule.  She explains the difference between schedules and routines and how to implement them.  I feel so much better having read this and am now ready to tackle the scheduling of my family.  This is something that we shouldn't be afraid to do.  It will not only benefit you but others as well.  When everyone is on track there seems to be more time.  I can't WAIT to get the rest of this bundle so I can work on my schedule!  :)

"Managing My Minutes.  Do I Really Need To?" is part of Lorrie's Scheduling Bundle.  The bundle has 3 parts to it and this is just one of them.  It is due out in the Eternal Encouragement store SOON!  As soon as it arrives there I will post the link for the actual product.

UPDATE:  The product is now live!  :)  Here is the link as promised.  http://www.attentionmoms.com/

 ** I was given this product in exchange for my honest review of the product and was not compensated in any other way. Read More

Authors & Artists - A Gabby Mom Review

I want the best for my children.  I want them to be strong & healthy, to have a sense of right and wrong, to be able to make good choices as they grow older.  As a mom I try so hard to train them up in the way of the Lord.  To have good character traits.  It isn't easy and there are so many options out there. 

This month I received ARTISTS & Authors by Lorrie Flem.  This is such a great idea for character training and I absolutely love how simple it is to use.  When I received this in the mail, my oldest (who is 10), was practically chomping at the bit when he found out it was for him to use.  He is my artist (though he loves to write too) and to encourage that natural ability, I chose this particular book for my review. 

I could have also chosen AUTHORS & Artists which focus' more on the writing aspect rather than drawing. 

The lessons in this book are short but easy to understand.  I share the lesson with my boys and ask a couple of questions then let my oldest do his drawing.  The book is labeled by theme so that way if you want to focus on something, such as honesty or forgiveness, then you can work on those first.  It also has themes for the holidays and their birthday.  In glancing over them (cause it's not time to do them yet), I am excited to see what my son draws for them.  :)  

I can't wait to see how he continues to grow as we work through this book.  I definitely plan on getting another one for my 2nd school aged son.  :) These books will be a great treasure for years to come and I am excited to have this in our tool kit for character training.

Now for the fun part!  There is a giveaway for EACH book over at Lorrie's Blog, Randy's Rib.
Giveaway for ARTISTS & Authors - http://www.randysrib.com/artists-authors-giveaway/
Giveaway for AUTHORS & Artists - http://www.randysrib.com/authors-artists-giveaway/

You can also purchase ARTISTS & Authors from the Eternal Encouragement website.  It is a great value at $9.97!

 ** I was given this product in exchange for my honest review of the product and was not compensated in any other way. Read More

Yelling: The Cause, The Casualty, The Cure - A Revisit

Well last November I was blessed with the book, "Yelling: The Cause, The Casualty, The Cure" by Lorrie Flem.  I always felt like I was yelling at my 3 boys.  Now granted I was also a hormonal ball of nerves back in November due to being pregnant.  But that isn't an excuse.  It was an underlying trigger that would get tweaked quite often.

Lorrie's book, "Yelling: The Cause, The Casualty, The Cure" was very important to me to read.  So much so that I actually had purchased it before knowing I would be reviewing it.  The days spent yelling at my boys outweighed the days not yelling.  I noticed my two younger boys even yelling when they got frustrated/upset at little things.  It broke my heart to see the example I was setting be lived out by my children.  I knew SOMETHING had to change. That something was ME. 

There were 11 tips of advice from Lorrie that helped me identify what needed to be done.  I won't give them all away cause you just need to read them for yourself.  It was very eye opening and humbling for me to read but also very kind in the way that Lorrie approaches the subject.  She wants to help us mom's and does so out of love for us.  God gave her a gift of reaching women.

So an update on my "yelling" problem.  Have I stopped yelling?  No, not completely.  Am I following the steps suggested by Lorrie?  Yes, as much as I can.  I need to do better and I am working on each step.  #1 is the most important one and I will give that one to you.  Pray to your Heavenly Father.  He loves you more than you will ever know.  He knows how you feel and wants to help you.  Give it to Him. (this is hard for the control freak in me) 

I am trying to wake up in the morning before my children so I can exercise and have some Bible time.  I need to do though and not try.  The scene from Star Wars Episode V comes to mind.  "Do or do not.  There is no try." ~ Yoda.  That said, it is a struggle for me as I am a night owl, have a newborn who nurses before bed and 3 boys who want to wake up at 7am.  (though sometimes earlier)  But those are excuses.  If I REALLY wanted to, I would be in bed earlier so I can wake up when I need to begin my day the right way.  This is essential and the days that I have been successful in waking up and spending time with the Lord have gone SO much better.

On top of trying to start my day with the Lord, I have found myself trying to use a quiet voice so the children have to quiet down to listen to me.  I also take a breather before I respond to them unless it warrants a quick action (like seeing the 2yo with scissors and running).  Something else that you wouldn't think helps is exercising in the morning!  It puts me in such a better mood because I did something for myself (and essentially my family).  I feel better and thus it impacts my day.  Now granted, if the kids push the right buttons, I can spew but I am picking up on what causes the spewing/yelling sprees and trying to think before I speak.  These are just a few of the things I am doing. 

If you want a book that I believe can truly help you like it has been helping me (as I am still a work in progress), I definitely recommend this book.  It has been a true help to me.  I believe it can help you too. 

So, how do you get this book you might wonder.  Well, I bought it as an e-book/pdf from Eternal Encouragement.  But it is no longer available there.  Now relax.  I wouldn't leave you hanging like that!  Yelling: The Cause, The Casualty, The Cure is now available on the Kindle!  WOOHOO!!  If you have a PC, Smartphone (Android or iPhone base), iPad or other tablet you can download the Kindle app.  Of course if you have a Kindle you can use that too.  ;)  The book is $4.99 and is worth every penny!  Now, I am a frugal mama and do I have a surprise for you!  The book is going to be FREE on Tuesday, July 24th!  See, I knew you would like that.  Free is always a good thing.  Also, if you are on Facebook, stop by the party hosted by Eternal Encouragement on the topic of Yelling and Parenting.  These parties are so much fun!  You get to meet moms who go through the same things you do and offer idea's to help.  This party is also on July 24th.  It begins at 2pm.  I hope you will join us there.

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Mom, what's for dinner?!?

Mom! What's for dinner?!?  I can't tell you how many times I hear that in a day.  It starts early too.  Right after breakfast one of my 3 boys will ask me what I am planning for dinner.  Typically I tell them "I don't know" or "I'll be deciding that soon".  It gets frustrating not having something planned or prepared for the evening meal.  (or even have a plan for lunch)

So, this month, I got to review Lorrie Flem's book, "What's For Dinner, Mom?".  There are 2 parts to the book.  Part 1 gives several different ways to cook in bulk and freeze it.  How to get organized and not feel overwhelmed. Lorrie describes what has worked for her & what hasn't worked for her, but leaves it so you can choose the best option for you because we are all different and like different things.  She also has a great sense of humor and personality that shows in her writing.  I really enjoyed part 1 because of how helpful it was to see that I am not alone in being slightly intimidated by the thought of preparing 1 months worth of meals.  It was good to read how it can be implemented to save time and can help make things smoother in the evenings.  I am actually excited to give this a try!

Part 2 is probably the best part.  You may wonder why, or you may know.  The recipes!  She has meatless, chicken, beef, pork and many other recipes.  Not all are freezer meals, but are relatively easy to cook.  And I love to cook.  My mom gave me that love early.  I also love to make up my own concoctions.  It's something I enjoy a lot.

So why haven't I tackled once a month cooking before?  Probably the fear of making so many meals.  I have several books about it, but the thought can be overwhelming.  Lorrie definitely helps with her tips, thoughts and recipes.  Even the tips from the moms who tried out the recipes were good to have.  I love that she had friends help her out in this book writing adventure.  It's good to see others advice. 

I must say that while I am still somewhat nervous about cooking for a whole month, I do feel better equipped to do so. 

You can get this book one of 2 ways.
#1 visit the Eternal Encouragement store.  It is nearly 200 pages and is $12.97.
#2 comment on this blog and leave your e-mail address for a chance to win this helpful book!  :)  The winner will be chosen on June 23rd. 

 ** I was given this product in exchange for my honest review of the product and was not compensated in any other way. Read More

A Journey to Clean

Hello to my readers.  You may have noticed I have been away for a while.  I took some time off to have our 4th child.  Cordelia Abigail graced our lives in the middle of May.  She has been a true blessing to our family.  Her brothers are SO protective of her and so loving toward her.  That said, I didn't get to blog about the product I was given for May before the end of the month. 

You may be wondering about the title of my post.  How many of you struggle with keeping up with everything that needs to be done around the house?  I know I do.  I have 3 wonderful boys, but they can turn a clean room into what looks like an F5 tornado ripped through it.  It is absolutely amazing how quickly it happens.  Then the moment I ask them to clean up their mess, they disappear!  It's like magic!  Who knew boys (and girls) could vanish so quickly.  ;)

I struggle day to day with keeping up with 4 children (ages ranging from 10yrs to 1month) and the day to day chores.  I am a perfectionist at heart, but my house doesn't show it.  In fact, it often times looks more like a war zone than something out of Martha Stewart Living.  But as the magnet my sister and I got my mom says, "Martha Stewart doesn't live here." 

I was given the opportunity to choose which bundle from Eternal Encouragement I would like to review.  Because I often lament about my out of control house, I chose the Chores bundle.  Chores: Many Hands Make Light Work has 2 E-Books, an E-Booklet, and 4 mp3 audios.

In reading Neat & Tidy, I came across the section called first-born overload.  This section alone was of great value to me.  My oldest son, Jonathan, often complains about how he is "always" cleaning up after his brothers.  We have tried to explain it as good as we can but really never get through to him.  Lorrie's story of how she explained to her oldest son that God intentionally puts people in the role of the first-born was a blessing to me.  I am hoping that when my husband, Darren, and I share this with him as well as go through the Bible with him with scripture to back it up, this will help him realize how important he is to our family and that he is put in this position by God.

I am so glad that in the E-Book "Turn Housework into Fun & Games" Lorrie reminds us that consistency is key to teaching our children.  Whether it is homeschooling or chores, we need to be consistent.  I don't need to tell you how hard it is to be consistent.  I do know that being consistent when training your children works and is worth all the blood (figuratively), sweat, and tears.  She also reminds us that deadlines and consequences are necessary when training our children.  There is a creative idea for creating excitement to do chores that is also rewarding for the child but also used in helping our children understand deadlines and consequences for not completing chores.  The Marble Method (actually mentioned in Neat & Tidy) is something that I am going to implement in our household.  With 3 boys (10, 5, 2) I know this will work wonders in our house.  I am EXCITED to be able to see the results.  :)

Lorrie then gives some great advice for cleaning with less toxins.  This section was great to read.  I have actually been doing many of these things already and the things I didn't know I am planning on trying. 

The 4 MP3's are great to listen to.  I uploaded them to my iPod and listened to them while walking, nursing the baby, doing laundry and other tasks.  I got so much encouragement and tips.  So many tips in fact that I can't even begin to list them all.  But I will say that they have helped me to start saving time, get organized and feel less stressed.  It may right now be only 5 minutes, but that 5 minutes can be spent with my kids.  :)

So now for some info about the Chores Bundle.  It includes the following:

• Audios
  • God Blesses This House, But He Doesn't Clean It
  • God Blesses This House, But He Doesn't Organize It
  • 12 Super Simple Time-Saving Tips
  • Cheerful Children and Challenging Chores

• E-Books
  • Neat and Tidy Tried and True Organization Tips
  • Turn Housework Into Fun and Games!

• E-Booklet
  • Keep It Clean and Toxin-Free

It retails for $24.97 but the value is worth much more than that! 
Head over to Eternal Encouragment for this and many other books, mp3's, bundles to encourage you on your walk of being a mom, wife, woman, teacher and daughter of God.

** I was given this product in exchange for my honest review of the product and was not compensated in any other way.

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Eternal Encouragement Magazine Review

I love getting mail.  It's kind of like the highlight of my day.  (yes, even if there are bills, it's still mail)  So, Saturday, March 10th, we were leaving the house and I checked the mail before we left.  And to my surprise (mainly because I wasn't due to receive the magazine yet) was my copy of the Eternal Encouragement magazine for March's review!  I nearly jumped out of my seat in the car.  My husband can verify this as he was shocked how quickly I moved for being 30wks pregnant at the time.  :)

So as you can understand, I was quite thrilled to get a copy of the Eternal Encouragement in my hands.  That said, it took me about a week to get the time to read the magazine.  Joys of motherhood.  ;)

In reading the magazine, I will say that it was quite time appropriate for me as it dealt with the keeping of your home.  Something I try so hard to do, but always come up quite short.  Right now I am pregnant with our 4th child.  I homeschool our boys as well.  I try to save money wherever I can, which includes making my own laundry detergent, cloth diaper our youngest (as well as the new little one when she arrives), try to make meals that do not have a lot of processed foods, cut coupons when I can and also keep the house in running order.  It's no short task that mothers have!  Whether you are able to stay at home or you work outside the home (which I did do for several years).  It is not an easy thing to do.

Each different article in the EE magazine had a different point of view.  But each one in their own way was refreshing to me!  Especially in knowing that I am not the only one who struggles with this dilemma.  The suggestions that were offered were given out of love and a desire to help others.  They have all been where I am at one point or another.  Being able to relate to the authors of the articles is a great help to me.  


Some things that I Love about this magazine:
~ Each authors perspective on the subject of the magazine (This particular magazine was about keeping the home)
~ It's small enough to take with me in my purse so I can get some reading in while waiting at the bus stop, Taekwondo classes, co-op for the kids, doctors office, etc.
~ You can get it in a digital subscription!  (for those of you who like less paper floating around your house)
~ The people who write it are REAL and they truly do care about women.  (awesome to know that)
~ It keeps God first!  (this is the biggie right here!)
~ I love that I can go back to each article and re-read it.  (very important for the forgetful pregnant lady right now) 
~ The pictures and artwork are just beautiful for this magazine. 


The EE Magazine is published 4 times a year in a compact but beautiful magazine.  

The Digital subscription it is published 8 times a year.  Plus there are publishing full magazine articles online for you to read with a variety of topics!  :)  And, right now on the subscription page you get the following:

• The CURRENT Issue* as an electronic download, so you can start reading right away!
• An instant download of our E-Book "King of our Castle"
• All 2 year subscriptions also include Our popular "Family Fun Night" Mini Bundle

Print Subscriptions start at $19.97 and Electronic Subscriptions start at $12.97. 

Click here to subscribe!

** I was given this product in exchange for my honest review of the product and was not compensated in any other way. Read More

Daily Treasures Review

What do you think about when you see or hear the word "treasure"?  If you look at the definition of the word treasure it is something that you accumulate and store up.  It is also something that is hoarded.  Do you realize that you have that treasure?  Well you do!

Lorrie said four things in her audio "Daily Treasures" that definitely struck a chord in regards to our treasures.

1. Sometimes we have a treasure but we don’t recognize it as treasure.

2. Sometimes we have a treasure, forget about the treasure and then it’s lost treasure.

3. A lot of times there is something keeping us from enjoying our treasure, typically ourselves.

4. A lot of times we hate or resent our treasure, instead of treasuring our treasure.

So what is our treasure?  It is our children.  It doesn't matter if you have 1, 4, 7, or 20.  They are our treasures.  They were given to us by our Heavenly Father.  

Now I know it's not easy being a mom.  I currently have 3 children, soon to be 4.  And believe me, there are days that I just want to go in my room and cry.  It's not easy being a mom.  But something else that Lorrie said really hit me.  My feelings toward my treasures (children) is totally dependent on ME.  I set the attitude in my home.   However, I don't think I realized that till recently.

Our children are changing every minute of the day.  Each child also changes at a different rate than the other.  One might grow bigger sooner, one may talk later than the others, while one may crawl at 4 months it takes another 9 months to crawl.  I have seen it in each of my 3 boys and I am sure I will see it with our daughter.

Do we take the time to cherish our children?  Each little thing is unique.  From what they say to what they do.  Lorrie offers some great suggestions on how to savor and keep each of these little moments.  I really appreciated her suggestions and plan on implementing some of them into our family.  From pictures, doing hand-prints, to journaling the funny and cute things they say.  Those are just a few of the suggestions.  

Then Lorrie really got my attention.  She told the story of the little girl and her pearls.  Now if you haven't heard this story, I highly recommend it.  It took me back to a time when my mom would tell me the story as a little girl.  This is the part where I started to tear up.  It made me realize that I had been holding onto things that weren't really my treasures.  It really makes you think about what is most important in life.

I think that we place so much value on material things that we forget that those won't be with us always.  It's the relationships we build with our children.  The little things they do, whether it's the attempt at making breakfast or the painting that wound up all over the table, walls and floor, or when they come up, give you the biggest hug in the world and say "I love you mom".  It is all worth it.    

Thank you Lorrie for your gentle but yet important reminders of what we should really value.

Daily Treasures is available on CD and in MP3 format at the Eternal Encouragement store.  (MP3 $6.97 - CD $9.97)  It is about an hour long and I highly recommend it to any mom!

** I was given this product in exchange for my honest review of the product and was not compensated in any other way.

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Yelling - The Cause, The Casualty & The Cure - A Gabby Mom's Review

Have you ever felt like this?  Screaming or yelling at the top of your lungs because nothing seems to be going right?  The baby just dumped his food all over the floor and now the dog is eating it?  Your 4 year old is coloring on the piano keys?  And your oldest, well he decided it was time to build something with the legos and you just know you are going to find them in the middle of the night with your bare feet.

Ah, the joys of motherhood!  But do the screaming and yelling make you feel any better?  NO!  (there I yelled online)  Actually, I don't know about you, but I feel a million times worse than when I don't yell.  But no matter how much I try, I can't seem to curb the yelling.  

So, when the Gabby Mom's review team was given this assignment, I practically jumped out of my seat!  I do not like yelling.  I do not like it Sam I am, I do not like yelling.  It gives me a headache plus I know my kids have picked up on it and they yell back at me or each other.

I knew something had to give.  I always felt like I spent more time screaming than talking to my kids and enjoying my time with them. 

Lorrie has always had such a way of reaching me and I know other moms.  She is gentle in her approach and cares about the ladies she is reaching out to like you and me.  I know that after reading other books, magazine articles, I often feel worse and no where near like I am going to be able to fix what needs fixing.  But after reading several of Lorrie's books & magazines I feel uplifted and have a plan of action to take.

Reading "Yelling - The Cause, The Casualty & The Cure", left me feeling equipped to face the battle ahead.  It's not just for my sake, but for that of my children and husband.  Lorrie offers 11 steps and she always to make sure that we never forget the most important thing.  God.  The relationship with our Heavenly Father always takes first place.  The relationship is never on the backburner.  I am so grateful that Lorrie always puts Him in the right place for us.

If you feel that you just can't keep control of the yelling, screaming or whatever term you prefer to call it, I highly recommend reading this book.  Lorrie offers simple suggestions that will definitely make a change.  I know that I am looking forward to less yelling and screaming in our household.

Go here to purchase "Yelling - The Cause, The Casualty & The Cure"

Eternal Encouragement

The Eternal Encouragement Store

Disclaimer: I received Yelling - The Cause, The Casualty & The Cure as an official member of The Gabby Moms blogging program for Eternal Encouragement Magazine. I did not receive compensation for this post and all opinions are solely my own.

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Welcome Home Daddy - A Gabby Mom Review

"Hi Honey!  I'm home!" says dad as he enters the house.  Oh the picturesque scene of me, 3 boys and the dog all waiting to greet him as he walks through the door.  Dinner is on the table, the house is spotless and the home is his sanctuary. 

WAIT!!!  Wake up call!  Talk about dreaming.  This is more Leave it to Beaver or Donna Reed style than the way it goes at our house.  I typically am scrambling to get dinner done, the toys and other things on the floor picked up.  The dog is barking as he wants his dinner, one of the kids is crying and the baby is shaking the gate at the top of the steps since he heard daddy open the garage door. 

But wouldn't you like to have your household come pretty close to the first description?  I know I would! 

When "Welcome Home Daddy" by Lorrie Flemm arrived at my house, I was so excited to be able to review it!  Our welcome home party resembles something more of mass chaos than the organized (mostly) dream I want to have awaiting my husband when he arrives. 

Lorrie is so helpful and full of insight on how we can do our best to achieve these dreams/goals.  It will take work on our part, but in the end it will be so worth it!  I know I can't wait to see the look on my husband's face when I am actually able to pull this off.  Granted, I know it won't be "perfect", but it will be perfect for our family.  Each one of you will have a different "perfect" for you.

Here are some things that struck me while reading this wonderful book.

~ Time does not equal money.  It is MUCH more valuable! 
~ Our attitude determines the attitude of the home.
~ Enjoy the meal together and Enjoy time with each other!
~ Family devotion time is important and should be lead by your husband.

There are many more nuggets in this book! 

I truly believe it is possible to be a modern mom and have the traditional value of our mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers.  With reading this book and the idea's involved I know it is possible.  I can't wait to surprise my husband with this!

If you would like to purchase this item head on over to the Eternal Encouragement Shop.
To read more reviews on Welcome Home Daddy, jump over to The Gabby Moms page.

We are also looking for more "Gabby Mom's" to join our team.  If reviewing products like this and so much more sounds like something you would like to do, click here.

Disclaimer: I received Welcome Home Daddy as an official member of The Gabby Moms blogging program for Eternal Encouragement Magazine. I did not receive compensation for this post and all opinions are solely my own. Read More

Energized & Fulfilled Video Review - The Gabby Moms & Eternal Encouragement

Life as a mom is perfect right?  I mean we all have energy, we don't scream or get frustrated and we have all the time in the world to get everything done.  But that was what we saw on TV in the life of June Cleaver.  Let's face it, we live in the real world and whether you are a mother of 1 or 8 or more children we all feel overwhelmed, tired, frustrated and sometimes just plain ole cranky!  But is that the way we want to feel?  I know I don't want to feel that way but often I do. 

Well, if you want some help then Lorrie's new DVD is available and is perfect for this!  From Exhausted, Irritable and Overwhelmed to... An Energized and Fulfilled Woman of God is the title of her new DVD.  I received this and the corresponding study guide for review in September.  I can honestly say that I am so glad that it came this month.  I have been feeling the entire first part of the title and not the second half.  We have had a lot of things happening and a lot of changes coming which have all left me feeling overwhelmed.  That on top of all of our normal activities make for a tired, irritable momma.

So, when I got this I put it on right away!  But then life happened and I got delayed.  So I got to try it a couple of times.  It's actually good to be able to listen to this several times.  Gives you new insight to the things Lorrie talks about.  I love how she has this new acronym!  REAL REST!  That's what we as mom's need, right?  Lorrie offers some great tips with the REAL REST acronym.  Some are so simple that we often wonder why we haven't done them before and others really make you think. 

So often we lose sight of what should really be first in our life and Lorrie helps remind you in such a gentle way.  She always makes sure we keep God first.  I can truly say that is the most important thing to do.  She offers such great tips to help make sure we are able to do that.  Not only in the Energized & Fulfilled DVD, but many others too.

I have been so blessed to have Lorrie's help as i go through my journey of being a wife & mother.  She is SO very encouraging.  You can tell she truly cares about you.

If being Energized & Fulfilled is something you desire, then head over to the Eternal Encouragement store to purchase the DVD of Energized and Fulfilled Woman of God.  Not only do you get the DVD but you get the study guide and Bible verses and Mom's Spectacular Relaxation Recipes(something we didn't get as part of our review but bet you will love!).  The purchase price is $19.97! That is a great deal.

Disclaimer: I received Energized & Fulfilled as an official member of The Gabby Moms blogging program for Eternal Encouragement Magazine. I did not receive compensation for this post and all opinions are solely my own.
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Godly Woman: The 5 R's of Godly Womanhood Product Review Part 2

Welcome to part 2 of my review for The 5 R's of Godly Womanhood.  I am going to start by saying thank you to Lorrie, Eternal Encouragement and The Gabby Mom's for giving me this opportunity to review such great products.  This one came at a much needed time in my life.  

I have been struggling with the daily life of a stay at home homeschooling mom.  I often find myself getting frustrated even before the day begins.  My house always seems to be mass chaos.  (I have 3 boys so I often use them as my excuse)  I often feel run down and like there is NEVER enough time in the day to accomplish everything.  To top it all off we officially started school this past week.  We never really took the summer off, just a few breaks here and there.  So I have been completely frazzled!

I had listened to all of the 5 R's back when we first got them for review.  Little did I know that as I was listening to the last 3 for part 2 of the review how much they would give me what I needed to get me through this week.

If you don't remember the 5 R's are the following.

Refresh - A woman who kneels before God can stand before anyone!

Rekindle - Red hot is so cool

Refine - From homekeeping 101 to Graduating with Honors

Rejuvenate - What to do when Abel is raising Cain

Rest - Give it up and Give it all

This review is for the last 3 R's.  Refine, Rejuvenate and Rest.

As I said above, listening to these again couldn't have come at a more perfect time in my life.  I struggle each year with trying to get organized with school preparations.  Between getting the house cleaned, organized and also getting all the school supplies, curriculum set up for the year.  Lorrie's teaching on Refining was such a great reminder and help to me.  I have been applying things I have heard to my life the past month.  What a blessing it has been.  Between planning out my day, scheduling better and trying really hard to stick to a routine, my days have gone so much smoother.  We still hit some bumps.  The baby wakes up in the middle of the night and takes 2 hours to fall back asleep will necessitate a later wake-up time for me which will throw off the start time of our day.  But by lunch time we are almost where we should be in our day.  I have noticed the kids are getting used to the routines we are starting to follow.  It has helped me to enjoy our first week and look forward to the upcoming year!

In Rejuvenate Lorrie talks about child training.  In Proverbs 22:6 it says "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Consistency is probably the hardest thing about training up children in the way they should go.  Each child needs love, training and discipline when they make decisions that go against the rules of the house.  It is important to establish those rules early on and keep up with the training so that they know them.  If they disobey, then the appropriate discipline is given.  

One thing I am working hard on is not being angry/frustrated when I need to discipline my children.  I am not consistent all the time and often struggle with this.  So, I will count to 30 and make sure that I take them aside from the other children, then ask what they did wrong and why it is wrong.  After that the appropriate discipline is given.  It is also important that we not be afraid to discipline our children.  We love them and want them to live a long time while also living for God.  

Even our Heavenly Father disciplined us by kicking Adam and Eve out of Eden.  They were given everything and one act of disobedience ruined the perfection God created.  So they were disciplined.  I am sure it was not easy for Him just as it is not always easy for us.  But it is our job/duty as parents.  We must not fail our children.  In today's society, parents are becoming afraid to discipline their children for fear of squenching their personalities.  We must not be afraid of this.  Is it hard, yes, but it is worth it in training up a son (or daughter) in the way of the Lord. 

The last R is Rest - Give it up and Get it all.  Now when you think of rest, what is the first thing that comes to mind?  Is it a long bubble bath?  Watching a movie and letting time slip away?  Or perhaps reading a good book while sitting in the hammock with your favorite tea?

In this session, Lorrie offers what might be the best way I have heard this put in a long time.  I'll agree that all of the above definitely seem relaxing or restful.  But really does that solve the dilemma of being "rested".  As a wife, mom, homeschooler, housewife, we are always putting our families first.  This is VERY important.  But who fills our cup when we are running on empty.  A bubble bath can't do that.  But our God can.  By reading His word and taking time for others I feel rested.   

Lorrie's sessions for the 5 R's of Godly Womanhood have helped me in many ways.  I definitely feel better about my role in life as a wife, mother, homeschool mom, housekeeper and I feel more prepared to take on any other role that God has planned for me.  It won't always be easy but if I keep Him first, He will show me the way he has for me in every aspect of my life.

If you would like to see more reviews of The 5 R's of Godly Womanhood head over to the Gabby Mom's website. 


If you would like to purchase The 5 R's of Godly Womanhood click here.


Disclaimer: I received The 5 R’s to Godly Womanhood as an official member of The Gabby Moms blogging program for Eternal Encouragement Magazine. I did not receive compensation for this post and all opinions are solely my own.

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Godly Woman: The 5 R's of Godly Womanhood Product Review Part 1

Welcome to Part one of a two part product review!  This review is for Eternal Encouragement's "Godly Woman: The 5r's of Godly Womanhood".  This set is 5 MP3's and 5 e-books for each of the "R's".

We are women.  God made us from Adam, who was created in His Image.  So as a woman we are to reflect the Image of God.  Not just when we leave the house to go somewhere, but at home in our every day activities.

As a woman we have many roles in life.  We are wife, mom, teacher, friend, daughter, & sister.  It can be quite hard to keep up with these roles.  We multi-task as much as we can but in the end, unless we have God first in our lives this proves to be an impossibility.  Of course we may make it several days, weeks or months without God, but then we crash and burn when we realize we simply can not do it all without His help.

In the 5 R's, Lorrie takes on the things that we need as women to help us thrive.  So what are the 5 R's?

#1 Refresh
#2 Rekindle
#3 Refine
#4 Rejuvinate
#5 Rest

When do you feel refreshed?  Is it after a long walk?  How about after reading scripture and doing your Bible study?  Does that leave you refreshed?  Well I tell you what.  After listening to and reading about being refreshed, it is definitely something I want to be more of!

In this first "R", Lorrie talks about putting God first in our lives every day.  When we first wake up.  I must say that I was convicted as this has been a very weak point in my every day life.  The tagline for this first "R" is very appropriate.  A Woman Who Kneels Before God Can Stand Before Anyone.  This is so true and can be applied to every aspect of our life!  Often I tend to rush through my morning activities and put aside my daily devotion time.  I make sure I do devotions with my kids so they get what they need, but neglect myself.  Well after listening/reading this, no more!  I need to take care of myself so I can take care of my family!  They deserve the best from me and by putting God first I can do that!

Lorrie gives such wonderful, yet simple ideas to help us feel refreshed.  You will think of BB's and M&M's completely differently now!  She even offers the suggestion of sharing your devotion time if your little one comes and finds you while you.  What a better way for your children to learn about the importance of time with God than to see it from you!

Psalm 119:11 (TNIV)

¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart
   that I might not sin against you.

The next session was Rekindle.  Now what do you think you are supposed to work on Rekindling?  That's right!  Your marriage!  Lorrie was such an inspiration in the session on rekindling your marriage.  I loved the idea of treating your spouse the way you did before you got married.  :)  Flirting with your husband, taking the time to talk to him about things going on, having a date night, and many more ideas.

Today we see more than 50% of all marriages fail.  That is such a sad statistic!  I have been fortunate to see my parents marriage go 34 years and I can't wait to see the next 30 or more!  My husband and I just celebrated our 10 year anniversary.  And I will tell you, society has it wrong when they paint the picture of marriages being all blissful and happy, no problems.  Marriage requires both parties to give not just 50% like a lot of people think but 100% effort to make it work.

I know I plan on implementing several suggestions that Lorrie gave in this session.  It is so important to keep the flame kindled and to never let it go out.  It is our job to build up our house, our husband and our marriage.  The Bible makes this very clear in Proverbs 14:1 (as Lorrie talks about).  "The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." (NIV)

It is very important that we take time for ourselves and our marriages.  Always keep God in the center and rekindle the flame!

If you've enjoyed what you've read here about these 2 sessions, you will love the other 3!  My review for them will be out in August.  The 5 R's of Godly Womanhood is a MUST have.  It's timing for me to review was impeccable and I am so glad I got to share my thoughts on the first 2 sessions with you.  This is a product that I would definitely buy myself if someone suggested it to me.

Feel free to stop by The Gabby Moms page to see the other reviews for this wonderful product.  Also, if you are interested in becoming a Gabby Mom there is exciting news!  They are accepting applications for the upcoming 2012 year!!  YAY!! So if you think this is something you would like to do, then click here.  An application will load for you to apply to the program.

I wanted to share about my time with the Gabby Moms.  I have read many books, listened to many audio files and never felt as refreshed and able to tackle my day as I have with Lorrie's books and audio's.  They are wonderful and you can tell how much she cares about what she is talking about.  She has a passion to help women as mothers, wives, and teachers.  These products have been such a blessing to me and I am so glad to have found the Gabby Moms group.

Disclaimer: I received The 5 R’s to Godly Womanhood as an official member of The Gabby Moms blogging program for Eternal Encouragement Magazine. I did not receive compensation for this post and all opinions are solely my own.

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Attitude Adjustment...

Illness here, illness there, illness everywhere!  It's amazing how fast an illness can spread through a family.  All it takes is one person to bring in a germ.  The germ then multiplies and spreads from one person to the next.  No matter how often you wash your hands, disinfect your house, it will inevitably go through the family.  This often makes for several days, weeks or even months of illness traveling through your family.

Now there are physical illnesses that spread through a family but something that is even more prominent is how we act and respond to each other.  Our Attitude.  It starts with one person.  It starts with me.  Mom.  I am the one who sets the tone for each day.  Whether I like it or not, I am responsible for the tone of the day.  Often I forget this and tend to blame the proverbial "bad day" on the way the children are or aren't behaving.  

It is hard to be mom, wife, teacher and to admit that takes a lot of courage.  Fortunately, there are women out there who are mentors to those of us who need encouragement through the rough days.  Lorrie Flem is one of them.  

 

The past couple of weeks I got to listen to 2 of Lorrie's .mp3's.  The first I listened to was Keys to a Queenly Castle and the 2nd was Attitude Adjustments.  Let me say that in listening to these I was not only encouraged but convicted as well.  I realized that I was letting my attitude control me instead of me controlling my attitude.

Not only am I responsible for me, but I am responsible for my family.  I am responsible for the attitude in my household.  The talks given by Lorrie are so helpful.  I will be listening to them again as I want to write down her suggestions!  

In Attitude Adjustments, she offers 26 ways to help with your attitude.  Lorrie gives the A-Z's and they are wonderful ways that I will be implementing in my own house.  I need to get my attitude right if I expect my family to have the correct attitude.

I hope that you will go to www.eternalencouragement.com and checkout these 2 talks by Lorrie.  They are wonderful and will bless you.  They start at $6.95 for the mp3 and area also available on CD as well.

Join me and the other Gabby Moms at www.thegabbymoms.com as we review these and other products.  This is such an awesome group of ladies.  :)

Now for some fun.  Lorrie is doing a giveaway!  This is a great way for a chance to win one of Lorrie's talks!  :)  I love free things and I bet you do to.  

So here are the rules for the giveaway.

First go to the link below.

http://www.eternalencouragement.com/theshop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4_5

Choose the MP3 you would like a chance at winning.

Then complete the following steps.

To enter:
1.  Go to EE link given to choose MP3 file you want to win
2.  Click on The Gabby Moms tab at EE to go to blog where June's review links are 

posted & comment: 
     a.  which blog you read about the giveaway (Educating our Boys)
     b.  name of MP3 file you want if chosen as winner
     c.  email contact info
3. Winner will be chosen on Saturday, June 18th via random.org.
4. Winner will be notified by email to contact info left in comments
5. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to claim prize or an alternate winner will be chosen. 

I was given these products for my honest review by Eternal Encouragement. 

This is part of The Gabby Moms Program.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.

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