Momma Tara~Parenting
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My Mother Taught Me To Pray
Sorely convicted (not condemned!) by this quote from John Piper’s Raising Children Who Hope in the Triumph of God: “One of the earliest things I remember is [my mother] taking me into a dimly lighted closet every Saturday afternoon after the day’s work was done and kneeling with me beside a chest while she taught me how to pray. I remember her suggesting to me the thoughts and, when I could not command the words, her putting into my mouth the very words, of prayer. I shall never forget how, one day, as I had succeeded in uttering some poor words of my own, I was surprised by drops falling upon…
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How to Keep Your Kids from Destroying Themselves with an iPhone
I wish I had included this link in my previous article: How to Keep Your Kids from Destroying Themselves with an iPhone And this one too (I’m not personally familiar with this organization, but a quick glance at their site indicates to me that it is worth checking out): G.R.A.C.E. – Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (HT: TakeYourVitaminZ & a comment from Tanya)
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I Do Not Have One Early Childhood Memory Apart from Pornography
Based on the number of clicks I received on my most recent post (“Three Things You Don’t Know About Your Children and Sex”), I’m not the only one who was helped by Anne Marie Miller’s excellent article. Were you also convicted like me? Yes. Yes. Just like when I am preparing to teach and Fred (lovingly) reviews my notes and then encourages me to listen to the words I am about to say to a few hundred women (“Tara? I think this is a good teaching. I think it might point the women to Christ and help them to be even more confident in Him. In fact–I’m thinking of a woman I…
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Three Things You Don’t Know About Your Children and Sex
A must read—whether you have children or you are spiritually parenting the children in your church. (And by the way—that’s ALL of you if you are a church member, you ARE spiritually parenting the children in your church, whether you’re doing it well/intentionally or incredibly poorly.) Three Things You Don’t Know About Your Children and Sex Once you read it (please read it!), if you discover sexual molestation (especially sexual molestation in the church!), habitual/addictive sins that have become ruling lusts … or if you just have NO idea where to start to grow in wisdom and to be able to help, I would strongly urge you to contact Harvest…
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Motherhood: The Introvert’s Challenge
Well said (and some good advice too): Motherhood – The Introvert’s Challenge
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When Our Children Are Friends With Troubled Children
I really enjoy the connections I’ve made thanks to FaceBook … especially the ones from my disjointed childhood. It has been sweet and rich to talk with people who knew me, even just for brief seasons, during the confusing (and often dark) young years of my life. One of the connections I’ve recently made is with a woman who is my age (I’ll call her Mary) who knew me briefly during my junior high years. I don’t remember much of our contact back then, but I do remember that she was beautiful, kind, really smart, and that her parents loved her. (Her mother is forever ensconced in my memory as a…
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Top Ten Reasons Our Kids Leave The Church
This is an excellent article for every Christian in the church. I bet even Cap’n Dave would approve! And it gives me serious pause as to how much my parenting and care for my friends in the church is intentionally pushing back against this tide: Top Ten Reasons Our Kids Leave the Church (HT: Z)
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The First Pangs of Conscience (or Is It Remorse?)
I think it has only been within the last two weeks that our three year-old has expressed her first pangs of conscience. Both times, she did not merely express anger and frustration at the painful consequences for her choices; she went deeper. She began to wail in grief over what she had done and how she (herself) had a “bad,” a sinful, heart. It was for me simultaneously heart-breaking (it is hard to be around any person who is despairing, more or less our precious little love bug!) and hope-producing (ahhhh! evidence of that for which I have prayed for every single day of her life—the Holy Spirit at work in her heart). Both times, I…
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Things People Should Never Say They Never Heard at Your Church
This list by pastor DeYoung is excellent: Things People Should Never Say They Never Heard at Your Church I’m thinking of it in general, as related to my church; but also with specificity related to the preschoolers, Kindergartners, and elementary-aged children with whom I interact weekly. Great reminders!
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So engrossed in this sermon that I forgot to cross the street …
Lilikoi and I were enjoying a beautiful, crisp fall day walk this morning when I confused a bunch of drivers (and Lili) by hitting the crosswalk button at our (busy for Billings) corner of Grand and 8th and then forgetting to cross with the light. I was utterly engrossed in Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile’s sermon on biblical manhood (that you can listen to here, at the website for Redeemer Church of Dubai—yes, that Dubai). I still have 15 minutes or so to go of the entire message, but so far it’s the best sermon I’ve ever heard on biblical manhood—and as a mother of girls, yes, this is definitely a topic…