Tag Archives: Motherhood

Five Secrets to Become the Best Mom

7 May

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Reblogged May 7, 2022

May 6, 2022

I went down on one knee. “Look at me, honey.” I turned my four-year-old Joe’s face toward me. “What’s in your mouth?”

“Nothin’.”

As the youngest of three, he never knew a mom with sight. A retinal disease robbed my sight when he was much younger. And my family’s adjustment was painfully inevitable.

I took him by the hand. “Is that chocolate I smell? It’s before dinner. C’mon young man, let’s spit it out.”

Outwardly I seemed in control. But I still questioned my ability as a blind mom. I fretted about their possible lack of confidence or even shame because of my blindness.

Mothering without sight was daunting.

The tasks challenging. I questioned my ways. Did I do too much? Not enough? Did I fail my sons in the way I corrected them? Was I too strict? Too lenient? Insecurities lay on the pillow beside me at night.

But along came David to save the day. Remember him as a boy? He was scrawny, a bit of a shy kid, the youngest of his brothers. And probably voted the least likely to succeed in the senior class of the local Shepherd high school.

And when Goliath showed up, David seemed inadequate, unprepared and way too weak to defeat the giant. But God knew different because He chose him. Skinny David held not a trace of insecurity, doubt or worry. He put on the backpack of courage and gathered five stones. But those stones weren’t what would defeat the big guy. But rather, David’s secret weapon called bold faith became the weapon to bring him victory.

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty…” (1 Samuel 17:44)

That’s the same way we come against insecurities in our mothering, in our doubt of our abilities, regret for what we did or failed to do. As we come against all of that in the name of the Lord, we put on our bold faith and gather our five stones. Even in these turbulent times, they are the secrets to succeed and be the best moms ever.

  • The stone of courage to stand firm and secure enough to know we have Christ’s power to silence the lies that whisper doubt and insecurities.
  • The stone of reassurance that God is with us every moment of every day to defeat fear, worry and anxiety.
  • The stone of wisdom, God-given wisdom to choose our words, direct our steps and guide our path.
  • The stone of trust to know God has His eyes on our kids. He will keep them safe, guard their lives and trace their steps.
  • The stone of joy to erase gloom, sadness or disappointment.

This Mother’s Day let’s celebrate not so much the perfect moms, but those who are perfectly devoted to Christ. Not the moms who have all the answers, but those who believe God has them. Not the moms who have it all together, but the moms who admit their weakness so God can make them strong. Not the moms who are raising stars, but those who teach them to rise above hard times. Not the moms who cover her kids with the latest fashion, but those who cover them with prayers.

God chose David. And He chose you, too. He hand-picked you to be the mom to those kiddoes. He didn’t leave David to bring down the giant on his own. He’s not leaving you alone either, as He’s already handed you the stones, He already given you the victory—in His power, In His might and in His name.

Let’s Pray

Father, may Your Word remind me You are watching over my kids, guiding them when I fail, teaching them when I don’t know how and protecting them when I’m not near them. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Which stones will you gather this Mother’s Day?

Janet

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I invite you to dance with me—celebrating one of my books, “Contagious Courage: A 30-Day Journey to Overcoming Stress and Anxiety.” Get your copy HERE and tell your friends, too.

Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.

CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.

Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.

Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.

Let’s connect:

Janet Eckles Perez

Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR

Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.

www.janetperezeckles.com

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Dressmaker

10 Jan

My Take

DiVoran Lites

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One Tough Chick

17 Jul

My Take

DiVoran Lites

 

After an illustration by Avanti Cards

 

Mothers and grandmothers are tough. I’ve received two of the same card over the years, one from our son, Billy, and one from my sister-in-law, Judy. The picture on the front shows a stocky little old lady, like me, in jeans and a plaid shirt. She wears a string of pearls that match her white hair, and holds the handles of a jackhammer over broken cement. The inside caption says, “Motherhood…it’s not for sissies! Happy Mother’s Day”

At church one day, a few years ago, I talked to some women about giving them frozen chickens from my freezer. They weren’t mine, a friend from another church asked me to store them. Then the church didn’t need them back, after all. My friend, Paula, who had two hip replacements–with her daughter’s help– hauled ten pound bags of dressed chickens from their car to friends’ doors, including mine. Paula is tough.

The first person I approached, our pastor’s wife, said she could take four. Rachel, is the perfect picture of the Proverbs 31 woman. She entertains with dinners for six, takes casseroles to anyone who needs them, takes care of old people, acts as peace-maker in the church, keeps family and church books, and sees that the church is scrupulously clean. She ministers to broken hearts and counsels people on marriage and children. She teaches Bible classes, and dresses beautifully. Rachel is tough.

I talked to Lila about the three remaining chickens. Lila, a woman with great style was probably once wealthy. Judging by her gentleness, she may at one time have been a Flower Child. Now, she and her family are quite poor. Eight of them live together in one house. While Lila’s daughter, is in re-hab for drug addiction, Lila and her husband care for three very rowdy grandsons and a new baby granddaughter. Lila and her husband do everything they can to keep the family fed and cared for. She also has accumulated ten cats and a dog. Lila is a sweet Christian woman. She goes out of her way to extend love to everyone including the next door neighbor who hates them all. Lila is tough.

While Lila and I were in the church kitchen talking about chickens, Lila picked up a large ant with her fingers. She turned to put it outside, but it ran up her arm and fell to the floor. While she was looking for it, Rachel came into the kitchen, saw the ant and stepped on it.

“I was going to put it someplace else,” Lila said softly.

“It is someplace else,” said Rachel, in her what’s next voice.+

We three women, standing in the small church kitchen, went back to talking about chickens. We had all cut up chickens, but we had not all cleaned or plucked them. Of course, Rachel had. She was reared in a coal mining town where you had to be practical or starve.

When I was a child many people kept chickens in their back yard even in town. I remembered my grandparents chose a chicken from their coop for supper one day. It was still early in the day as it took a while to prepare it for cooking. I was there when Granddad axed off the head. Suddenly the headless chicken got away and started running all over the back yard leaving splashes of blood in the grass. I was only five years old, and started laughing. Shocked, grandmother hushed me and got me out of the way. When the chicken collapsed, Grandmother picked up the now still carcass and pulled out all the big feathers. At some point she gutted it, saving the heart and gizzard, which were considered delicacies. She then put the bird into a cauldron of boiling water to loosen the tiny pin feathers. At last it was all done and grandmother took it into the kitchen to boil it and serve it with chicken and noodles. That’s one of my favorite dishes to this day, don’t ask me why. Grandmother was tough.

Lila said she had never cleaned a chicken, but she had cleaned fish. I had too, since my dad was a fisherman. She said she had to clean a rabbit once. (Cleaning means taking out the insides). She didn’t know how so she pretended it was a fish and did fine.

Rachel said she killed, plucked, and cleaned ten chickens and cooked them all in one day.

So I must say again, women are tough and I’m glad I get to be one.

Judy is tough too. I don’t know how she feels about chickens, though, I just know you’ve got to be mighty tough to be the wife of a military man.

“A capable, intelligent and virtuous woman, who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels, and her value is far above rubies or pearls.” Proverbs 31:10

 

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