coret antanganq: Mothers Day

Showing posts with label Mothers Day. Show all posts

Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Blog Series Giveaway Winner!

Thank you all so much for following along with the Pearl Girls™ Mother of Pearl Mother's Day blog series. I pray you laughed, cried and were touched by the translucent stories of real life written by new moms, stepmoms, grandmoms, adoptive moms, and moms without moms. Iridescent reality. And how poignant that the translucent nacre which coats the sand stuck inside an oyster’s shell is called Mother of Pearl. Mothers surround children with their love and with God’s love so they can grow in grace. I hope you'll join us this December for the third annual 12 Pearls of Christmas series.

AND ... thanks too, to all of you who entered to win the beautiful hand crafted pearl necklace. I'm thrilled to announce that the winner is ...

Jennifer (heavensent1)!

Jennifer, please email amy@pearlgirls.info with your mailing address.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we're all about. The purpose of Pearl Girls is to connect women so that together, we can make a difference in the world. All proceeds of the Pearl Girls book go in full to two charities: Wings (women in need growing stronger) to help fund a safe house in the Chicago suburbs and to Hands of Hope to help build wells for schoolchildren in Uganda. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products to help support Pearl Girls.

Please stop by the Pearl Girls blog and connect with us there.

Mother's Day

I started a new family tradition for Mother's Day this year. With the kids getting older, moving out, and married, it's harder to get everyone together for Mother's Day. Actually for any holiday!

So this year, I told everyone no cards, no presents, no going out to eat. I just want everyone to get together on Saturday before Mother's Day for pictures.

I had fun trying to get everyone lined up for pictures. They range in age from 10 to almost 25. I haven't said anything or posted any pictures of my oldest 2 for a few years now. They have their own lives, and as such, should be the ones to decide whether to share them, and with whom they share. I did tell them all yesterday that I was going to post some of the pics online.

So here they are, all my children. :)

From left to right, Hannah 15, Abigail 12, Melissa 23 & her husband Corey 22, Kenny almost 25, Calen 16 and in the front, Zachary 10.

The boys:

The Girls:

God has truly blessed me with my children. They are the only Mother's Day presents I need!

Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Blog Series #8

Each Life is Unique by
Lucinda Secrest McDowell

“God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our
knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. II Peter 1.3 (NIV)

Moms, God wants you to know that He has given you everything you need for life --
- your unique life. He does not plan to give you what you might need to live the life of
your best friend, or your neighbor, or even your favorite mother-model. No, God has
called you to the life that He planned. I suspect that for most of us, it didn’t turn out to
be the life we thought it might be… so long ago when we were young and dreaming
of ‘growing up.’

On Mother’s Day I often recall my own dreams to one day be a mother. I grew up
playing with dolls and looking to my own Mama as a model for that particular role in life.
However, by the time I reached my thirties I was still not a mother! God did, however,
have a plan. It just wasn’t what I imagined.

My own unique life would find me becoming a mother through the adoption of my first
three children who were ages 9, 7 and 4; and then much later giving birth to our fourth
child. Of course I was shocked when God revealed this to me, but I was ecstatic as well.
It’s as though I could hear Him saying, “Well, you’re not getting any younger so I’m just
going to just give you a jump start with three at one time!”

A huge blessing! A huge adjustment! A joy and a struggle. Change is often like that,
isn’t it? We finally get what we want then we have to deal with it. May I just offer a bit
of advice if you just got a great answer to prayer, but perhaps not in the way or form
you imagined? Just receive it. Embrace it. And be willing to move forward into a new
paradigm for your life. So what if you’re not like all the other mothers you know? So
what if you’re not like your own mother? So what if your family unit is different? I
guarantee God has a plan.

Not only did he want me to embrace my own story, but He called me as a mother to
do perhaps one of the most important tasks of all --- to nurture my children to live their
own unique lives. Not for me to try and squeeze them into what I hoped and dreamed
they would be. Not for me to try and live my life through them. But to recognize how
God made them, gifted them, and called them to their own special place.

All of my 4 kids are different from one another. Let’s take sports, for instance: I have
one child who wins gold medals in international tennis competition, one who is a born
equestrian, another who competes nationally in obstacle course shooting matches, and
yet another who manages to dance onstage in 3 inch heels, do cartwheels and splits while
singing at the same time. Now, honestly, I do none of these things. And yet they do.

I don’t remember placing my order with God for these things. But I do remember
when that tennis player turned 9 years old and I enrolled him in Special Olympics for

the first time and how it changed his life… and ours. I remember getting a counselor job
at an exclusive summer camp so that my daughter could take English riding classes. I
remember being a Cub Scout leader (even though I knew nothing about boys) so that son
could one day become an Eagle scout and pursue his love of the great outdoors. And yes,
I remember enrolling my preschooler in dance lessons. Later when all the little girls were
scared to go on stage for the recital, she exclaimed that she had endured a whole year of
lessons just so she could go on stage.

Don’t compare yourself to someone else. And don’t live vicariously through your
favorite reality show star. Live your own story. And Moms, raise your kids to embrace
the unique life God has for them.
Remember, He has given us everything we need for life!

Lucinda Secrest McDowell, a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Seminary, is the
author of 10 books including “Role of a Lifetime,” “Amazed by Grace,” “Spa
for the Soul” and the new Bible Study “Fit and Healthy Summer.” She is an
international conference speaker and enjoys being a Pearl Girl from “Sunnyside”
– her home in a New England village. Visit Cindy at www.EncouragingWords.net

Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Blog Series #7

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of
Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms
and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia
Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth,
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique
perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl
necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS
LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on
5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info
and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities

that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing
a copy of Pearl Girls:
Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

What is a Grandmother? by
Suzanne Woods Fisher

“A grandmother is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend.”
Amish proverb

I arrived late in the night in Rhode Island, anxious to meet my two-day-old grandson,
Blake, after a full day of flying. My daughter and son-in-law had just returned
home from the hospital and felt like they had been in a train wreck. There was stuff
everywhere. Already, the needs of this little eight-pound bundle of joy were
enormous: an all-terrain stroller, plenty of diapers, onesies, spit-up rags, an assortment of
pacifiers to try out until he found the ideal one.

And he was perfect.

I know, I know. “Every mother crow thinks her own little crow is the blackest.” But this
little dark eyed, dark haired boy really was perfect.

I spent the next seven days (and nights) getting to know this little guy. His schedule (he
had none), his hunger cries (very similar to his every other cry). His pirate look--one eye
open, one eye squeezed shut, as if he was still surprised by all that had taken place to him
in a week’s time.

I felt surprised, too. How could my baby possibly have had a baby? How could I be
a grandmother? I had just turned fifty-one. Shockingly young! How could a kid like
me give up playing tennis three times a week to settle into knitting and crocheting and
Friday night bingo? And shouldn’t I alter my appearance to fit this new label? Give up
my jeans? Switch over to below knee-length calico dresses, thick black socks, practical
shoes, gray hair pinned in a topknot. Think…Aunt Bee on Mayberry R.F.D.

As soon as people knew my daughter was expecting, I was bombarded with advice from
my well meaning friends—even those who weren’t yet grandparents. “The best way to
avoid getting on the nerves of your daughter and son-in-law is to not say anything. Ever.”
Or “You’d better pick your nickname or you’ll be stuck with something hideous, like
MooMoo Cow.”

What should I be called? Granny? No…reminded me of The Beverly Hillbillies.
Grandma? No…sounded like The Waltons. Grammy? No…it was already taken by the

in-laws.

But no one really explained what it meant to be a grandmother. I didn’t know myself,
not until I held baby Blake in my arms. In that moment, I realized that he was one of
mine. He belongs to me. He will be on my mind and in my prayers, every day, for the
rest of my life. There’s a bond between us that can’t be broken. He has altered my life
forevermore.

I had become a grandmother.

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, and
The Search, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace.
Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W.
D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in
Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Benedict eventually became publisher of Christianity
Today magazine. Suzanne is the host of a radio show called Amish Wisdom and
her work has appeared in many magazines. She lives in California. www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Blog Series #6

When Mother's Day is Difficult by Holley Gerth

I have a confession (anyone surprised?). I have mixed feelings about Mother’s Day.

On one hand, I love celebrating all the women who have made a difference in my life
(thanks, Mom!).

On the other hand, a long journey of infertility has left my heart with some tender places.

On May 8th, we’ll celebrate Mother’s Day once again. For many, it’s a time of
appreciation and joy. For others, it can be one of the most difficult days of the year. This
is often true for women facing infertility, families who have recently experienced the loss
of a mother, and many other painful situations.

At one point in my life it seemed as if I couldn’t take another step. In addition to

infertility, I was facing several other losses. I felt as if I were in a dark cave. But then I
sensed the Lord gently and lovingly speak to my heart, “You may be in a cave, but you
still have a choice. You can sit in despair or you can diamond-mine your difficulties.” I
decided I was not leaving that time in my life empty-handed. I was taking every hidden
blessing I could find. Of course, I still had difficult days. But choosing hope made a
difference.

As a reminder, I now wear two rings. The one on the fourth finger of my left hand
represents my commitment to my husband. The one on the fourth finger of my right hand
is a simple silver band inscribed with the word “hope” and it represents the commitment I
have made to God and myself to hold onto hope no matter what happens.

The story of an inspiring woman named Terrie also reminds me to hold onto hope. She
endured the loss of four pregnancies and waited seventeen years before adopting a little
girl. She told me, “I think one of the most important parts of this journey is learning to
trust God. I don’t mean the flippant kind of trust. It’s easy for people to say, ‘You just
need to trust God.’ It’s much harder when you’re in the middle of all this pain. But he is
trustworthy. Through it all, God has given us an amazing story. I wouldn’t have chosen
this road, but he has been with us. I can look back and truly say every step was worth it.”

I don’t know how my journey will end and you probably don’t know how yours will
either. I also don’t know how many of you will be silently grieving your losses as we sit
in church together on May 8th. But I do know that God sees each one of us. He knows
how many hairs are on our heads and how many cares our in our hearts. Whatever you’re
going through this Mother’s Day, you’re not facing it alone. As King David, a man who
experienced many losses in his life, expressed in Psalm 34:18 NIV, “The Lord is close
to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” May God surround you
with love, fill you with hope, and give you strength for each moment—especially this
Mother’s Day.

Excerpted from When Mother’s Day is Difficult.

Holley Gerth is an award-winning writer for DaySpring, a cofounder of the popular
web site (in)courage, and licensed counselor. Holley
loves chocolate, coffee, Jesus and connecting with the hearts of women through words.
Her next book, a devotional titled God's Heart for You: Embracing Your True Worth as
a Woman (Harvest House) will release this July. You can find Holley online through her
blog Heart to Heart with Holley.

Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Blog Series #5

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of
Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms
and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia
Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth,
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique
perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl
necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS
LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on
5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info
and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities
that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing
a copy of Pearl Girls:
Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

A Mother's Day Wish by Shellie
Rushing Tomlinson

Heads up: Margaret McSweeney deserves a medal, or at least a commendation for giving
everyone a much deserved Mother’s Day rest. Okay, y’all can be seated. I’m glad you
agree, but you’re supposed to be taking a load off, remember? Oh, and full disclosure—
Margaret didn’t know I was going to say that so I hope she leaves it in, and no, I didn’t
do it just because I’m ridiculously nostalgic about the theme of her community, although
I am. As the Belle of All Things Southern, one who is southern to the bone, I
have a thing about pearls.

When I was a teenager, add-a-pearl necklaces were all the rage. They may not be as
wildly popular anymore as they were back in the day but I still say they’ll always be
a classic concept: a gift of a single pearl on a dainty chain given with the intentions
of adding other pearls on important holidays and special occasions. Today, I see

add-a-pearls as a beautiful reminder of the accumulated wisdom we learn from our
mamas. Oh, sure, we snicker as young girls because not all of their advice strikes
us as useful and some of it seems positively fossilized, but hopefully, over time and
with the Father’s blessing, we gain enough perspective to see that these mama-isms—
the important values and the silly little lagniappe— are all increasing in value with the
years. By the way, that’s my Mother’s Day wish for each of you, that we’d each
take the time and the responsibility to thread these precious heirlooms into treasures
worthy of bequeathing to the next generation. Mother’s Day...

May I be honest? I’m looking ahead to the annual celebration with somewhat mixed
emotions. I’m not feeling very Mother of the Year. Instead of cooking dinner for my
most deserving mama and enjoying her company, instead of reveling in the love of my
husband, kids, and grands, (known as the Baby Czars of All Things Southern), I’ll be on
the road, touring with my latest book “Sue Ellen’s Girl Ain’t Fat, She
Just Weighs Heavy.” I’ve got Mama’s gift bought, wrapped, and ready to be
delivered by my beloved hubby, and my grown kids understand that I didn’t choose the
release date, but the facts remain: I won’t be there. (Shameless plugs time,
anyone? My daughter blogs at Kitchen Belleicious and is raising
funds to build an orphanage in Rwanda at Shelter a Child http://www.shelterachild.com/ and my daughter-in-law
celebrates the daily details of getting to know the Holy One at Providence, http://providence-carey.blogspot.com). I won’t
get to enjoy Mama tickling the ivory from the piano bench of Melbourne Baptist Church
and I won’t be overdosing on baby sugah. Sigh.

But, then, I mentioned mixed emotions earlier, didn’t I? Well, before some sweet soul
cues the violin music, perhaps I should lighten up and come clean on what Mr. Harvey
would call “the rest of the story.” It so happens that while the 8th of May will
find me miles from home, it’ll also find me in Savannah, Georgia where I’ve secured
myself a little reservation at that famous establishment belonging to Mrs. Paula Deen, the Queen of Southern Cooking. Indeed,
y’all, I’ll be suffering for Jesus at The Lady and Sons. I know. It’s a dirty job, but
someone has to do it.

Regardless of where you spend it, I wish you each a Happy Mother’s Day. I’d love to
think that everyone reading my words had a mother like mine, a woman of faith who
taught me from childhood of the Risen Savior who saves souls and anchors lives. But,
dear reader, if that’s not your past, I hope you know it can be your future. I pray you’ll be
the one that begins such a legacy, and that you’ll be moved to start building that heritage
today.

I’d love to see y’all on the road somewhere. Watch for me, and I’ll watch for you. I’ll be
the one with an empty glass of sweet tea looking, always looking, for a refill.

Hugs,
Shellie

Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, known as the Belle of All Things Southern is a
radio host, columnist, author, speaker and founder of the All Things Southern online
community, www.allthingssouthern.com. She loves meeting, greeting, laughing and learning with the whole wide world or as
many who wander her way. Shellie once dreamed of writing great important things that
changed the world, only once she started writing the world grinned and christened her
a humorist. Shellie saw this as a problem at first, until she discovered that the laughter
softens hearts, builds relationships, and invites her into people’s hurting hearts where she
can share her own, which is exactly where she wanted to be all along. Look for Shellie’s
latest book, Sue Ellen’s Girl Ain’t Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy wherever fine books are
sold.

Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Blog Series #4

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of
Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms
and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia
Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth,
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique
perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl
necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS
LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on
5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info
and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities
that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing
a copy of Pearl Girls:
Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

Adoption, a Mother's Greatest Gift
by Tricia Goyer

I held the small baby in my arms, wrapped up in a receiving blanket to keep her warm
from the chill of the delivery room, and a voice spoke to me. "Congratulations, Mom."

The congratulations came from an unlikely source--the grandmother of this child, the
mother of the sweet birth mother who chose adoption for her baby girl.

To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement. Thankfulness filled my heart--to God
who'd answered my prayers and to the birth mom who'd chosen our family for her
daughter. I also ached that my joy would be another's heartache. Working with teen

moms for ten years, I was often an advocate for the young mother. I knew that while the
weeks and months ahead would be a time of celebration for our family, they would be
ones of heartache and grieving for this woman.

Adoption is a wonder and the beauty, and the sacrifice of it is never so clear as on
Mother's Day. My new daughter is one-years-old now and she huge is a part of my heart.
Her life is a gift to my days and her smile can make even the most dreary afternoon
bright. I can honestly say there is no difference in the love I feel between her and my
three other children. If anything the love feels even more special because she was an
unexpected gift. John and I learned about her life just 2 ½ months prior to her being born.
The years of prayers to expand our family were answered quickly and beautifully.

The sacrifice of adoption makes my heart ache, for I know on this Mother's Day another
woman will be thinking about my daughter—her daughter. As I rejoice, I'll be crying
tears for her. I'll also be sending up prayers that God will wrap His arms around her in a
special way.

This Mother's Day I cannot help to think about Christ's sacrifice to make our adoption
into God's family possible. Maybe it's because just a few weeks ago we were celebrating
Easter, but I'm reminded anew that my gain required His loss, His pain. The greatest love,
it seems, is not shown with flowers, chocolate or a diamond bracelet. The greatest love
is shown when, because of your love for another, your desires and comfort are laid down
for the greater good of someone else.

As Ephesians 1:3 says, “How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the
Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him.
Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the
focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to
adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!
) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his
beloved Son” (The Message).

Perhaps you know an adoptive mother. Take time this Mother's Day to let her know that
the beauty of her gift is not missed by you. Also, take time to thank God for adopting you
into His forever family, thanking Jesus Christ for His sacrifice. I wouldn't be the mother I
am without this Gift of Love.

Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-six books including Beside Still Waters, The
Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical
Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the
Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted
was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-
fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family.
Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop
presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her
family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of

FamilyLife. www.triciagoyer.com

Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Blog Series #3

A Merry Heart ... by Megan
Alexander

Sometimes family is really all you need. This was reinforced to me when my Mother

shared a story a few days ago about her mother, my Grandma. You see, when my
Grandma was a very young girl, around age 10, she was diagnosed with polio. This
meant long hospital stays, extremely limited interaction with children her own age and
lonely days staring out the window from her hospital bed. In those days, with polio, they
felt keeping the children very subdued and quiet was best, and this particular hospital
was as drab as can be. It was also during the time of the Depression, which meant money
was tight and life was tough. Day in and day out, she was given the best medicine and
treatment, but she wasn’t thriving and recovering. Daily visits from adult doctors and
specialists is not exactly stimulating for a young girl. Her health was so poor, at one
point, a Catholic Priest had administered the "last rites" at her bedside.

One day, her older brother and sister decided to sneak some brand new baby kittens into
her hospital room. Their cat Fitzy had just had babies, and the cute kittens were small
enough to put in a basket. Upon entering her room, my mother says they quietly took off
the lid and showed my Grandma the sweet little kittens and let her cuddle with them. Her
mother, my Great Grandmother, observed my Grandma’s mood instantly lift. Her eyes
sparkled and she squealed with delight at the cute kitties! Her whole demeanor changed
and she came to life.

My Great Grandma took all this in and made a decision that day. She decided that my
Grandma would heal much better at home. She promptly checked my Grandma out of
the hospital and brought her home with her family. My Grandma did gradually recover,
among the love and warmth of her family. You know what Proverbs 17 says “ A merry
heart does good like a medicine.” Also, I can imagine that she healed emotionally and
physically and spiritually as well and that combined strength wouldn't have been possible
in the hospital alone.

When they left that day, the hospital instructed my Great Grandmother to massage
my Grandma’s legs everyday, something she promised the hospital she would do, and
she did. My Grandma was one of the few people we know who did not have a limp or
shortened leg due to polio. And perhaps most importantly, the entire family was always
praying for my Grandma.

I’m not saying that medicine is bad or not necessary. But there is no cure quite like the
warmth of your family. Its like milk, it simply does a body good. As a pregnant Mom
about to give birth to a baby boy, I am inspired to provide this same love to my child.
May he feel the same warm love from his family that my Grandma felt from her’s.

And in this same way, we are called sons and daughters of God. Galatians 4:1-7
“Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave,
though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed
by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements
of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born
of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might
receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of
His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave

but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

God claims you and I as his children. This is a wonderful gift and identity that is good
for our heart and soul, and something that is more powerful than all the medicine in the
world.

Megan Alexander can be seen nightly as a television correspondent for the top rated news
magazine show “Inside Edition”. She also appears on the CNN program “Showbiz
Tonight”. She especially enjoys reporting on stories with a heart. She graduated from
Westmont College with a degree in Political Science. She loves speaking to youth and
works with Girls Inc and National American Miss. She and her husband reside in the
New York City area and attend Redeemer Church of Manhattan. For more on Megan,
go to www.meganalexander.com.
Megan’s mother, Mary, resides in Seattle and provided insight into this essay.

Mother of Pearl Mother's Day Blog Series #2

Welcome to Pearl Girls™ Mother of
Pearl Mother's Day blog series. The series is week long celebration of moms
and mothering. Each day will feature a new post by some of today's best writer's (Tricia
Goyer, Megan Alexander, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Beth Engelman, Holley Gerth,
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, and more). I hope you'll join us each day for another unique
perspective on Mother's Day.

AND ... do enter the contest for a chance to win a beautiful hand crafted pearl
necklace. To enter, just {CLICK THIS
LINK} and fill out the short form. Contest runs 5/1-5/8 and the winner will on
5/11. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info
and see what we're all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities
that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing
a copy of Pearl Girls:
Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls™ products (all GREAT Mother's Day gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

And to all you MOMS out there! Happy Mother's Day!

3 DIY Mother’s Day Gifts
that Celebrate Family By Beth Engelman

This Mother’s Day, celebrate family with this crafty games the whole family can enjoy.

Block Photo Puzzle
Not only does this 6-sided photo puzzle provide hours of family fun, but it’s also a great
way to reuse favorite family photos.

Materials:
•   9 - Wooden Blocks (Use old alphabet blocks)
•   6 - 8 x 10 Photograph Prints or Colored Copies

•   Ruler
•   Scissors
•   Mod Podge and Paintbrush

Directions:
1. Arrange blocks in a square and measure the length and width of the square.
2. Measure and cut print to the exact same size as the 9-block square.
3. Place blocks in a square on top of print. Position blocks so they’re lined up neatly and
as close together as possible.
4. Trace and cut the outline of each block.
5. Glue print pieces to blocks using Mod Podge. Set aside to dry and then seal with 1-2
top layers of Mod Podge.
6. Repeat process until all 6 sides of the blocks are covered with different photographs.
Thank you to the creative folks at www.photojojo.com for sharing this idea!

“Go Fish with the Family” Card Game
This gift is perfect for Moms who like card games. Another bonus? There’s
always room to “grow” the deck.

Materials:
•   Camera
•   Double stick tape, or a glue stick
•   Several pieces of cardstock (one color)
•   Scissors

Directions:
1.   Take pictures of each family member and develop the pictures in
duplicates (3x5 or 4x6 is fine, just make sure all the pictures are the same size).
2.   Turn the pictures into playing cards by gluing or taping a piece
of card-stock to the backside of each picture.
3.   Game ideas include “Go Fishing with the Family” which is
similar to “Go Fish” but, instead of matching numbers, the object is to collect matching
pairs of photos. “Memory” is another fun game to play. Place the cards face down
in a grid and try to find matching pairs of photos.

Family Bingo
In my house, Bingo is always a big hit because regardless of age or skill level, everyone
has the same chance to win. However this version is extra special because the
playing boards are populated with pictures of family members.

Materials:
•   Color Coordinated Game Boards (download here)
•   Images of Family Members (use photographs, drawings or clip
art)
•   Bingo Markers (pennies, pebbles or buttons)
•   Glue and Scissors

Directions:
1.   Create the game boards: Download and print desired
number of game-boards. Remember each player gets a different game board.
2.   Color-copy and paste images of family members onto each game
board. Remember to paste one person per square and make each board slightly
different.
3.   Make “call-out cards” by writing the name of each family
member in yellow, green, blue, purple and pink (which coordinates with the colors on the
board)
4.   To Play: Game play is similar to traditional Bingo except the
caller will randomly select a call-out card and then read the color and person. For
example, “Blue, Grandma Mary” means there is a picture of Grandma Mary in a blue
square. Just like Bingo, the first person to get 5 in a row (horizontally, vertically
or diagonally) wins!

Beth Engelman is a columnist for the Sun Times News Group’s Pioneer Press. Her
column “Mommy on a Shoestring,” appears in over 30 local papers around Chicago
area as well as on the Sun-times website where you can also view her Mommy on a
Shoestring video series. She is also a regular on “You and Me this Morning” on WCIU
and is frequent contributor for WGN America’s Midday News at Noon. Recently,
Beth was chosen by a celebrity panel from NBC Universal and iVillage to become one
of 15 national “mom” correspondents for NBC’s popular website, www.ivillage.com (over 3 million visitors a day) where
she reports on issues that affect moms, families and communities such as bullying,
divorce and weight loss. For more information visit Beth at www.mommyonashoestring.com

coret antanganq

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