Guest Post: Mothering from Scratch

Meet my friends Kathy and Melinda at Mothering from Scratch...

Kathy and Melinda met on a Little League baseball field. The coach — Melinda’s kids’ paediatrician — also happened to be Kathy’s husband. They discovered their shared passion for writing, as well as a common desire to serve and encourage other mothers.
Kathy (the redhead) mothers four kids ranging in age from late teens to early elementary years. Melinda (the brunette) is mother to a middle-school-aged son and a  teenage daughter. They blog over at Mothering from Scratch, and come at things from a Christian perspective.

I've been blog-friends with Melinda since my very early days blogging. I've always found her to be super-encouraging and supportive. It's been my pleasure to make Kathy's acquaintance though Melinda, and now I am privileged o be a guest "Momtor" over at Mothering from Scratch on a regular basis. I invited them so share some of their thoughts with my readers here at Greatfun4kids, and this is what they came up with...

A Mother’s Mission Field
by Kathy and Melinda [Mothering from Scratch]

We all have dreams within our hearts. Desires to change the world. Blaze a trail. Alter the course of mankind.
As we’re buried beneath a mountain of laundry or drowning in a sink full of dirty dishes, it is difficult to believe that those dreams will ever be fulfilled. As we take our kids to soccer practice for the 400th time, we may be tempted to think those goals will be left to someone else. Someone more dynamic. Energetic. Available.
Guess what? We are changing the world. We are blazing a trail. We are altering the course of mankind. Everyday. With each heartfelt hug. With each sloppy kiss. In the midst of folding underwear and helping with homework. Almost without notice, the gospel is being preached, lives are being changed, and Christ’s love is shared.

When I (Melinda) was a little girl, I was terrified that God would call me to be a missionary. I didn’t want to disappoint him. But I didn’t want to live in a hut in Africa either. As I got older, I realized that He did call be to be a missionary — not in some exotic location, but as a mother in my own home.
He’s called you, too. We all have a mission field and we wake up inside of it every morning.

How to maximize the impact on our mothering mission field:

Don’t do it alone. There’s a reason Jesus sent up his disciples two-by-two. Isolation leaves us vulnerable and ineffective. Support comes from a variety of sources — husbands, teachers, coaches, other mothers, extended family. We can’t just look for support, though. We need to be the support for other moms, too. No mom left behind.

Make sure we’re equipped. Spend time with God everyday. It is the fuel that will enables us to weather the trials, chaos and stress of motherhood. It gives us the divine wisdom and passion we need to pass on to our children. Ask others to pray for us. It serves as a hedge of protection around us as we are in a vulnerable territory as mothers.

Don’t neglect our own needs. Our usefulness depends on our own mental and physical health. Sacrifice is admirable. Martyrdom is optional. It is not selfish to care for your own needs even in the midst of motherhood. It is essential.
We may not be able to change the world. But we can impact our corner of it.

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Melinda and Kathy are doing a special series over the next month or so to help reduce the stress of the Christmas season... so head on over to check out their awesome tips and words of wisdom...