Sources of Encouragement {From One Mom to Another}

Shortly after Sally Clarkson's annual Mom Heart Conference at the beginning of this year, I did some online research and compiled a list of moms I could find online who had attended one of the three conferences and shared what they had learned and how they had been blessed.  Before I knew it, the hype of the conference had passed and the information I had gathered - but hadn't had the time to finish and post - seemed to be old news.  With Mother's Day being tomorrow however, I felt compelled to blog about the sources I have received encouragement from as a mother.  It seemed a perfect time to pull up this draft and complete it!

Now there's a lot here and I don't expect you to read it all in one sitting.  So maybe Bookmark this post or Pin it to refer back to when you're needing a little more refreshment.

Here's a glimpse into the 2012 Mom Heart Conferences that were held in February.  For those of you not familiar with the Mom Heart Conference, you can read about the one I got to attend a couple years ago here.

Heavenly Glimpses:
In Which I've Contemplated Hiring Sally as Supernanny {And the Mom Heart Conference!

Moms In Need of Mercy:
The Mom Heart Conference:  Encouragement, Rejuvenation, Inspiration

I Take Joy:
Training My Princess

The Farmer's Nest:
Mom Heart Conference 2012 {Recap}

Inspired to Action:
The Best Advice I Heard at the Mom Heart Conference

Raisin' 4:
Mom Heart Conference Meets GMG!

Women Living Well:
Top 10 Quotes on Motherhood

Nunez News: 
Mom Heart Conference {A Mom Like Me} - Part 1
Mom Heart Conference {The Importance of Daily Fellowship} - Part 2
Mom Heart Conference {Becoming a Heart-shaping Mother} - Part 3


Posts on Sally Clarkson's Facebook Wall:

Whittney Bevington Hoyler 

‎"You are the Bible your kids are reading." - Sally Clarkson

Jennifer Brown Crawford
"No mom alive will ever be perfect, or even always adequate.  But for those who serve in a spirit of love and joy, there will always be strings of living connection between the heart of a child and her mom, tying them together forever."  Gotta love Sally Clarkson!

Laura Heimer Warrick 

If you have little boys who need to brush up on manners, I have a book to recommend to you. Good Manners for a Little Warrior by Kelly Chapman (she has a princess book too) is a winner. I got it at Sally Clarkson's Mom Heart Conference this weekend, kind of as an after thought, and read a chapter to Jonathan (6) and Joshua (4) earlier this evening and they ASKED for the second chapter before bed AND Joshua tried to smuggle it to bed.

Kimberly McCuistion 

Is there a way we can access Joy's video that you showed at the conference in Dallas? I was telling my husband about it and wanted him to hear what Joy had to say and how well she said it because she does it so well :). Her topic is one we've discussed and went back and forth on and I really like her perspective on the whole thing! She is very inspiring and convincing :). Thanks!

Sally Clarkson 

PEOPLE FROM THE CONFERENCES HAVE BEEN REQUESTING THAT I POST JOY'S SPEECH, SO HERE IT IS! 

Theresa Horton Miller

Those of you who know of or follow Sally Clarkson (or have never heard of her before, but are passionate about raising up a family of leaders), you may not want to miss this [blog post]. Also included is Sally's 16-year-old daughter's speech that blew me away at her recent conference! 

Natalie Haber

I heard this video at the conference. I prayed a small prayer a year ago asking the Lord to help me raise my children the way he was showing me. "I have no idea how to do that I told Him" He answered my prayer through Sally Clarkson. He has graciously humbled me and continues to open my eyes to where I have been stuck on rules and formulas. Leading me to the path of His joy and freedom:) I hope this blesses you to!

In closing, if you're interested, here are some of the sources I have gone/go to, as a mom, for encouragement, inspiration, instruction and refreshment:

Books

Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child's Heart for Eternity by Sally Clarkson

Ministry of Motherhood: Following Christ's Example in Reaching the Hearts of Our Children by Sally Clarkson

Dancing With My Father: How God Leads Us into a Life of Grace and Joy by Sally Clarkson

Heartfelt Discipline: The Gentle Art of Training and Guiding Your Child by Clay Clarkson

Start Your Family: Inspiration for Having Babies by Steve and Candice Watters

Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex and Brett Harris

Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are by Alex and Brett Harris

The Duggars: 20 and Counting! by Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar

A Love That Multiplies by Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar

(Note: To get what I like to call my "Dose of the Duggars," I go here to watch episodes from their TV show!)

Blogs: My Online Oases

Arielle Elise 
Grace 2 Be
Money Saving Mom
Aimee Weaver
I Take Joy
Mom Heart Blog

Q. Who has helped you form your parenting philosophies?  What resources have greatly impacted the way you parent?

A Tale of Two Walks

Today marks the second day of what I hope will become a habit of walking every day.  They say it takes 21 days to form a habit, so I still have a ways to go to see my faithfulness pay off!  Getting the girls on a walk this morning was reminiscent to me of the scene in Sense and Sensibility when Marianne tries to get her sister, Margaret to walk with her:

Marianne:  Come, I'm taking you on a walk.
Margaret:  No, I've been on a walk.
Marianne:  You need another.
Margaret:  It's going to rain.
Marianne:  It is not going to rain.
Margaret:  You always say that, and then it always does.

In my case, watching "Strawberry Land" was my 2-year-old's debate to going outside and though it looked like it was going to rain, thanks to modern day technology, I was able to confirm that it wasn't going to on weather.com.

So here are some highlights, in pictures, of our walk:

Anyone know what kind of bird this is?  It kept flitting down to the ground and then back up on to the fence. My guess is this little black bird was getting some worms.

These trees were so interesting-looking!  These blooming flowers are so bright!  What kind of tree is this?

Saw lots of lady bugs on this walk!  I cannot believe how well this photo turned out with just a Cannon PowerShot camera!  I've always been afraid of the Manual setting because I thought I had to know what I was doing.  Boy, does it work wonders!  I'm glad I dared to experiment!

What do you think the story is behind this shoe?  It's been laying in the same spot for weeks.  I didn't know it at the time, but I ended up getting a lady bug in the shot.  Do you see it?  Once again, I'm so surprised at how the photo on the left turned out.  I haven't been able to take pictures like this since my Cannon EOS Rebel T3i film camera!

My walking buddy, Leala (her 6-month-old sister, Adella was in the double stroller as well).  Leala has been getting these light streaks in her hair lately and I think the picture on the left captured it so beautifully!  I love natural lighting!

We passed an elderly gentleman on our cement path who stopped to chat and noticed that I was taking pictures as well.  He shared with us some of the animals he had spotted along the way, and this ground squirrel was one of them.

I had to get a picture of this tree!  When I saw it yesterday, I thought to myself (in light of pom poms being the latest wedding and nursery decor craze), "God came up with the pom pom first!"  I had to give Him credit here!

We didn't see the male and female duck pair we saw yesterday, but I walked all the way to the end of the road where the elderly gentleman had said he had seen them.  Right as I was turning back towards home, I saw something come down from the sky and it was the male Mallard making his landing into the creek!  He was out of zoom range, so the picture isn't the best.

May you take the time to enjoy the beauty that's right outside your door!

"Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing." 

- Camille Pissarro