Just A Mom from Ohio

 I haven't been writing much but I still have the desire to write. I actually have several started ideas saved just hanging out in interspace. Perhaps it is the season I am in with #momlife.  Before I had this blog, even before I had kids, I had a blog. I used to type it out on my computer or write in a journal. My audience was God. My goal was to communicate. It was authentic and raw. It was a lifeline to Jesus.  I am questioning why the struggle to post much content on  Just A Mom From Ohio . In Bible study recently a topic of motivation struck me. Have I lost touch with the heart of the blog? Am I writing about God or for God?  Since I was young, I felt like God lit a fuse in the writing part of my soul. It came naturally. It was a way that I could communicate with others and with God.  I wrote a lot of poetry in high school. Writing poetry was a way to organize thoughts that I couldn't even speak. Today I would consider it a form of prayer. My heart wa...

 Middle school. Ugh! The memories are almost as bad as high school. Those awkward years.  They were awful for me. How about you? Were you lucky enough not to cringe when you think of the past? For many, I would wonder if we don't have some insecurities that peaked their heads at that time.  I'm so grateful that I didn't have to grow up in today's selfie and social media ridden world. I'm grateful my kids are young enough to not be faced with too many questions about the internet and phones and social media. However, I'll admit that Covid definitely affected our access to the internet by the school issued Chromebook. Even with limits, it challenged me.  The addiction of the screen is no joke. When your kid hides the screen like they were just caught doing something wrong is alarming. Shame is not the goal but it reveals itself and I don't even have to say a word.  At church on Sunday, the word "poser" came up. Instantly, my mind went bac...

Worship music is powerful. I've been listening to the new song " Jireh " by Elevation Worship and Maverick City Worship pretty much on repeat for the last 48 hours. This song is full of affirmations that I need and have needed for so long. Maybe this song could be a healing tool for God to move in your life too.  ***"FYI the new joint album "Old Church Basement" just dropped (4/30/21). So far, loving the songs!*** I'm going to break out some of the key phrases for me and talk about the lies they defeat by reminding me of truth.  Lyric   "I'll never be more loved than I am right now." 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in l...

 When I was in 4th grade, I read a biography and did a report about Sojourner Truth.  The book was published by  Scholastic  in 1994 and authored by Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick McKissack. Reading that book and writing that report had a profound impact on me. I still have the handwritten original in my saved memories from my childhood. I remember being completely shocked and mortified that slavery was such a part of the American history.  my original report In honor of Black History Month, I thought I would re-type it out here on the blog.  Sojourner Truth  (Ain't I A Woman?) Isabella Van Wagner was born sometime in 1797 to a slave family. Her parents James and Betsy called her Belle. Belle's father James was called Baumfree and Belle's  mother Betsy was called Mau Mau Bett.  Baumfree and Mau Mau Bett had other children but they were sold away. They were worried Belle was going to be sold away too. The best they could do was to tea...

Last night I was looking for a show to watch on Netflix that wouldn't get me sucked into a series and yet would be more than a cooking show or another organizing show, even though I love those. I landed on a show about being minimalist. I've learned about it in the past but I thought it was cool that it was less than an hour and it related to being organized but was a little deeper. The show was called " The Minimalists: Less in Now " and its new (2021) and the guys are from Ohio 😜. So this morning, while at home with the kids on a precautionary quarantine, I had started to purge random areas. In that effort, I found an old notebook that I kept saving. I opened it to see notes from 2010. These were notes about a specific memory of a pivotal time that changed my approach and outlook on my faith and relationship with Jesus.  Why don't I remember taking these notes? I'm going to attempt to explain my selective memory from my life experience, not in a...