Moms Giveaway & Upcoming Online Study

A heartfelt welcome to those here after reading my devotion at Proverbs 31 Ministries or on Crosswalk.com. If you haven’t read it yet, click here. Be sure to come back for a giveaway & announcement!

So, have your hats got you frustrated?

Wife, mother, lover, chauffeur, cook, maid, worker, referee, nurse, counselor, and Facebook friend!?!?!

Tired of switching back and forth throughout the day?

Growing weary of the delicate balancing act that nearly topples them all over and sends your emotions crashing too?

Ever want to chuck them all, let your hair down, grab a good novel and head for the beach…..all alone!!

Try these 5 tips for Maxed Out Moms:

~Make your motto “I’ll do what is next, not what is easy.” Too many times we gravitate toward what is easiest rather than what most needs attention.

But activity does not always equal productivity. Determine the next chore that should be tackled. Then, get started on it, even if it is unpleasant. You’ll gain momentum from just getting out of the chutes.

~Plate Scrape. Twenty years of parenting has taught me an important lesson about moms who do too much. We must plate scrape.

Ask yourself why you are doing what you do. Is it to be liked? To appear to be Wonder Woman? To feel needed and included? Because you’ve always done that task or held that position?

Hold your too-full plate up to God, ask His opinion then get a rubber scraper and rid your schedule of what He has not called you to.

~ Don’t Freak Out. Instead, Farm Out or Opt Out. Don’t try to wow your friends and amaze the church ladies with how you “do it all”. It will make you freak out. Realize is okay to farm some things out. And sometimes, to opt out all together!

Whenever someone seems to imply that they don’t know how I “do it all”, I look them straight in the eye and say, “Why honey….I don’t even try!”

Yes, I am a homeschool mom of three. One is grown. The other two have co-op classes taught by other parents as well as me & a weekly math tutor who is worth her weight in dark chocolate. I do what I can do (speak & write) to get money to pay her to do what I can’t (Algebra & Geometry). This, I farm out.

Secondly, I do not scrapbook. When I tried, it was pitiful. My kids’ books? Partially finished. But hey, all my childhood pictures are in an old trunk in my mom’s house and I haven’t needed professional therapy. I love looking at others’ scrapbooks and am in awe at their talent! It just isn’t my gig. On this one, I opt out.

Housework? I don’t clean bathrooms or do laundry. My theory is that if a 12-year-old can work an Xbox controller, they can run the washing machine and fling a toilet brush! These tasks? Farm out to the kiddos.

You see ladies, trying to “do it all” will only do yourself in. Pick what you are gifted at and hire, beg or barter to accomplish the rest. Hey, even the woman in Proverbs 31 had servant girls!

~ Carve out calm. Running at break-neck speed with a frenzy of activity all around makes our spirits restless. Slow down. Get alone. Turn off the noise-making gadgets. Listen to nothingness for a while. God is in the silence.

If you are a mom of young children, find another mother who will partner and swap with you. You take all the kids one morning so she can be alone. The next week swap. This practice saved my sanity when my kids were small & still does now that they are all teens.

~ Don Your Crown First. As I said in the devotion, perhaps the points on our tiaras as daughters of the King keep all the other hats in place. Trying to tuck God in around the edges of our day rarely works.

Time gets away; family fires need to be extinguished; out the window go my best intentions.

My P31 sister Luann Prater recently said in a conference call with our team that when we think of having time alone with just God and our Bibles each day, we must think of the word “non-negotiable”.

Crucial. Mandatory for a successful life. And necessary if we want to keep our hats in balance!

Now, I have two practical take-aways for you today to help you juggle those hats! First, a giveaway!

One gal who comments will receive the following:

~ A copy of Holiday Cooking with Kids by Williams Sonoma.

~ Colorful kitchen gadgets including a rubber spatula, pan scraper and cookie dough ball maker.

~ 2 warm vanilla sugar Bath & BodyWorks melting tarts.

~A signed copy of my book The Complete Guide to Getting & Staying Organized.

~ A fun shirt given to me by a sweet gal at a Hearts at Home conference. The front says “What’s Your Day Look Like?” with the verse Prov. 31:30 on it. The back sports a long list of all the P31 woman did “Get up before dawn. Prepare breakfast. Plant a vineyard. Bring food from afar. Speak kind words. etc….” Size XL

Finally, beginning June 1st, I’ll be hosting a free 4 week online study designed to help busy women get their acts together. What better time to start than at the beginning of summer? Turn those lazy days into an opportunity to finally get your home in order and your time under control!

This will be based on my book The Complete Guide to Getting & Staying Organized. (So if you haven’t got a copy you’ll need to get your hands on one). We’ll have discussions on concepts and ideas in the book (de-junking, time management, handling paper piles, cooking, cleaning, involving kids, etc),  giveaways, practical take-aways, a few evening conference calls, guests and goodies all inspiring you to get those hats, and your homes, in order!

Since this will be done on Facebook, you can hop on at your convenience to comment, enter the giveaways, ask questions and share ideas and struggles. There will be a few evening conference calls that are optional.  And, although we’ll hit the topics from all the chapters, it won’t be tied to a strict reading plan so you can go at your own pace.

If you’d like more information, head over to the Facebook page where this will be happening by clicking here. Click on the “Like” button and you’ll be set!

Get started reading and mark your calendar for June 1st when we launch the official 4 week study! Oh, I can’t wait!!

Now, don’t forget to leave your comment here to be entered in this moms giveaway! Winner announced Monday (along with the winners of this post, and this one too. You can still enter both!)

And finally, if you have a few minutes and want a good laugh, check out my Hats of a Mom skit here. Have a fabulous Mother’s Day!!!

Happy Hat-Juggling!

306 Comments

  1. I have mine and now my dads stuff to keep organized. I sometimes feel like I am losing the battle!!

  2. Just discovered your blog and I am thinking NOW is the time to get organized!! Thank you for your humor and talent!!!

  3. Enjoyed the Hat video..it is so true!! Oh my word! :) Thanks for the laugh :) Thank you for the reminders on what is important in life and not to try to keep up with the Jones’ and to make our kids help carry the weight around the house. Thank you for your minstry

  4. Really appreciated these words and will be passing them on. The summer study looks awesome!

  5. I am so thankful for this post…I am often pulled in so many directions and needed the reminder that I can’t do it all! I know I need HIM more than anything and that through HIM I can do anything! Thanks!

  6. Just finished watching the hats skit and I was laughing out loud. Thanks I needed that after a long day of homeschooling and running errands with the kids. It helps to know that I am not alone in this motherhood adventure. I am looking forward to your upcoming online study too…I could definitely use some organizational help!
    Thanks for your writings!
    Christina

  7. I enjoy your blog and am looking forward to the bible study. We have been contemplating the different hats Moms wear as part of our Mothers day celebration.

  8. Karen,

    I so enjoy your blog and am happy to have you as a friend on Facebook. You are such an encourager and I look forward to the online bible study. Blessings and Happy Mother’s Day!!

  9. I love the hats skit! Thanks for being such and encourager. God has truly blessed me with you and your writing. The study sounds great!

  10. I enjoyed the skit! A little laughter makes the struggles a bit easier to tackle. Happy Mother’s Day!

  11. I have more hats than shoes! Count me in!!! I can’t wait for the summer study. With 3 little boys, I am always too busy.

  12. This is so timely. This afternoon I was just crying out to God asking Him how to handle my business. I was thanking Him for it, because I know someday I will miss the business; however somedays are just plain overwhelming. Today was one of those overwhelming days.
    -Robin

  13. I have been a daughter of the KING for 35 years, and am so disappointed with my lack of time with my Savior lately. No excuses. I’m dropping the ball…And tired of asking forgiveness for it! The creator of the universe wants to meet with me on a daily basis, and day after day, I don’t stop to keep my appointment with Him. Thank you for your encouraging “post” today. I’d love to read your book!

  14. Count me in. My life is a major struggle at the moment so any guidance would be fantastic
    Leanne :-)

  15. Thanks for the great post! I am definitely one of those people that is super busy. Being a single mother of 3 is no picnic but I wouldn’t change my life for a minute…well maybe a minute. I have recently been trying to prioritize God to the top of my list but have fallen victim to the “this is easier” or “I need to finish this first” talk in my head. Your post was God’s way of speaking to me about the importance of making Him first! Thanks! Briana

  16. What fun! I am really working hard to keep organized. My favorite way is just de-junking. I purge my stuff on a regular basis. That makes it easier to keep the stuff that I do have all neat. Not that it looks that way all the time. :) Thanks for your giveaway and for your upcoming helps!

  17. I really need prayers to help me put time with the LORD first. Seems my desire to get everything else done keeps getting in the way of seeking the one who does it ALL. Thanks for the encouragement today.

  18. I really enjoyed your blog today and I really could use a getaway and some organization in my life. I would love to have your book and I look forward to your sessions starting on June 1!!! Thank you again Karen and Happy Mother’s Day!!

  19. Thanks Karen! While I’m not really trying to balance the “mom thing” too much as mine are both in their early 20’s, they do still live at home and tend to make life chaotic! I’ve been wanting a copy of your book and am interested in your 4 week study! I could use some ultra organization!! I promised myself I would not have another wild year like 2010 but so far have done little to change that!! Have a great weekend. Thanks for the wise words.

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