Some days, we need a new song and a fresh start. I once knew a man who had struggled with the same thing for years. He was exhausted. During this time of exhaustion, Satan pressed hard on him. He believed the only way to remove the burden was to give in and give up. I…
Free activities for families may be a great way to make memories and have a lot of fun! There are tons of ways to do this! I spent some time today going over photos from a few years ago. Some of these memories were when I had $1.78 in my checking account! What was amazing…
In the dead of winter, I start my winter garden preparations. It may be because I’m so tired of being cold, but whatever the reason, it gives me time to think through my garden plans. Learning to garden can be tricky, but it’s worth the extra effort. The following link is to my simple steps…
This is one of several organizing tips for busy moms that have helped me! Lately, it has occurred to me that some things are not getting done. Sure, I may have just been swamped. That’s true. But I think there’s more to it than that. I use my busy mom’s cleaning routine, and it works…
It wasn’t very long ago that reality snuck in. I gained a full understanding of the lies I had believed and the mistakes I was making. I wondered how to admit mistakes and move on. The truth is like seeing yourself in a well-lit room in a full-length mirror. Rather unpleasant. But every once in…
Occasionally, chaos hits this family hard, and I wonder why and what I can do to improve things. I might even Google, “How to regain control of your life?” I’d rather not create chaos with my own behavior. I should know better! My dad was in the Navy. And that is the only logical conclusion…
Perhaps because it is ridiculously cold outside, I’ve been wondering how to create a cozy home; I’m not sure. But whatever it is, it’s been on my mind. I want my children to remember a cozy home. Today, we are in another blizzard, and I swear I see the birds shivering. And I’m grateful for…
Finding rest for your soul means quieting yourself before God and centering yourself. It’s a challenge for everyone, but peace requires it. Here is my favorite, peaceful music. On the urge to run. Away. Far away. I’ll be honest: this week, I wanted to RUN. And while I was at it, I wanted it to…
Giving yourself grace and talking kindly about yourself may be the start of finding peace regarding your past. It’s around this time of year that I get spring fever. I have forgotten last year’s gardening fails and chicken woes, and I am ready to start over! Winter lasts forever here (I honestly don’t think I’m…
Gaining a positive self-image is possible, but we must rethink our identity. Seeing ourselves as daughters of “The King” can give us a new start! The starting point requires us to slow down long enough to deal with our uncomfortable feelings. This deep sense of unworthiness? I’ve seen it a hundred times. In others and…
Parenting with humor is a decision. Because let’s face it, some days we have to look for “the funny” in life! But over time, this decision pays off with happy, healthy kids! A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 NIV I’ve met people who could laugh in almost…
Sometimes, I don’t recognize the gifts from God. I’m so wrapped up in difficult circumstances that I miss them. While wrapping the Christmas gifts last night, I had some lulls. It’s nothing big, but I am slightly tired of the complications. And thinking that life would be better if it were easier. A lot easier….
Passing down truth, skills, and traditions ensures success for future generations. There are so many examples of this! And so many cultures and people that do a great job with this! I once met a young Native American girl whose grandmother had taught her about the medicinal properties of herbs. In my family, farming and…
Learning how to discipline kids was one of my greatest struggles. Doing it as a broken single mom became even more difficult. But over time, I learned how to decrease the battles and increase my success. I felt completely out of control the first few years of being a single mom. I did do a…
I’m not Shakespeare, but here’s my attempt at a romance story. One short romance story saturated with too much reality. Ridiculous Romance Movies. It’s romance season on TV. And it’s killing me. One may think my divorce made me cynical or jaded, but I don’t think many women can relate to them! I cannot identify…
Being grateful is always a choice. It may mean sorting through what you thought should happen in your life and looking for and finding things to be grateful for. The way it is. My life isn’t terrible. I’m a lot better off than lots of people. I have two older vehicles, a small (barely worth…
Learning to create boundaries as a single mom is vital. We overextended in every area. Practicing good boundaries about what we can and cannot do will protect us from emotional and physical exhaustion. The purpose of boundaries. The old saying “good fences make good neighbors” is entirely accurate. I’m not great at boundaries, but I’m…
Creating a peaceful home environment is something we should actively pursue. The peace I’m talking about is not whether Child One is currently at peace with Child Four. That kind of peace is short-lived. And changes with the wind. But it is about providing an environment that is safe and peaceful. It’s about becoming steadfast…
Decision-making for single moms holds a lot of weight. It is vital that the decisions we make are made with wisdom and insight. Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew…
Somedays are just hard, and this is hope for the hard days. Some days, I’d like to scream, but it would do little good. No one would listen. And then you would have to apologize. And who likes to do that? Murphey’s Law. Murphey’s Law. When things can go wrong. They will go wrong. Then…
Prepping as a single mom seems complicated. But thinking things through saves heartache and desperation. The Why. We are living in a time of economic uncertainty and social unrest. And even the bravest and most stable of us are concerned. I recently heard of a younger woman with a great husband and a few little…
Finding hope for the Christian single mom is essential. Hope will lead you through the dark days. Statistics for a single mom can be terrifying. And the reality isn’t much different. We do hard all day long. When I first became a single mom, I was so overwhelmed. It took me a while to realize…
Advice for newly single moms should be compassionate and careful. These first steps can lead us into further chaos and pain or towards hope and healing. The beginning of the end. The end of my marriage was messy, just like everyone else’s. It was a runaway train and a sinking ship. By the end, I…
These are basic cleaning routines for busy moms. We’re busy and tired; simple cleaning routines are a must! As women who are juggling many plates, this one is a real one. And one that never ends. I have no idea how they can create such a mess, but they do. One night, I was exhausted…
These are steps on how to overcome despair. They are just baby steps, but a move in the right direction. To begin with, despair isn’t selective or hard to find. You can find it anywhere—the happily married woman and the single mom. The poor think money is the answer to despair, and yet there it…
Courage, for the single mom, may seem slightly out of reach. However, the truth is that we have never needed as much courage as we do now. The rewards of courage outweigh the risks! Today, I had an epiphany. It is better to be scared than to live in resignation. I’ve been facing a spiritual…
Picking out chicks is one of my favorite memories with my kids. Every spring, we go to one of the local farm supply stores and buy a few chicks. Each child gets to pick out a baby or two. Then, they get to name them. It’s one of our ways of bringing in spring. For…
There are some ways to overcome judgment as a single mom, and these will bring you freedom! Legalism and judgment go hand in hand. And as single moms, we seem to attract more than our fair share. Of all the subjects in the world, this is the one I hate the most. Perhaps it’s because…
Being self-aware as a single mom is essential. We set the mood in our home, and we must be careful how we come across to our kids. And we may think that we are hiding stress from our kids, but they pick up on it more than we realize. A few months ago, I was…
The following post includes information on raising backyard chickens. For additional information on Chickens, please consider this post. https://www.singlemomoutwest.com/raising-chicks-for-beginners/ Chicken Drama! I might hate most reality TV shows, but I love a good chicken drama! Pepper is unfaithful to Colonel Clank, which causes Clank to tackle Colonel Cowboy. Popeye steals from Cupcake. And a chicken…
