Be Content

I was sitting on my deck this morning looking at all the signs of spring.How beautiful and peaceful it is!We should give thanks everyday for all the blessings we have.I want to share something said at church that really made me think.

BE CONTENT IN YOUR STRUGGLES.YOU NEVER KNOW HOW GOD MAY USE YOU.

Many times ,I have complained about my trials and struggles in life. In the midst of my problems, God wants me to worship him.We should live to please God,not ourselves or others.God does not want to fix our problems-he wants to fix us.He wants to make us more like him. I pray for God to use me in my struggles to be the wife,mom and stepmom that he wants me to be.Continuing The Journey!

The Busy Life of Step Parenting

I have been so busy lately and have not been able to blog as much as I would like to.Blogging is very good therapy! Let me update you on things-Hope is going to the prom and we are having so much fun getting ready. We have the dress and shoes. BEAUTIFUL DRESS!!!! Now we are looking for jewelry and have appointment for hair and nails.If any of you know Hope, a few years ago you would have never thought she would even want to wear a dress,much less a prom dress.Photos of dress will be coming soon.She is certainly becoming a beautiful young woman. Hope and I are going to Extrordinary Women Conference in Greenville,SC this coming weekend. We are looking forward to a girls weekend. Driving lessons are continuing,with drivers ed class in April. Time is going so fast -Hope was 12 years old when she came to live with us fulltime and now she is almost 16. In giving you this update, I want to encourage stepmoms that a relationship with your stepchild does take time.I want to share a few tips I have learned along the way that helped me. There are certainly many more,but these helped me.

S-SPEND TIME WITH THEM DOING SOME THINGS THEY ENJOY-
T-TALK WITH THEM ABOUT SCHOOL,CHURCH,FRIENDS,FAMILY
E-EXPLAIN RULES AND EXPECTATIONS TO THEM
P-PATIENT-BE PATIENT WHILE YOU ARE BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR STEPCHILD-THIS CAN TAKE YEARS TO DEVELOP
C-COMFORT THEM WHEN NEEDED
H-HAVE FUN WITH THEM-GO SHOPPING,GO TO MOVIES-DO WHAT THEY ENJOY WHEN TIME ALLOWS
I-INVOLVE THEM IN THINGS THAT WILL HELP THEM TO GROW AND MATURE-GOOD CHURCH YOUTH GROUP IS GREAT
L-LISTEN TO THEM AND SHOW THEM LOVE
D-DISCIPLINE THEM AS NEEDED

Please be encouraged along the way in your step parent journey.I hope that your relationships will develop and grow with your stepchild.Years down the road , I hope we can both look back and remember all the many ups and yes sometimes difficult times that helped get us to where we are today.CONTINUING THE JOURNEY!!

Braces Off



BEFORE WITH BRACES



WITHOUT BRACES!!!

Today was a very exciting day for Hope-she got her braces off!! YOOHOO!!! Her smile is beautiful and what a difference this will make in her life.

Stepmoms Need Encouragement

As stepmoms our lives are so busy,hectic and full of turmoil at times.We have to deal with alot of different people and alot of different situations that "normal families" do not experience. These involve stepchildren, exwives,grandparents from both sides,aunts,uncles and cousins from all sides.My stepdaughter's mother is deceased but relatives and situations from the biological mother still impacts our lives and always will. We as stepmoms can try to reach across to the other side (ex's family) to keep family ties for stepchildren.Oh, the many things we do for our stepchildren,some noticed and some will forever be unnoticed. Most stepmoms do like some validation from others that they are doing a good job as a stepmom.I am so very thankful for a husband that appreciates the things I do to help raise his daughter as a full time stepmom. I am coming to realize and accept that very few people realize and give thanks to stepmoms outside of a spouse except of course my own mom.She has given me much encouragement. Despite all of our challenges and turmoils as stepmoms,I challenge you and myself to PERSEVERE. To persevere as a stepmom,at the top of the list for me is to PRAY. I realize that I am not on this journey alone but that God is by my side leading me every step of the way.So stepmoms,as the road gets rocky and rough at times, and it will,put your strenghth in the greatest encourager of all-OUR HEAVENLY FATHER! Continuing The Journey!





Hopes Testimony



Hope and friends at church



Hope gave her testimony at church this past Wednesday and she was awesome!She shared her story of her mother's death of almost 3 years ago and how her faith and her relationship with God has grown since that time.She has become very involved in the youth group and is on the youth leadership team.I know it took courage for her to get up in front of a big crowd and do this.Her testimony,courage and growth just blows me away!Hope, I am so very proud of you! Love, Jackie

Thank You to My Husband

I want to thank my husband for all the things that he does to support me as a stepmom.You take your job/role as a husband and a father very seriously.You talk with me about step parenting issues and respect and honor my input.You are patient when I get frustrated.You give me encouragement when I need it.You love me unconditionally.You give this family spiritual leadership. Thanks for getting up early after only a few hours of sleep to go to the Men's fraternity at church and for what you learned and are trying to do as a Godly husband and father.Thanks for realizing that my success as a stepmom greatly depends on you.Without you,I probably would not succeed.But with your support ,I can.Thanks for listening to me about the many things I ramble about.Thanks for doing your part to give me a strong foundation to stand on as a stepmom.Thanks for being my advocate and always sticking by my side.I LOVE YOU!!!

A Lot of Happenings

There have been alot of happenings in The Brown household recently, so this post will bring things up to the present time. We had a really bad day a little over a week ago in which we woke up one morning to an overflowing toilet and plumbing issues on a cold rainy day.As the day progressed,my husband was helping the plumber and fell down the outside deck stairs onto his back. He went back to work yesterday after being out of work for over a week,but thank God there were no serious injuries. My youngest son has left for Orlando,Florida to work at Seaworld. Thank God he made it safely and has a good room mate which I prayed for.My birthday was this past week and I had a very good day.My husband took me out to eat and to a neat coffee shop for dessert.Over this past weekend ,my husband and I went to a marriage seminar at our church called "The Art of Marriage".There was alot of good information on God's design for marriage.I would definitely recommend this to engaged or married couples.
Now to update you on my stepdaughter,Hope.We are continuing our bible study on "Lies Young Women Believe".It is great!!Some most exciting news is that Hope is going to give her testimony at church in a few weeks.I have watched her grow in her faith over the past few years.God is really using her circumstances in her life to impact others as they watch her growth in Christ.Our GOD is so good!!Even though we have had some challenges lately,LIFE is bringing us all closer together.Continuing the journey!